- Mar 11 2008
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65 Comments
Kathy Sierra, Gary Vaynerchuk, + Rich Schefren
Published in Blog
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- Have you ever noticed that when you’re following the path you were meant to travel down… the universe has a weird way of helping you along the way?
Here’s an amazing but true story about what happens when you find your life’s work and the synchronicity, good fortune, and weird circumstances that seem to come out of nowhere.
It all started nine months ago while conducting research for The Attention Age Doctrine 1. I was at a sticking point, struggling with too many competing concepts, and no clear way to distill them down. I had been fraught for days trying to “crack the code” that would crystallize everything swimming inside my mind.
I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t write, and didn’t know what to do with myself. Finally, I sat down checked some emails, and then surfed the web looking for inspiration and clarity.
Then WHAMO! I stumbled onto a blog that changed everything. In fact, reading this blog shifted the direction of my professional life.
This blog was written and then eventually abandoned by a genius who had gone into hiding. But as I read one post after another (I read the entire site) my views about marketing, blogging and life were altered forever. The author had struggled with the same concepts I was then struggling with, but had come out on the other side with a clear, coherent message that was simple yet profound.
After letting the ideas and concepts from this genius’s writing mentally-marinate for a few days… writing the first Attention Age Doctrine became effortless. When it was released it caused quite a stir in online marketing circles and sold out our live event in sunny Delray Beach, Florida in just three days.
After the success of the Doctrine I, I had a little downtime so I started investigating why this amazing blog had been abandoned, and why this genius had gone into hiding. What I found disgusted me, this amazing luminary had been the target of death threats and other malicious acts that I don’t care to repeat here.
I sent this genius emails, but none were ever answered. I tried calling every phone number associated with the site - but had no success. I asked a staff member to spend a whole week to try to find her, and he couldn’t track her down either.
But I wouldn’t stop trying - it was too important. So when legendary blogger Andy Beard asked if there was anything he could do for me (in return for a favor) I asked for just one… Help me find this genius. But Andy came up short just like we did.
We kept trying other means to contact her - but my focus returned to finishing what I had started with the Doctrine I, so my research continued and a few months later I released the Doctrine II.
The Doctrine II’s success put me in touch with social media superstar Gary Vaynerchuck. And in our interview together we immediately connected and found a friend in each other whose ideas complimented our own.
Gary and I stayed in touch, and I continued on with my research. The next report I released was The Maven Matrix Manifesto. In it I broke down the steps to transforming yourself into the supreme and dominant maven in your market.
And since Gary is one of the best examples of being a maven in a niche, I invited Gary to come speak at our seminar to share his unique perspective with my clients.
The crowd instantly connected with Gary, and when he got off stage he was mobbed with new fans surrounding him for over 6 hours… They hit him with question after question until we literally had to clear the room at 11pm.
Gary and I spent a few hours together that night, and he convinced me that I needed to attend the event I am at right now SXSW. He also convinced me to start using Twitter. He was right on both counts, the event was amazing, Twitter is fantastic…and where everything took me is the topic of this post.
I started using Twitter just a few days ago (before leaving to come to SXSW)… you can read all about it and sign up to get the inside scoop here:
Thank God I was twittering about the event, because Andy Beard saw my tweets and sent me a tweet back congratulating me for finally tracking down the genius I had been searching for.
I had been so swept up in the event that I hadn’t even realized she was here since I was just only looking at the names of the presentations not the names of the presenters.
But there she was, the genius who authored that abandoned blog, Kathy Sierra, presenting at 3:30pm on Sunday. Wow! I was finally going to get my chance. I was so psyched.
All day I was so excited. But my heart sank when I arrived at Kathy’s session, because apparently I wasn’t her only fan. The room held approximately 2,000 people and it was packed! By the time Kathy got underway, hundreds were standing with every single seat filled.
With so many fans I realized getting to Kathy was going to be close to impossible. But I hoped for the best and listened intently.(I’ll post a summary of her presentation sometime this week).
At the outset, Kathy mentioned she was going to bring a special guest up at the end of her presentation, someone she had just recently met, who was doing everything that she was going to cover during her presentation. Then she tore it up and dove right into some incredible content.
It was 55 minutes of great distinctions about how to thrive in today’s world.
It was now time to bring on her special guest… and lo and behold it was none other than my good friend Gary Vaynerchuck. I couldn’t believe it. Immediately all my fears and concerns about getting to Kathy dissipated.
As soon as the presentation was over, I ran over to Gary and literally forced him to introduce me. He did, and thank god he did, because she gave me her personal email address and told me she was going to start blogging again. I told her I’d love to interview her and introduce all my readers to someone I have massive respect for.
