Wow, it's been quiet around here. Back in January, after releasing a few chapters, I "went underground" with a big group of new Mind Hackers' Guild members, to teach a course based on what I was writing in the book.
Life, however, had somewhat different plans. It turned out that what the new students really needed, and what I was writing in the book, weren't quite the same thing. Also, their feedback helped me to see that the way I was presenting the material in the book was way too theoretical.
Last week, I sent out a copy of chapter 1 to everyone on the waiting list, and a lot of people sent in comments and stories about it. And it sounds like a lot of people can hardly wait for chapter 2... let alone the rest of the book!
"Your first chapter sounds like you were describing me! Your thoughts about successful vs struggling people make so much sense." -- Sue M.
"I am a sceptic, for all the reasons that you've given in your first chapter, but what you have written is very compelling, and from having read your work in the past, you have a very practical, down to earth approach that (if it works) sounds very exciting to this old procrastinator. I am looking forward to your book!" -- Jim van M.
"I read chapter 1 outloud to my husband and we totally related to what you wrote....
We are waiting with baited breath to find out how to activate our robots. I am a natural struggler and my husband is a semi-natural struggler. He hasn't always had a lot of trouble but the stress of dealing with a long term health condition has thrown him off balance. I, on the other hand, had the ability to turn anything in to a struggle, right from birth!
You have got our attention. I am planning to share as much of this as I can with my 17 yr. old who despite being very intelligent, likely could be diagnosed as ADD. I'm hoping he might learn something helpful before creating a mess in his life like the one in his room. Thanks for letting us in on your discoveries!" -- Lisa I.
"Thanks PJ. I have read and found the chapter a page-turner. It creates the high curiosity element, for me at least, to get to the next chapters. Good if this momentum is maintained throughout the book." -- Mohamed R.
"...Promises to be very different and helpful. I'm currently writing my first novel but my defeating behaviour keeps threatening to stop my progress and get me to quit. I want to finish my goal and become a published author this time. I just turned 39 and I think now is the time to reach my dream. My whole life has been a series of failures and disappointments but I know that deep inside I'm more than that. I'm better than that. Thank you," -- Olga P.
"The first chapter is brilliant and I'm on the hook. I'm in waiting mode cause I feel like anything else I try is just more of the same and I want to bloody get on with it.... I'm exactly like you in that I have a library of self help and it never made the difference.... Is there anything I can do (money?) to get my hands on this info faster? Is it available to clients? Either way let me know. Thanks!" -- John McN.
"Is there any way I can get the rest right away? I need to seriously change things now. My marriage may depend on it. I'd really appreciate it." -- Danny McD.
Well, if you're anxiously awaiting the rest of the book, you'll be very happy to know that I plan to send out Chapter 2 a little later this week. (And I'll include a link to Chapter 1, in case you missed it the first time around.)
Plus, I'll also be making a special, private announcement about a way you can get the rest of the book much sooner than everybody else... and about a special, members-only webinar where I'll be answering YOUR questions *live*.... about New Year's resolutions, willpower, and a whole lot more.
So, if you're not already on the mailing list, be sure to sign up here:
P.S. If you've already read Chapter 1 and would like to share your thoughts, please add your comments here. Thanks!
It's kind of tough to write a book while fighting carpal tunnel syndrome. (Especially when your desktop publishing software keeps screwing up the table of contents, too!)
Anyway, I'm now close to halfway through the writing, and barring any more flare-ups or software problems, I should be done in mid-to-late January.
I'm really excited about what I've written so far, because even though I've been teaching a ton of this stuff in my seminars, newsletters, and CDs, I've never put it all down in one place, as a complete SYSTEM before, and it's awesome. I'm actually discovering new things as I put it all together, and it's going to take my work to a whole different level in the new year.
During the countdown to the launch of the book, I'll be sending out a lot of goodies (including several sample chapters) to everyone who's on the waiting list. So if you're not already signed up, fill out the little form below. You'll also get immediate access to the "prequel" e-book ("Why Can't I Change?"), and various videos, special reports, etc.
Have you ever wondered why some people are so much more successful than others? Why they have a more positive attitude, get more done, and seem to get all the lucky breaks?
Not too long ago, I had a chat with PMBA creator, Josh Kaufman about some of the work he's been doing lately.
Josh is a long-time member of my self-improvement group (The Owners' Circle), and a naturally successful person in his own right. In this recording, he and I have a bit of fun back-and-forth about his current projects, swap success and failure stories, and generally use him as an illustration of how "naturally successful" people usually think.
In the book survey, a lot of people have been asking me questions like, "How can I change the beliefs that are keeping me from getting things done?" and "How can I do things when I just don't feel like it?"
Well, I'll be answering these questions fully in the book, of course, but later this week I'll also be shooting a video with my fellow NLP guru Bruce Muzik (of "Relax and Attract" fame), and we'll be giving you some things you can use right now.
But first, here's a little sneak preview of what we'll be talking about, that's also an excerpt from the book version of Thinking Things Done.
I've put together a 2-page PDF on my "Seven Laws of Belief", including a worksheet that takes you through much of the belief-change process we're going to teach. Download it here and check it out. Then, keep an eye out for the videos that go with it!
