The Epiphany – Or Why I Don`t Have What I Want

Note: I wanted to share this great post by my friend Coach Tia Singh. It really cleared something up for me and my partner Beth regarding our practice of creating intentions. Hope you get something out of it as well!

Thanks Tia!!

It`s simple. VERY simple.

What would you do if you woke up one day and realised that what you wanted all this while, isn’t what you really want after all?

Having spent time, money, energy, thought and effort towards realizing your goals, what if you realized you’d got it all wrong?

It started with an idea “Change One Thing Today – Do something differently” well before I turned it into my first Tuesday Tip.

I did something differently. I decided to eat a healthy breakfast and lunch, ON TIME. I cleaned. I created space for paperwork I’d been ignoring.

Subconsciously clearing space in my head for something to shift.

And suddenly it came to me. The reason I hadn’t manifested some BIG things that I’d been wanting for a while. Holy epiphany baby!!

All this while my dream has been to live in a beautiful 5 BR home, with a sun room, wraparound porch, orchard in the back, mountain and lake views (I’ve got it down in exact detail – focus is GOOD), work from home, have a wonderful group of amazing, supportive friends who I see every week, get married to an amazing man and raise 3 wonderful kids, vacation 2X a year..

And all this while I’ve been manifesting amazing things …. on a way smaller scale.

A partner who wasn’t quite what I wanted, an apartment that was adorable but not quite the 5 BR home, good friends but with not quite the level of connection I envisioned, money flowing to me easily but not as much as was possible, vacations that weren’t AS fun as I’d been dreaming up …

Then it hit me.

I’d been trying to get aligned with the big stuff, thinking that’s what would attract that dream life to me. But I didn’t realize till recently that while I do want those things, I’m not ready.

I just THOUGHT I was!

The truth is, no, not right this minute.

I still want all that but not right now. So when I tried to manifest these biggies, it kinda skewed up the results as I was asking for one thing and vibing another. I hadn’t thought about the flip side of getting what I wanted – the subconscious opposition to my grand desires were the spokes in the wheel.

No WONDER it’s not happened yet, duh. I told you it was simple…

Silly Bridget, Silly Me.

Aligning with what it would feel like to have that house, husband, kids wasn’t making me feel good, it was making me anxious – Fish sticks!

I forgot the most BASIC tenet of manifesting ie, It Has To Feel Good. Good, Good, Good.

Since these were my ‘big’ dreams, once I wrote them down, I assumed that’s what I wanted and didn’t even think to question them. Maybe in a year, but right now I can’t see myself living in that house cos it would mean being in the ‘burbs, driving, a mortgage .. when what I REALLY want is to be a centrally located city girl for a wee while longer.

Ooops. Ooops. Oopsies!

Basic Tip # 1 If thinking about what you want stresses you out rather than making you happy, it might not be what you really want.

Wow. Ok. So what does this mean? When you visualize, afform, affirm, use manifesting techniques to get what you want by trying to feel now how great it would feel then, it WON’T work well if you`re not ready, able n willing.

We can only manifest what we are READY for, what we’re in alignment with in this moment. Tweaking goals is one way to get closer to surreality (the feeling of YES, this is IT!).

Let`s look at this a bit more closely:

-I’m not ready to be a house owner living in the ‘burbs, but
-I AM READY for the lovely 2 BR D/T apartment with great views and a pool

- I’m not ready to be married or meet my husband right now, but
- I AM READY to be in a great relationship with an amazing man who I adore

- I’m not ready to be a gym bunny health nut eating super healthy food, but
- I AM READY to work out 3 times a week, cook healthy meals twice a week

See what I mean? Don’t shut the door on your dreams but be SUPER clear about what you are ready to manifest right now – the rest can come in good time. So it’s not about asking for the big dream and getting into alignment with it (yes I know I just said that our work is to be in alignment but sometimes re-doing the goal IS what gets us into alignment).

Stay with me, it’s quite the A-HA moment here!

Basic Tip # 2 When your dreams feel exciting and scary or TOO big, know that it’s probably not happening NOT cos it’s too big. Nor is it always a self limiting belief keeping you from getting it. What it is, is that they may not feel like YOU right now, or you need to do take smaller steps, getting comfortable at each level as you get closer to the penthouse.