So why did I tell you all this? It’s simple really. I’ve found both in my own life and those of my clients that when you are on the right path in your business and life, magical things can and do happen. It’s like the universe’s way of confirming you are on the right path.
Q Now for the big question: What about you?
Have you had an experience like mine, where the universe decides to jump in and lend a helping hand when you least expect it?
Have you had any runs ins with the power of synchronicity while you were dilligently following your path?
Have you almost given up on searching for something when all of a sudden-plop! There it is in front of you?
If you have, please share your story below with the rest of us. I’d love to read them, and who knows? Maybe you’ll inspire another reader to pick themselves up and keep moving forward.
Because that’s what it’s all about, really.
So let’s hear your stories!
Rich
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65 Comments to “Kathy Sierra, Gary Vaynerchuk, + Rich Schefren”
Wow, I really like Kathy’s Blog. I see where alot of the ideas in your reports came from.
I look forward to seeing her being active again. Meanwhile I am gonna dig through her archives there and catch up!
Have Fun at SXSW!
Jeremy
I have these experiences on a daily basis… and I LOVE it. When you’re living your life On Purpose, your whole world tends to unfold in front of you magically. That’s why I created The Covert Matrix - which is Strategic Mindset at it’s best! ~Bill
Hello Everyone,
I will apologize in advance for this post. It will be a little long. This may come across as a bit of a sob story, but I assure you that is not my intent. I have to lay it out so you can understand the whole story.
I’ve been playing and I do mean playing with Internet Marketing for quite a while. I had a little success with EBAY, selling old books, and collectibles. It took me a while to realize that going to garage sales and storage auctions was not an effective business model.
Anyway I got married to my wife Teresa who has the same mindset that I do. That is to create our own path. We tried different business models, including network marketing, various traffic schemes etc. I remember a conversation that Teresa had with Rich. She was expressing her frustration and asking for advice. He said essentially, Find out what makes you unique, build a product around it and show it to the world. We struggled with that statement for over a year. Even when we thought we had found the answer, it led us in the wrong direction.
Then Teresa got pregnant. Everything was going well, until about month 6 when the doctor saw something in the ultrasound that didn’t look right. After some tests, they determined that there were several holes in my daughter’s heart. At the time I was working doing technical support. Then the doctor told Teresa and me that the baby was underweight and malnourished by the placenta, and she (Teresa) would have to stay off of her feet as much as possible. Add to this Teresa had a hemorrhage in her only eye, and basically went totally blind. This happened several weeks before my daughter Mandy was finally born on December.
I remember sitting in the hospital room with Teresa afterwards, thinking about the responsibility of being the father to a critically ill child and the husband of a blind wife. (Teresa has not recovered her vision yet even after eye surgery) I realized that I would not be able to work outside the house for a long time. I made the decision to go into business full time. I knew this would be difficult, living strictly on Teresa’s and my social security checks. (I am legally blind as well) Yet I knew in my heart that I had made the right decision.
Since then 2 ½ months have passed., and we have narrowed our focus tremendously, and have decided on a business model That is helping businesses increase their website traffic using social marketing strategies. We have 1 paid client so far, and several more in the wings. We are in the process of beta-testing our methods in order to refine them and develop testimonials.
Mandy is doing ok after 2 open heart surgeries. She is to undergo another surgery tomorrow Wednesday March 12; at 8am Arizona time to install a tracheotomy and stomach feeding tube. This will allow her to hopefully be removed from life support completely and be able to breathe on her own. The stomach tube will allow us to feed her directly to her tummy bypassing her cleft palate.
I said all that to tell you this. Everything in life positive or negative starts with a decision. I floundered around for a long time letting fear and doubt affect our ability to move forward. It took this monumental set of circumstances to push me where I need to go.
Everyone is going through hard times. It is your decision whether your circumstances will destroy or shape you. Some philosopher once said and I don’t remember who “That which doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.”
Even at the times that I think of giving it up, all I have to do to get back on track is take a look at Mandy’s picture. If you want to know the whole story, you can visit http://mandysstory.com
To Your Success,
Michael Blaes
Hello from Marilyn
First of all thank you so much for sharing your story. It will inspire all those who are feeling, for whatever reason, that there is little hope in life. Your courage, determination and sheer guts will see you and your beautiful child through all the ups and downs of life. I wish you well. Can you let me know about your business please and how to get web site traffic. Feel free to look at my site. I am based in Scotland and I feel we may be able to do business.