--PJ
P.S. Don't forget to leave a comment below to let me know what you think, or if you have any questions, so I can be sure to cover them in the coming videos.
Wow, I can't believe it's been over a month since I released the last video. Time flies when you're having fun... or when you're sufficiently busy!
I've been hard at work outlining the major parts of the book, deciding what techniques to include, how to sequence the concepts, etc. I did a simple cover sketch on a 4x6 card, and carried it around with me for a while. Then, just this weekend, I did a full cover design -- and reworked the website graphics to match.
I went on the road to spend a weekend with a client of mine, filming a case study -- some of that will probably turn up in various videos going forward, although I'm still reviewing the footage.
I've also created a new "prequel" e-book, called "Why Can't I Change? The Real Reason Why Trying Harder Doesn't Make You Any More Successful"; you can download it for free by registering here.
Last, but far from least, I've been working out deals with authors and publishers of various self-improvement products to provide them with videos, articles, and other material so they can let their readers and customers know about the book, in exchange for commissions and/or cross-promotion. It's pretty exciting, because other authors and speakers usually ask the best questions and it has certainly given me a lot of new ideas for videos, and even some things to add to the book.
Meanwhile, I'm hard at work on the next video, "interior design" of the book, and of course, writing. I've also been applying one of the new techniques I came up with just for the book, and it has really boosted not only my productivity, but my energy as well. Can't wait to share it later!
--PJ
(P.S. If you're in the "online information publishing" business and are interested in doing something together, drop me a note via my contact form, and I'll point you to the background info I've prepared for potential partners.)
In the survey, a lot of people have been asking questions like:
How to keep doing things instead of just thinking about them?
How can I continuously turn a sense of "lock-up" into a flow from idea to action?
How do I find the motivation to get started?
How to stop reading self-help books and start doing?
So I created this little 10-minute training video to answer them. In it, I explain how to use natural "pull" motivation to instantly turn thoughts into action... the way the thought of having some chocolate cake can quickly turn into action!
So watch, learn, and enjoy! Oh, and don't forget to leave a comment here, to let me know what you think.
Every day, I set out to make a video. And every day, I "failed" to do so. So within just a few days, I felt absolutely miserable.
It took longer than I expected to work through the fears, doubts, and limiting beliefs that were in my way. Although each was permanently banished within an hour or less, there were a whole lot more of them than I thought there'd be!
There were all sorts of beliefs I battled, ranging from the idea that I need to "work for a living" and "life is a burden" to a bizarre fear of fear itself, to worries about how the video would be received or how I'd be perceived by the people watching it.
I deleted each and every one from my brain, but when the dust cleared, something unusual happened...
I just stumbled onto this "tip sheet" from the "National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization" (by way of 43 Folders), and I thought I would share it with you... because it's utter bullshit and completely useless.
Tip #1 is, "Remember that it is motivation that gets you started and habits that keep you going. Resolve to get started." WTF? How is that in any way a tip? That's like that old stock market "tip": buy low, sell high. Thank you, Captain Obvious!
And in the classic self-constradictory style of these nonsensical tip sheets, tip #4 tells us that what's delayed is often forgotten, but #5 starts out with "Delay until you have enough information"!
And the rest of it, of course, is either meaningless drivel or pointless twaddle that adds more things to your to-do list, instead of giving you less to do.
This is exactly the sort of crap that drove me to figuring out my own self-help methods in the first place. People need REAL answers, not mindless pablum. They need to know HOW to get started -- and "resolving" is definitely not how you do it.
In fact, "resolving" is a terrific way to de-motivate yourself, because it's basically preparing your mind and body for conflict. When you narrow your eyes, grit your teeth, and generally tense up your body, you're telling it, "I'm about to get into a fight." Not helpful.
What you want to be doing to get started is tapping into desire instead: pull motivation, not push. More on that soon.
So, I spent the last couple of days wrestling with video equipment, scripting and F/X planning, and a bit of time on the book design. Actually, I probably spent even more time wrestling with myself, to overcome a bunch of emotional distractions like:
frustration with being behind (compared to my over-idealistic initial schedule)
fear that my training videos will be too boring (or alternatively, not communicate enough)
feeling like I can't just relax and enjoy the process... like I had to work hard and stress, even if I'm doing what I want to be
And I'm pretty sure that's only half the real list, but I've already forgotten the rest. (The best and worst thing about making rapid personality changes using my "mind hacking" techniques is that they tend to create amnesia for the old belief or behavior, because it seems so unnatural once you've stopped believing or doing it!)
But my brain isn't the only thing that needed a bit of cleanup. Check out this YouTube video I just uploaded, that shows precisely how messy my office is. (Plus, it even has a couple of productivity-related tips, because you know I can't pass up an opportunity to teach something, once I've got an audience!)
So have a look at it, then leave me a comment below (here, not on YouTube!) and tell me what you think:
P.S. Be sure to sign up for a free copy of the book, too. Please note that I won't be leaving that option up forever, though, because at some point I've got to stop collecting questions and start answering them. ;-)