Funny thing is, as I redefine what I want in a way that feels more like ME and what I want now (as opposed to tomorrow), a little magic happens and I find myself automatically becoming ready for more – without the pressure and expiry date we sometimes attach to our wants.

And as those happen, I get more and more aligned with my bigger desires.

Paradoxical, yet true. It’s like living in 2 Universes where I’m ready for the next step AND ready for the bigger one but not if I’m not ready for the next step before the one after.

All this while I thought it was about me not getting what I want cos I didn’t believe I deserved it. And in some cases it might have been true but mostly I realise its cos my alignment radar was off and I was trying to align myself with what I wanted but wasn’t yet ready to have.

Geez, I’ll stop before I confuse us all by overexplaining in my excitement! I know some of you will you get what I’m saying and will help explain it better so thanks in advance for that.

Basic Tip #3 If you’ve been manifesting for a while and don’t have what you asked for, try:

■Changing or reframing your desires
■Checking in with your goal: is it a self limiting belief or is it something you’re just not ready for?
■Asking what would happen if you got the big dream. How would your life change? Are you ready for that? What do you need to do to be ready for that change?
■Looking at other areas of your life, they could be telling you something

(For eg, if I can’t commit to a yearly gym membership inspite of having been a member for 6 months already, if I can’t sign an apartment lease and prefer to go month by month, it could be telling me I’m not committed to living here. Or there could be a lesson to learn as in “signing a lease does not mean I’m stuck forever, I can always get out of it”.

Er … in this case it would mean I equate owning a home or having a lease to mean loss of freedom. So you can see the work I have to do to change this relationship with homes and leases! Yikes!)

Once you’ve looked into these aspects, I have a feeling you’ll see things start happening much faster.

As my friend Cheri said the other day: ”If you think of your life ‘too far’ down the road its hard to align with what you think it ’should be’. Trusting that you are in the right place and things will flow in the right time makes a big difference!”

Couldn’t have summed it up better than that. Thanks Cheri!

This Guest Post Written by:

Coach Tia
Coaching you to Take Inspired Action

Check out Coach Tia’s blog at http://www.coachtia.com/

Free Attract Money Now Book

I just got a free copy of Dr. Joe Vitale’s new book Attract Money Now.

I’m only about a tenth of the way through it but I can already tell that this is a great resource for anyone who is looking to transform their relationship to money. A great Money Coaching resource!

Go and pick up your own free copy at http://www.attractmoneynow.com

Once you download the book and read it, be sure to come back here and let me know what you thought of it.

Enjoy!

Josh

Circumstances Don’t MATTER

In my last blog  post (Change: Crossing Into The Unknown) I talked about how to “bridge your beliefs” in order to create real change in your life.

But we all know that simply changing your beliefs isn’t necessarily going to carry the day and create a change in “reality”, in the world around you.

Right?

At least not at first.

Here’s an example of what I mean…

How many times have you gone to some sort of transformational seminar or workshop, had a brilliant insight and floated home on a magical cloud only to have your life (your circumstances) smack you in the face the next day?

Talk about a let down.

Ok, well there’s a reason for that. And believe it or not, that experience of having your circumstances fly in the face of your newly discovered paradigm, insight, or belief is actually a good thing!

Here is another video by Bashar that will explain what I mean.

Warning: I had to watch this video about four times before what he was saying really sunk in. So you may need to clear your schedule for the next half hour in order to make sure that you get it. I don’t know… maybe I’m just slow….

Anyway, enjoy. And let me know what your thoughts are after you watch it.

Thanks,

Josh

Change: Crossing Into The Unknown

“You can have anything you want if you will give up the belief that you can’t have it.”

-Dr. Robert Anthony

Sometimes change can seem really difficult can’t it?

I mean, most of us have at least one or more things that they would change about ourselves or our circumstances if we could. But no matter how much effort we put into changing, things often seem to stay the same don’t they?

Let’s talk about two of the factors that make change seem so difficult, and then I will introduce you to a simple technique for bridging that change gap.

Factor #1: Change is an Unknown

One of the reasons why we resist change so much is simply because we don’t know what lies on the other side of it.