Thank you again and Godbless you all
Marilyn
Dear Marilyn,
At the supeficial level what you say of Mike & Teresa –’courage, determination & sheer guts’–is right, but when you care to look at the core of the situation it’s his FAITH that’s moving him–total & absolute faith in HIM [whether you call HIM Jesus or Lord or Allah or Krishna or just plain God]…nothing more & nothing less. And when you have that, one doesn’t need anything else–all else WILL fall into place when the time comes. But you need to be patient for that time to come–b’cos HE acts according to HIS timetable, for HE knows what’s BEST for us much more than us; HE doesn’t hurry things up just b’cos Taj or Mike or Marilyn or anyone wants things to be hurried up.
We have in India a Saint who lived in the later part of 1800s-1900s called Sai Baba in the village [then] of Shirdi [now HIS shrine is visited by a few thousands every day and the Offerings are in the range of US $ 0.5-1 millions on festival days]. HE always stressed on 2 aspects: Faith & Patience. He is now revered to as GOD by people of ALL faiths–hindus, muslims, christians, sikhs and I think I noticed a couple of jews too during one of my visits–HE stressed that GOD is one–something all of profess day-in & day-out but rarely practice.
Out of the so many situations that I faced in my life, I can mention one to bring clarity to this aspect Marilyn.
Like I mentioned in my earlier blog, my life was shattered and thrown asunder and the business [I am into Headhunting for mostly IT Companies in India] clients all gave some reason or the other to keep me away and my employees began to take advantage of the situation–coming when they wanted, sometimes @ 1.00 PM when they were to be in office at 10.00 AM, etc, etc. In March, 2007–yes, exactly one year back– I just asked HIM should I be paying for other’s mistakes? I told HIM–look I am going to dump all the existing employees and there’s no client for me now [the only one who still continues is my US client whose H1-B hiring activities had just ended for the 2007 quota]. You decide what I need to do–if you want me stop this business, I will. Then on 1 April, 2007 I moved my office from my own premises to a shared one belonging to an old friend [ this is another entry into my life of a friend who was with me in college in the 1970s and except for meeting maybe half-a-dozen times from then to now, there wasn’t much of a contact until March, 2007]. I really didn’t know what to do–I shifted my office alright, to cut down on the expenses & a few other reasons, but what is the work I could do without any client to service? Then on 3 April, 2007 came a mail to me from my ex-boss when I used to work in the early 1990s–” Hi Sateesh, [that’s how I was called by some] How are you? we need some good Embedded people into my company. pl. call me”. And work appeared and despite being alone in my office, had hands full of work and believe me or not, my Invoice got raised for a hiree in May, 2007–the first one after Sept, 2005 [yes that’s right]. Now I am slowly but surely coming back on rails–I have 2 people again working in my company from Nov, 2007.
I learned one thing from my so many experiences–if you want HIM to take charge of your life, FIRST and FOREMOST, you need to ALLOW HIM to do that. If you want to do things the way YOU think is right, what & how would HE play any role? If I want play football, I have to play it by the rules of the football game, not basketball–so if you want HIM to play your game-of-life, HE will play it by HIS rules, not according to your’s or mine.
I am sure there indeed a very good reason why ALL of us are coming together NOW–not a bit early or not a bit later. Well…if I know that reason, I would be HIM himself—right? I am not HIM and HE will let us know wghat the reason is when the time comes–as per HIS timeframe and not ours’.
And Mike–all will be well–just hold on to your faith–as you would a parachute if you were to be falling from a plane– and have patience until HE brings you back to land.
Bye for now.
Taj
BTW, Marilyn–what do you do actually?
Dear Mike + Rich and ALL the others whom i am getting to know thru this forum from now on,
First of all, I do hope Mandy’s operation today goes off well Mike.
Such operations are very common in India and they cost much lower than in US. Pl. do let me know if I can do anything for the future–I will do my best; the result is for HIM to handle.
Reg the experiences Rich & others have been mentioning, I have such experiences almost on a daily basis–no; I’m not bragging. I am from India and in the Indian [or Hindu, if you would like to call it so] philosophy, we have something called ‘karma’–which I think is pretty widely known now. It’s the direction one chooses that finally matters–your thoughts CREATE the situations that you ACTUALLY FACE, though we just think they are coincidences. [I remember a quote by Doris Lessing: Coincidences are GOD’s way of remaining anonymous]. If you want to do something bad–for whatever reason, the circumstances, the relationships, the situations-ALL OF THEM- that you come across just SEEM to aid your intent. So what’s critical is your choice [called ‘free will’ in hindu philosophy, which is different from ‘destiny’–both co-exist for everyone on this planet–if you want to know more about this in the language you can grasp, try reading the books by Dr.Weiss–Many Lives-Many Masters, etc.].
Rich’s and the other comments on this topic just goes to prove what I take for granted and follow [or at least try to most of the time] Alexander Graham Bell’s quote: “When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us”–nothing of philosophy in this–just practical advice and yet it’s full of philosophy if one looks deeper.
Rich’s mail reg the Maven Matrix Manifesto came to me a few weeks ago, when I was thinking all the while on how to rebuild my business–with all the old contacts gone with the wind, all old clients dropping me for no fault of mine, and all–repeat ALL, including the relatives [ I read somewhere–you can choose your friends, you can’t choose your relatives
] & 99% of the friends wrote me off. [Well–how it all happened is a long story that would make a fine & slick movie–more of it later, if needed]. Now I am reading the 88 pages that’s in the Manifesto.
Mike–try to look at your experience this way. Maybe what happened to Teresa & Mandy was destined to happen–and YOU were to help them out thru these phases. That wouldn’t obviously be possible if you were to be doing a job or any out-door work for a living. Hence the introductions / interactions / relationships that entered your life to aid you in fulfilling your role ALL seem to help you out to earn a living by operating from home.
I guess ALL of us seem to owe Rich a lot that we seem to be doing now [or is it the other way round Rich?:-)))]
There have been umpteen situations in my life when I wondered why some things happened and why some things didn’t [wishing they happen even in sleep]–while I am passing thru such situations. That’s when I just begin to think about the pro’s & con’s and then begin to look for the doors which should have opened in lieu of the one(s) that closed, and I do find them for sure. I am now in a mental frame of mind that when something I didn’t expect [or didn’t want] to happen happens, I straightaway begin to look–mentally i.e.– for the opportunities that are coming up for me to grab. It’s something like–when you are prepared for the worst-case-scenario, nothing–repeat nothing–can be a source of surprise or hurt or sadness–easy to say but tough to follow.
I am not sure if I got into a lecture-mode [ that’s Rich’s domain] or just wanted to share my thoughts, more than experiences, with everyone.
That’s it.
Taj
Taj and Rich: I thank you both so much (also Mike with his Theresa/Mandy story). I am in tears as I sit here with my crutches by my bedside - I who was always into sports, the gym, running along the boardwalk, and with a job that requires me to visit 15 clients a day — I was feeling sorry for myself that without being able to walk until my leg/back heal, I cannot figure out how to pay the bills (single mom).
I feel so depressed just having to stay home while the world continues to spin without me participating in it. And how can I make money? My “boyfriend” said it was all in my mind and I should just get out there and work. I have since written him off as someone who doesn’t care enough to be my boyfriend.
So now it’s up to me to figure out how to work from home for awhile just to keep the electric etc on. And feeling quite lost, I started to read Rich’s blog and the subsequent comments. Alexander Graham Bell’s quote: “When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us” really hit me hard. How about you?
Sometimes we refuse to see that the door IS closed!
Thank you so much, guys. I’m going to OPEN MY EYES NOW and try to see where the open doors might be. You are all very inspiring. And thank you again, Rich, for taking the time to share your thoughts with us and to come up with your manifestos which I’m sure have helped thousands of people. God Bless.
Janet,
I just responded with my views to Marilyn–some may be relevant/appropriate to you too.
There’s one thing I could add specifically to you about what you mentioned: ‘ Sometimes we refuse to see that the door is closed’. Yes. You are right and it does happen [it happened to me at least]–as human beings we are always prone to clutch to the known / familiar–whether they are our sorroundings or people or jobs or anything. By nature we are AFRAID of the unknown and it is this way of thinking / reacting to the situations around us that prevents us from “letting go” and unless we ‘let go’ where is the scope for HIM to enter and take charge? This is what I covered in my response to Marilyn.
I am not sure if I can or at least am in a position to suggest you to ‘do this or do that’ to handle your problems, but maybe if you give the details someone would be able guide.
Bye for now Janet
Taj
Hi Taj
I appreciate your comments. I know that I am here for a reason and there is a purpose for my life. one of my favorite scriptures is All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose. Rom 8:28. That definitely describes me. The neat thing about the whole story is how God is totally in control of the circumstances. I am 100 % powerless to make changes or improve the situation. It is all in his hands.
Michael Blaes
Hey Mike,
Glad to know that Mandy is OK now and is on the way to recovery.
I agree with what all you mentioned except one thing Mike: ” I am 100% powerless…….”. You are now MUCH MORE than 100% powerful–just b’cos you have put yourself in HIS total control. It’s something like this Mike: when you tell your kid to do this or do that, your kid just does what you ask him/her to do– not b’cos he/she thinks you are right but b’cos he/she TRUSTS that what you say is right and good for her/him–notice the difference, in fact 2 differences? What if he/she refuses to listen–or so to say, refuses to allow you to put him/her on the right path?