In the old days, people were afraid to sail their ships “over the horizon” because they didn’t know what was out there. Were there dragons? Would they sail right off the edge of the Earth? They didn’t know! So they developed a habit of playing it safe and always keeping land in sight when they sailed. They knew land. They understood land. They didn’t understand the vast open ocean and were afraid to find out what was on the other side of that horizon.

It’s no different for us when we want to make a change in our lives.

We don’t know what’s on the other side of that change, and that not knowing can cause some of us to feel fear. So, more often than not, we will “turn the boat around” for the safety of the known before we venture too far into that unknown land of change.

Factor #2: It’s quite possible to get comfortable standing waist deep in shit!

I know, it’s a vulgar metaphor, but it’s true.

That’s why you will frequently see people stay in a bad relationship. Because it’s better than the alternative of being alone (the unknown). Or you will see people stay in an unfulfilling and unrewarding career, because for them, it’s safer than the alternative of following their dreams or pursuing their passion (the unknown).

Plus, it takes no effort to stay right where you are. You just keep doing what you’re doing and you’ll stay right here; nice and safe and cozy. Besides, things aren’t that bad. Right? I mean they could be worse.

But you notice that all of these barriers to change reside in one place.

Our heads.

Or said differently, these barriers to change reside in our beliefs.

The Constraints of Limiting Beliefs

Just like “superstitious sailors” who believed that dragons perched on the edge of the world waiting to devour anyone who got close, we have these beliefs that tell us that change is scary and that staying safe and being comfortable is good enough. Beliefs that have been created, re-created, and reinforced over decades.

And, we have plenty of experience and evidence (not to mention the opinions of others who share that belief) to support our faith in those beliefs.

Now these beliefs all look different (believing you aren’t good enough or aren’t deserving. Believing that good things only happen to people who are luckier than you, smarter than you, better looking than you….) but they all amount to the same thing…

Believing that we can’t or shouldn’t get what we want in this life.

And the plain fact of the matter is that most of us don’t have the ability to simply change our beliefs over night.

We can say that we believe something else, we can read affirmations and meditate on believing something different; but the evidence of our eyes keeps telling us that our beliefs are not beliefs, they are fact!

So how do we begin to shift those limiting and disempowering beliefs and create new beliefs that work for us rather than against us?

Bridge Your Beliefs

One technique for creating a new belief is to create a “bridge” between the new “positive” belief that you want to create, and the old “negative” belief that you already have in place.

This technique of “bridging beliefs” is one that I learned from Abraham in the book The Law of Attraction by Esther and Jerry Hicks.

The example that Abraham uses is someone who wants to remain healthy but gets the flu every year; but the technique will work for any new belief that you want to create for yourself.

Here is the technique…

“We would attempt to bridge our belief in this way:

This is usually the time of year that I get the flu.
I don’t want to get the flu this year.
I hope I don’t get the flu this year.
It seems like everyone gets it.
That may be an exaggeration. Everyone doesn’t get the flu.
In fact, there have been many flu seasons when I didn’t get the flu.
I don’t always get the flu.
It’s possible that this flu season could come and go without touching me at all.
I like the idea of being healthy.
Those past flu experiences came before I realized that I can control my experience.
Now that I understand the power of my own thoughts, things have changed.
Now that I understand the power of the Law of Attraction, things have changed.
It isn’t necessary for me to experience the flu this year.
It isn’t necessary for me to experience anything I don’t want.
It’s possible for me to direct my thoughts towards things I do want to experience.
I like the idea of guiding my life to things that I do want to experience.

Now you have ridged the belief. If the negative thought returns- and it may continue to do so for a while- just guide your thoughts more deliberately, and eventually it will not come up again.”

From The Law of Attraction
by Esther and Jerry Hicks

Simply change the script to apply to your own situation and try it.

Are your beliefs going to change overnight?

No. Probably not.

But it will give you some breathing room; some room to maneuver. And it will open you up to the possibility that you can in fact change.

AND it’s also important to remember that just because your beliefs or your mindset change, it doesn’t mean that your circumstances will change. And there is a reason for this! In my next blog post I will introduce you to a video that will explain exactly why this is, why it’s actually a good thing, and how you can use your unchanging circumstances as an opportunity for change.

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks!

Josh

Following Your Highest Excitement!

I was recently introduced to the work of Bashar by a friend in another coaching network. (Thanks Nat!)

At first, I found Bashar to be… well… a little strange….