And when as a human being trusting another human being can achieve great results, how would one explain/communicate the results when a human being trusts HIM–can we even think of successfully explaining that situation? I think not–it just HAS to be experienced.
In the former, misusing the trust can be possible [you trust your kid or office staff of not cheating, but the possibility always exists that they can, and many do too], but in the later that situation just DOESN’T exist.
Bye for now,
Taj
Hey Rich and All,
I just wanted to let everyone that Mandy came through today’s surgery with flying colors. She is resting comfortably.
Thank You for All the Prayers
Michael Blaes
PS. I updated the blog with the details and a new picture http://mandysstory.com
I have a similar story. About 6 months ago someone told me about this marketing guru that was living in Madrid like me. I checked out his site, loved the content…but didn’t dare approach him.
A few months passed and then I saw the link to his blog on Rich’s blog. Needless to say I was pretty impressed since there’s only 5 people on the blog roll here.
His auto responder said to get in touch and I thought, “hey…why not?” We ended up chatting for a bit, met up for a beer, and got on really well.
So now I’m friends with the mysterious Dean Hunt, master of buzz marketing.
(First off, Rich, thanks for the Maven Bootcamp – I found it incredibly valuable!)
I had a similar experience of the universe jumping in when I least expected it, which caused me to rediscover and return to doing what I most love.
In the 1990’s I did consulting for the late, great information manager ECCO Pro, coaching people how to best use it to manage their commitments, personal information, and such. At the time there was no David Allen or “Getting Things Done”, and the whole notion of personal information management was pretty much a niche concept.
ECCO was discontinued in 1997 and I was forced to move on; I co-founded a software company producing products for Microsoft Outlook. But I always kept a place in my heart for the concept of effective personal information management, and I continued studying the field.
In the summer of 2006 I moved from L.A. to the Washington D.C. area, still running my software company. A few months later, I got a call from one of my favorite former ECCO clients, Berry Gordy (of Motown fame). He was still using ECCO; could I drive down and help him out with some things? Alas, I informed him, I was no longer in L.A. and had moved to D.C. “What a coincidence,” he replied, “I’m going to be there next week for the Kennedy Center Honors. Can we get together then?”
Over the course of a three-hour consulting session at his hotel suite – which never would have happened had his friend Smokey Robinson not been chosen as an Honoree at that year’s Kennedy Center event – I rediscovered my love for coaching, for helping people be organized, productive and effective. As I drove off from the hotel, I committed to returning to that passion (which thanks to David Allen, Tim Ferris and others, is now much more in the mainstream of consciousness).
Within six months, I had sold my share of the software company to my business partner and had started a new consulting firm, More Productive Now. I’m now doing what I love, coaching people to be more productive and organized – and less stressed – in managing their work and their lives, and having more fun than ever!
Hello Phil,
Great reading about your unique experiences and how they came about via past, long forgotten contacts.
We left LA in the 60 ties and left DC in the 70 ties, here we are in Germany since 80 ties.
Our small team of trike (2 riders side by side) assemblers is aiming for the niche “Sustainable Mobility” below the surely coming plug in E-cars.
The 4-seater commuter/shopper model is ready to be realized. We are offering pieces of the action to serious investors that are interested to assist with contributions to speed up market introduction.
Can you please add any useful tips or suggestions to provide further momentum?
With best regards,
Joseph
e-mobil ARGE
Rich-
I had a similar experience….meeting you.
I told this to Ken and Ricardo at the conference a couple weeks ago. When I entered your contest to win a VIP ticket to your conference, I was no way expecting I’d ever win. To be honest, I was writing just to relieve some stress…
It was a Saturday night here at OU, and I didn’t even have enough money to go out and have a few beers with my friends. I turned off my phone most of the time because I was sick of debt collection companies raping my phone 20 times a day. In my school’s SMALL, SMALL town, I hadn’t been able to find a job for over 3 years of attending. I was donating blood plasma so I could have money for food. This had been going on for a while.
I was depressed. I wasn’t able to sleep at night. I couldn’t concentrate on school. I had been studying online marketing and advertising on my own for 3 years, gaining knowledge, doing testing, using credit money to conduct experiments….and I didn’t even anything left for any new ventures. With school work, I didn’t have enough time to concentrate on learning how to blog and build a website, so I just sat in the middle of this negativity.
When I enter your contest, I did it hoping someone would see it, and reach out. Hoping to God that there was better things to come. I didn’t think I’d win, I know a lot of people say that, but I really didn’t think I would. I had been caught up in this terrible way of thinking and it was holding me down.
This was a huge change from a few years ago, before I got into IM. I was the captain of the football and wrestling teams at my high school, I had 2 jobs and had saved a lot of money, and I was focused. I often wondered how I got to where I was and if any of this was worth it.