But the more I watch his stuff, the more I connect to his message. So, you can probably expect to see more of his videos here on The Money Dojo.

This video is about Following Your Highest Excitement. When you follow your highest excitement, you are following your inspiration. Inspiration comes from your Source. When you are connected to Source, then anything is possible.

Enough said. Watch the video. (It’s less than 10 minutes long. Well worth the time investment.)

Once you have watched it, feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think of it.

Thanks!

Josh

Money Types: The Players In Your Money Game

“Narutomi Hyogo said, ‘What is called winning is defeating one’s allies. Defeating one’s allies is defeating oneself…’

‘It is as though a man were in the midst of ten thousand allies but not a one were following him. If one hasn’t previously mastered his mind and body, he will not defeat the enemy.’”

Yamamoto Tsunetomo
Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai

Although people find the study of Money Types to be fun and interesting, they often don’t understand the true importance identifying and understanding them.

What are Money Types?

For those of you not familiar with them yet, the Money Archetypes are a metaphor that helps us to understand the different relationships that we all have to money.

Here are the 8 Money Types

• Innocent
• Victim
• Warrior
• Martyr
• Fool
• Creator/Artist
• Tyrant
• Magician

The 8 Money Types are what we call the “Players” in the Money Game. Each of these Players has a different “personality” and different goals and fears. We all have every Money Type inside of us, it’s just a matter of which Money Types are active in our lives right now.

To help you understand why it’s so important to identify and understand your own Money Types, I’ll give you an analogy.

But before I do that, I recommend that you go to http://www.moneycoachinginstitute.com/ and take the Money Type Quiz for yourself if you haven’t done so already. It’s free, it only takes about 3 or 4 minutes to take, and it will allow you to put yourself in the game right now!

Important Note: When you are taking the Money Type Quiz, make sure that you only choose words that describe your relationship to MONEY.

The Money Game: An Analogy

Imagine that you are in a game, called the Money Game.

You have a team of Players (your Money Types) in this game, and you (your true self) are the Coach. Some of your Players are active; that is to say that they are on the court and the ball is in play. Other players are sitting on the bench.

Which Money Types are “Active”?

Once you have taken the Money Type Quiz and gotten your results, you can determine which Money Types are active in your life right now.

Any Money Type that you score 5 or higher on is considered “Active”. The one that you score the highest on is your Primary Money Type. Active Types are the ones that are actually on the court, playing the Money Game. Your Primary Type could be considered the Captain of the team.

Back to the Money Game

Ok, in the Money Game, just like any other game, the object is to “Win”, but scoring and winning the game looks different for everyone. For you, winning the game might mean having all of your bills paid with no struggle. It might mean being able to take more vacations and work less. It might mean being debt free, or increasing your income. The Win is entirely up to you.

So, we have a Money Game, we have a Coach (you), and we have Players (your Money Types). But here’s the thing, many people aren’t even aware that they are in a game, or aware of themselves as the Coach, and they certainly aren’t aware of the Players on the court!

Because they aren’t fully aware of all that’s happening, the game looks something like this…..

Let’s say that your active Money Types are the Warrior, the Fool, the Victim, and the Creator/Artist.

The Warrior is on the court to Win the Money Game. When she gets the ball, she almost always scores. But she only has the ball part of the time because there are so many other players on the court.

The Fool will almost always shoot the ball from clear across the court or try some trick shot from behind her back. 90% of the time, she misses the shot, but every once in a while she makes it and it’s spectacular! But she also frequently gets bored with the game and tries to start a new game before this one is even finished.

If the Victim gets the ball, the action totally stops. She just stands in the middle of the court, holding the ball and complaining about the game. “Why couldn’t my parents have taught be to play this game better? If only I had shoes like YOURS, I could be a better player. My mommy didn’t buy me a pony when I was little…that’s why I can’t play this game.” And on and on.

The Creator/Artist doesn’t really like, and may even hate the game. She doesn’t care about the score, and she certainly doesn’t care about winning. Anytime she gets the ball she tries to stop the game so that she can explore the existential meaning behind the game. Who invented the game? Why are we playing the game? Where do we go when the game is over? Or maybe she’ll try to do a performance art piece with the ball.

And Where’s the Coach?

The Coach may not even realize that the game has started! And if she does realize the game is on, she just leaves it up to the players and hopes for the best. (And then wonders why her team isn’t winning….)

You can see that this could be a VERY confusing (and ineffective) game! If your goal is to win your Money Game, you can pretty much forget about it as long as all of these players are on the court, all with their own separate agendas.

So your job, as the Coach, is to decide who is on the court and who gets to carry the ball at any given moment in the game.

The first step is to simply be aware of which players are on the court and their individual roles. Once you begin to be aware, then you can begin to control the action.

You can send in your best, most powerful players (the Warrior and the Magician). You can remove the Players from the game who are not there to win. (You can always bring them back in if you need them.)

Imagine, only the Warrior and the Magician are on the court. The Magician is the Captain of the team. She stands in the center of the court and the ball just magically comes to her! The Warrior takes the ball, runs down the court and slam dunks it! Every time!

If you want to create something new in your business, you pull the Creator/Artist off the bench and turn her loose. If it’s Friday night and you want to just go have fun with your friends, then you bring the Fool in (she has to check in with the Warrior before she can go over budget though).

The point is that you are now in control of the game. You’re the Coach!

If you have questions for me after taking the Money Type Quiz please feel free to leave a question or comment here, or contact me directly.

And if you really want to become a Master of the Money Game, then I recommend that you try Money Coaching!

Thanks,

Josh

Will Smith: Money Warrior Magician!

A friend of mine shared this video with me today and I just had to post it for you here.

This is a perfect example of a Money Warrior/Magician in action (with an in your face emphasis on the Warrior!!)

Maybe I’ll see if Will wants a job as a Money Coach when he gets tired of acting….

Great stuff.

Thanks for sharing it with me Martine!

Can’t wait to hear your comments on this one.

Thanks,

Josh

7 Tips for Feeling More Abundant

Away with the Buttercups!, originally uploaded by jonboy mitchell.

When it comes to attracting abundance, the key is to FEEL abundant. Remember, like attracts like.

So here are some quick tips for ways to feel more abundant, and to attract more of the same.

1. Count your blessings, name them one by one…

This is a really simple but effective way to feel more abundant. Simply sit down and make a list of 5 or more things that you are truly thankful for in this moment. It’s even more effective if you share that list with someone you care about (especially if they are on the list!)

2. Just look around you

Especially here in America, we are absolutely surrounded with abundance. Flip a switch and you have light. Turn a handle and cool, clear water comes out of it. Go to the grocery store and you are surrounded by more food than your family could eat in a year. Just take a second and think about the abundance that you are surrounded by every day. Think blackberry bushes in the summertime in Eugene. (You may want to add some of that stuff to your list of things to be thankful for…)

3. Carry heavy

Always keep some cash in your purse or wallet. I recommend that you carry at least $100 cash at all times. Don’t spend it, just have it on hand. When you know that you have extra cash on you, then you never have the fear of coming up short. (If you are one of those people who worries about getting “ripped off” then you can keep a $100 bill tucked into one of the many little stash spots that every purse or wallet has.)

4. Throw a potluck dinner party

When everyone brings something to the party, even something small, it turns into a feast! I love potlucks. I love to sample some of everything. How often do I get to try all the favorite dishes of my friends and neighbors?

In fact, I’m throwing a potluck get together on July 28th at 6 pm. You’re ALL invited!!!

5. Enjoy the little stuff

When I asked my fiancee Beth what makes her feel abundant, here are some of the things she listed for me…

• My morning coffee
• Sitting on the porch and watching the sunrise
• Tickling the girls and making them laugh

Find abundance in the little stuff.

6. Give something away

Nothing feels more abundant than giving. When you give, you realize how much you have to give. It doesn’t have to be anything big. It doesn’t even have to be new. Give someone a book you think they will enjoy, right off your shelf. Give the guy with the beard on the corner your spare change. Stop at the dollar store and get each of your kids a present you think they will like. Just give.

7. Change your focus

Focus on things that only grow more abundant the more you give them away. Things like love, peace, happiness, smiles and hugs.

“Attracting Abundance” is nothing more than feeling abundant in the moment. Take a few minutes right now and enjoy that feeling. You may be surprised at what you attract once you open yourself up to that experience.

As always, I love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave a comment.

Thanks!