So I sent in my response, and the “Universe” answered. I won the grand prize in your contest to attend the greatest business building seminar ever. I can’t explain to you how much this did for me. It wasn’t about money, or business, or networking. It changed my way of life and my frame of mind. It changed my confidence.
Since I’ve gotten home, a lot of things are starting to fall into place. I got a job as an online marketing director for a mobile marketing agency. I’m creating a report on my trip to your seminar, in order to receive independent research credit. I’ve opened the doors to have my University allow me to conduct online marketing/advertising experiments and studies in the future.
I am starting to see things a lot differently, and I have Strategic Profits to thank for helping me. I have reconnected with my dreams and after only a couple weeks am seeing huge changes in my life. Thank you for giving me the opportunity and I hope I can return the favor someday.
-Dan
Well said Dan!
We too really wanted to go, but Im really glad you won. It sounds like you are applying what you learned in a solid way. Man what an incredible gift.
Michael Blaes
From the moment I took the “great leap”, to leave my comfortable (but miserable) job, it is as though I stepped from the world of the average, normal existence to a rollercoaster of unexpected turns and thrills. Chugging toward the top, not able to see over the edge and hurling headlong into the next roll.
I’ll apologize in advance for the length…but you need to see it all to see the amazing journey that demonstrates that I have had experience(s) like yours, how I’ve had run ins along the way and how what I was diligently searching for was sudden-plopped in front of me.
I was very successful in my job, a six figure income, a nice house in a nice area. But I was miserable. It took 5 years to build up the wherewithal to jump. Finally, I did. My husband and I listed our beautiful house and it sold in three days! We wandered around New Mexico trying to find our “path” and landed quite unexpectedly in the Moreno Valley, 8500 feet above the rest of the State. We lost our breath at the beauty and literally,the next thing we knew we were moving to a rented house, having purchased 7 ½ acres of land that wasn’t for sale.
We drew plans and hired a contractor to build a 3300 sq ft rammed earth and adobe home. When he reneged (as often happens here, but we didn’t know that yet) the empty ground loomed in front of me, the calendar threatening as we had to be out of rental by ski season. (read “run in with the power of synchronicity”)
I collected all the plans and bids from the contractors office and plopped myself down in front of the manager of the only building supply store in town and asked him to deliver everything I needed to get started to my site the next day. Then began an 18 month journey. That is a story all by itself, but it’s a link to what happened next.
Once the house was finished, I slept for about 6 months. One day I awoke–for real, ready for what was next. I went to collect the mail from the post office and saw a flyer on the wall. “Learn to paint watercolor” it shouted at me. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. I took it off the wall, and took it home.
Two weeks later I was in the workshop, having never painted watercolor before. My grandmother used to say I was “born with a pencil in her hand.” Drawing was easy for me and I loved it. I sold my pencil drawings when I was in high school, but never thought about painting. At the end of the workshop I found a note from the instructor asking me to stay after the others had left. I did, expecting that I had done something wrong, that she would tell me to find another calling.
That is not what happened. She told me I had enormous potential as an artist. That if I would “work at it, work hard.” I would sell my work. This was huge! I ran home. My husband looked at what I’d done, and what I told him and we decided we push hard for three years. We’d convert a bedroom to a studio and I would “work at it, work hard” to see where I could go.
Six months later I sold my first piece. Nine months later I got into my first show. Two years later I won my first award. Three years later I was being “discovered” and the press started following me, with articles and then covers. Over the next few years as my art and reputation grew I found myself suddenly nominated to the local Arts Council Board, then another and another, then the Chamber of Commerce. Pretty soon I had a huge voice in the Arts community.
In the summer of 2002 I was with a group of friends, all artists and we were enjoying the evening and discussing a proposal that had been made to us by a local business owner who wanted to open a co-op gallery. We rejected her proposal…it was good for her and bad for us.
In the aftermath of that, while reflecting with good friends and fine wine, I said to them, “What if there was a gallery here? A real gallery, with our great art and more artists? How cool would that be?” We toasted and giggled and went home to paint more.
Three days later I got a call. Here’s the jist of it: the owner of the building where we’d shared the wine and the dreams, had either heard of, or overheard our conversation. They wanted a gallery in their building (a sort of Mountain Mall). Beyond that, they wanted it so much that they offered to move their Tshirt shop so a gallery could go in that spot!
Stunned and wide eyed, we entered into negotiations. The rest is a blur. The Gallery opened on December 16, 2003. It is not a co-op. It is the only gallery to survive more than 6 months in this town. In the third year I moved to a new space in a new building.