Josh

The Money Warrior – Redux

Note: My editor said that the original post wasn’t quite up to the standard of the Money Dojo. So… I re-wrote it.

What does it mean to be a Money Warrior?

I am speaking specifically about the Warrior Money Type here, which when combined with and balanced by the Magician, is the most powerful of all the Money Types.

The following is a list of the characteristics of the Warrior Money Type from Deborah Price’s book, Money Magic.

• Powerful
• Driven
• Loyal
• Disciplined
• Goal Oriented
• Confident
• Calculating

But I would like to delve a little more deeply into some different characteristics of the Money Warrior by comparing them to characteristics that are attributed to some of the most famous Warriors of all time… the Samurai.

One of my favorite Samurai texts is Yamamoto Tsunetomo’s book, Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai. There are few books that capture the essence of the Samurai class like Hagakure.

All of the quotes that follow are taken from this book.

The Money Warrior is a Person of Action

“No matter if the enemy has thousands of men, there is fulfillment in simply standing them off and being determined to cut them all down, starting from one end. You will finish the greater part of it.”

The Warrior is not afraid to go to “battle”. Whether it’s starting a new business, beginning a new money making venture, or interviewing with a prospective client or employer. This is one of the Money Warrior’s greatest strengths; his ability to take action where others are stopped by fear or doubts.

However, this drive to action can also be a weakness if it isn’t tempered by the ability to look deeply and objectively at things. The Warrior has been known to pick fights where there doesn’t need to be one, and to see “adversaries” where there are none.

The Warrior Maintains Focused Attention

“No matter what it is, there is nothing that cannot be done. If one manifests the determination, he can move heaven and earth as he pleases…. Moving heaven and earth…is simply a matter of concentration.”

The Warrior’s ability to focus his attention is what makes him so powerful. There are several aspects to this focus, which I will go into in more detail later, but it includes the ability to:

• Focus on a single intention until completion
• Distinguish between what he is truly committed to, and merely interested in
• Not give energy to negative or unproductive thoughts or habits
• Focus on his strengths, talents, skills, and abilities
• Take “Daily Right Action”

When he is focused, accomplishing the “impossible” becomes routine for the Warrior.

The Warrior is Determined

“When your mind is going hither and thither, discrimination will never be brought to a conclusion. With an intense, fresh and undelaying spirit, one will make his judgements within the space of seven breaths. It is a matter of being determined and having the spirit to break right through to the other side.”

The balanced Warrior will listen to the counsel of others, but ultimately makes his own decisions. He trusts his own wisdom and experience. He ignores naysayers… unless they have actually done what he is trying to do.

Once a decision is made, he sticks to it and sees it through to completion. But he is also aware that “completion” doesn’t always mean seeing a project through to the end. In some cases, it becomes obvious that a project will fail. In that case, the Warrior will “fail fast” and move on to the next project.

This determination will carry the Warrior through obstacles and circumstances until he reaches the goal he set for himself.

A Warrior is Always Training

“Throughout your life advance daily, becoming more skillful than yesterday, more skillful than today. This is never-ending.”

The successful Money Warrior never stops training. Day after day he hones his skills and abilities by:

• Reading and studying anything that will give him an edge in his chosen field
• Seeking the advice of experts and learning from those who have gone before him
• Getting Money Coaching so that he can identify and understand his unconscious beliefs and habits
• Relentlessly eliminating any of those unconscious beliefs and habits that aren’t serving him and forwarding his mission
• Increasing the energy and focus that he gives to his Money Warrior and Money Magician

With daily training, the Warrior hones his craft and becomes an expert in his field.

But being an “expert” is just the beginning. When he combines his knowledge with his attention and determination, the Money Warrior becomes invincible.

The Warrior is Invincible

A true Money Warrior will never be defeated.

Sure, he may have a business or a project that “fails”. But every “failure”, every seeming “defeat” is simply an opportunity to learn, to grow, and to hone his skills even further.

Over time the Warrior becomes someone who knows himself, he knows his opponent, he knows his craft, he never gives up, and is therefore invincible.

A Final Note

Not everyone starts out as a Money Warrior or a Money Magician.

But anyone who is willing to commit to living these principles can, with time and effort, become a poweful Warrior/Magician who no longer struggles with money.