Now I’m taking it forward. In the mean time, I found what I’d been looking for all along….the passion that drives me. The love of the art. It has taken me where I’d never expected to go. When I was invited to the Governor’s Mansion for an art opening I was blown away. I went.
Three days after I returned from the Maven Bootcamp, the Director of Marketing for the Angel Fire Resort called to ask if I would partner with them for summer art events, I jumped for joy at the opportunity for which I’d been knocking for the past five years. I’m meeting with them tomorrow.
The ride continues, more exciting, more intense than ever.
I was living in Mexico and frequented this same restaurant with my family every week.
And every time this boy of about 10 came in selling flowers. He had spunk and persistance so I got into the habit of giving him money but never took a flower.
Then one weekend there was a huge festival of about 200,000 people and I got trapped on the opposite side of the street procession to where my family was and the crowd was 10 people deep.
I crawled under a temporary building because in front the crowd was only 1 person deep and it was my best chance to cross the road.
I tried to make a break but the people in front were deliberately blocking me, in fear of me pushing them out of their front row position.
Then one of these people looked under the building to see who was trying to push him aside.
Even though the procession was 5kms long and the crowd was 200,000, the face I saw was that of the boy I gave money to every week, the only person in town that owed me a favor — he asked the people next to him to move aside and ushered me across the road to my family.
Thanks Rich
Thanks are due more than you could possibly know. Through your Maven Matrix, I discovered the heart of what I should be doing.
In the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indy put his hand over his heart, BELIEVED and stepped out into the nothingness of a 1000 foot deep ravine.
He should have fallen to his death. But instead a solid crystal bridge to the far side suddenly materialised under his boot.
For me too the road has materialised. And within 24 hours of finding it I have begun the journey, casting all else aside.
You’ll be glad to know too that I have sent a note to Gary Vaynerchuk (via one of his captains) to see if he would like to be involved. He has said “he is up for it!”.
Here’s the deal then: The world will revolve with or without us, and if we do what we are supposed to do, the universe will arrive and fill in the details.
Impossible? Nope. I have in the past written a sparkling book about this mysterious force and it sold over 350,000 copies. It took your imaginative writings to remind me of it again.
With that said, know that I am squarely on the pathway you have laid Rich.
Jonathan
Rich,
I love you man. I’ll try to explain what I see happening right now and over the course of the last couple of months as best I can. Keeping this short…
Your manifesto and other recent works have added brilliant clarity to my life.
Just when I felt I didn’t know which way to go or what to do… Internet Manifesto fell into my hands. I don’t have to tell you how it’s helped. You know. Since then I’ve had other moments of confusion and coincidentally… your recent contributions have shaken me (in a good way… “shaken”… yeah… that’s the best way I can describe it) - they have provided a path, they’ve cleared the clutter and given me direction.
This may sound stupid - but I’m being as honest as I can. I’ve followed many great marketing professionals over the years, been on their lists, have bought their products… (in an opportunistic fashion - thank you for helping me realize that in another moment of blinding clarity)… and have succeeded in burdening myself with information overload.
I can’t say this enough, but finding you - well, let’s just say I think it was meant to happen. They say when the student is ready.. “the teacher will appear”. I keep you material all printed out in one big binder - I. Manifesto, lost chapter, final chapter, Attention Age 1 and 2, and Maven(which I’ve just started to read).
But here’s the eerie part. Since the beginning of the year, and since I’ve begun to devour your material - it’s like I’m living “The Secret”… but I hate saying that cause it sounds a bit “cheezy”. But the fact is… things seem to mysteriously pop into my face when I’m lost, stuck and need answers, when I have a new project and don’t know how to start it… a press release, an article, an email… a report… all of the sudden - I’ll hit a page, I’ll get a phone call… I’ll get an email and wallah - the answer is there. It’s really screwed up and when it happens… it’s really, really funny. I realize these are probably small incidents in comparison… but I’ve never been more focused on seeing these things, doors, opportunities become visible before.
Tonight I was brainstorming with my brother in law on something we’re working on together and again - hit a stumbling block. He left the room, I picked up a print out of an article that had some random information and there… in b&w… were the answers to what we needed to do next.
“The stars are aligning”. LOL.
Stuff like this used to be called coincidences - but that’s just a word to describe things we really don’t understand. It’s become evident to me that the Law of Attraction is absolutely real.
Crazy? Sure it is. Magic…? Absolutely. Is it because of you and your stuff? Who knows - all I can tell you is that it’s a great, great ride - I only see things getting better and I truly feel I have you to thank. What have you done for me? If I had to sum it all up in one word… “CLARITY”. I never realized how important that one word really was. From understanding my strengths, to identifying my direction, to staying steadfast and “pig-headed” in my actions…
You’ve inspired me pal. I don’t know what I could ever give you back in return for what you’ve done to help me. Crap - you don’t even know me… or so many of us for that matter… but you are a phenomenal, fantastically insightful, giving and genuine human being. Your Business Building System isn’t far off for me.