And for those of you who are already Warrior/Magicians…

Well, you know that this field is vast and neverending.

I love to hear your comments, so please feel free to share.

To find out more about the 8 Money Types, including the Money Warrior, you can visit Deborah Price’s Money Coaching Institute.

Thanks,

Josh

All of the above quotes were taken from the book Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai, by Yamamoto Tsunetomo

7 Lessons I Learned from Michael Jackson

When it comes to Michael Jackson, everyone has an opinion. And like most opinions, they are all pretty much equally worthless.

Here’s the thing.

Michael did what he did. And he didn’t do what he didn’t do.

I am posting this blog because he did have an impact on my life and I feel compelled to acknowledge that.

I’m not going to say any thing more ABOUT Michael Jackson. I didn’t know him personally, and I don’t pretend to know who he really was. I just thought I would share some of the lessons that I learned from him….

Now, I honestly don’t know what “beat it” means, but I do remember that at 8 years old this was the coolest song I had ever heard in my life.

He Taught Me to Beat It

“Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin’ how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn’t matter who’s wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it”

“Beat It” Written and composed by Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson was a star. The sky was the limit for him.

There was something in him, a strength, that enabled him to go to the top. We all have that strength inside of us, but most of us never fully tap into it.

And to tap into that strength, you just HAVE to be BAD!

He Taught Me How to Be Bad

“Well they say the sky’s the limit
And to me that’s really true
But my friend you have seen nothin’
Just wait ’til I get through…”

“Bad” Written and Composed Michael Jackson

There are a lot of naysayers out there.

There are a lot of people who will tell you what you can and can’t do.

Don’t listen to them. They don’t know what the fuck they are talking about anyway.

If you have a dream, then follow it. Just keep the faith.

He Taught Me to Keep the Faith

“So keep the faith
Don’t let nobody turn you ’round
You gotta know when
It’s good to go
To get your dreams
Up off the ground
Keep the faith, baby, yea
Because it’s just
A matter of time
Before your confidence
Will win out
Believe in yourself
No matter what it’s gon’ take
You can be a winner
But you got to keep the faith
…Gon’ keep it brother
You got it”

“Keep the Faith” Written and Composed by Glen Ballard, Siedah Garrett and Michael Jackson

I’ve had a lot of “failures” in my life. Relationships that didn’t work out, businesses that tanked without ever getting off the ground. Some of those failures took me years to recover from, some of them were just bumps in the road.

But I’m still here.

And there’s one thing I’ve learned from all of those failures.

I might lose an occasional battle, but I’ll never be broken…

He Taught Me to Be Unbreakable

“You can try to stop me, but it won’t do a thing
No matter what you do, I’m still gonna be here
Through all your lies and silly games
I’m a still remain the same, I’m unbreakable”

“Unbreakable” Written and composed by Michael Jackson, Rodney Jerkins, Fred Jerkins III, LaShawn Daniels, Nora Payne, Robert Smith, Christopher Wallace (Featuring special rap by The Notorious B.I.G.)

Everybody wants to blame the state of the planet on someone or something else.

It’s the President’s fault.
It’s the “economy”.
It’s the 2012 cosmic evolutionary shift.
It’s the will of God, or Fate.

That’s a bunch of hooey.

If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself.

He Taught Me to Start with the Man in the Mirror

“I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change”

“Man In The Mirror” Written and Composed by Siedah Garrett and Glen Ballard.

If I’m honest about it, most of my life has been spent pursuing my own selfish ends. It’s only been in the last few years that I was really even aware of anyone besides myself.

It’s my intention NOW to make the world a little bit better place, every single day.

He Taught Me To Heal The World

“Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough
For the living
Make a better place
For you and for me”

“Heal The World” Written and Composed by Michael Jackson

It’s easy to feel like we’re all alone here. It’s a big planet, and an even bigger Universe.

It’s easy to feel insignificant.

But we’re NOT alone.

He Taught Me That I’m Not Alone

“Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you’re far away
I am here to stay”

“You Are Not Alone” Written and composed by R Kelly.

So those are some of the things that Michael Jackson (among others) taught me. But there is one thing that he definitely did NOT reach me…

He Didn’t Teach Me To Dance

Thanks for letting me share.

I would love to hear your comments.

Josh

All lyrics courtesy of http://www.allmichaeljackson.com

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