Thank you Rich.
George
In early 2005:
I set out on a new business model -
marketing consulting in return for a % of equity.
Networking like mad, I had my share of ventures that didn’t work.
At the same time, I had been selling my speeches from my website — and got an email from a customer saying the download link didn’t work. Fortunately, I had just checked my email and emailed the PDF speech to my customer.
He was impressed with my customer service, researched my background, and mentioned they were offering exactly the opportunity I was seeking — but on a much larger scale than I imagined.
Fast forward to today:
We are now working on raising millions of dollars for our company, Listopica (and its business units).
Thank you indeed, Universe.
Definitely Rich!
I think it’s no “secret” anymore. It’s called the law of attraction - it doesn’t only bring you closer to your goal, it also brings your goal closer to you, just like your story!
My story is also somewhat like yours. My ultimate goal is to become a success coach. So I figured I’d start by Video Blogging to serve as a platform.
When I first started the video blog, I had no readers. A week went by and I met a family friend at a wedding ceremony. Guess what? He turns out to be a success coach!
He recommended a few readers and they recommended other readers.
Then, almost like Magic one by one the people started poppoing out of nowhere. Success coach after success coach and now I’m getting closer to my goal.
I have close to 100 readers and have gotten 2 speaking engagement already. Wonderful!
Trust the Universe, and the Universe will do the rest =)
To CANI,
SaiF
The World’s First Teen
Personal Development Video Blogger
When you are aligned with your true purpose, the universe brings so many opportunities to you. Timing is essential — and you have to be open to all the opportunities to help you along the way.
And when you are ready to find the answers… and when you are aligned with that vibration… the teacher will come! You obviously were the willing student rich!
Jeanne
http://www.goalsnaspirations.com
Ok Rich,
I’ll try to be brief. So many incredible real life stories here…
I’ve had a truly roller-coaster but I consider to be a very rich life. I’ll have to go back 30 years to find the first doors to a truly international business.
I was 19 and having a meal at an outdoor place in the far east. I once lived there. It was a most depressing time for me. I was recently in a car accident which nearly killed my friend and I. That hot little classic, a full racing mini-cooper s was totalled by a truck. I didn’t know where I was going to live and I had only enough money to last me about a week.
Here I was, a farm boy in a big city and dressed in a military uniform. I was lost and depressed. I was due to race my car at a special drag strip but instead, I was here contemplating my plight; wishing endlessly about ways in my limited experience to make that illusive million bucks. Sad to say, but I was thoroughly defeated.
Yes, the universe does work in mysterious ways to push you towards your destiny. If you’re on the wrong road, it will take that road away and presents you with another. And this was what happened next.
My grandparents had taught me the old traditions of etiquette in all aspects of life. Even if you’re having a humble meal in the humblest of conditions. That’s true discipline. Four somewhat elderly gentlemen were having a betting game on their meal table. Soon, I realized I was their entertainment and one of them called me over.
They had put a bunch of coconuts on a concrete stool and asked me to break one with my fist. This is a daunting task to the uninitiated. Well, this old farmboy did so one after another at their request, and did so with respect for them, considering their age.
Now it gets wierder. They had been betting on me breaking the coconuts and having a great time. I watched as they threw cash by the tens of thousands of dollars on the table each time! Now who onearth were they? The gentleman that called me over won every time. By then, a crowd was starting to gather. I was concerned for the gentlemen’s safety and asked them to put their money away.
The jackpot winner then tried to give me a fistfull of dollars but I declined, saying I much prefer to work for my money. That, though most difficult for me to say, was the best response I could have given.
All four gentlemen looked at me silently and nodded their heads saying, “He’s the one.” Huh? I’m the one what??? The jackpot winner offered me a job. I took it immediately. That “it” being destiny.
What I learned from all four of them still stays with me today. I didn’t know it then but I was being trained to take over some of their empire for the next several years as they were retiring soon. Their empire included banks, manufacturing plants, technologies…in short, they were billionaires! They’ve all passed on. But my gratitude goes with them forever.
Oh, before I forget. In case you’re all thinking it was smooth sailing, I assure every one that was not the case. Every day was a test, a challenge and a lesson. In fact, my first job was to sell 4 container loads of- get this - five 40ft. container loads of white cotton ladies underwear. It takes too long to tell that tale here but it was sheer adventure. That I can assure you. But I did it in 2 weeks.
To all that have or are overcoming their challenges, don’t give up, put your energies into finding your way. You’ll find it or it will come to you.
Great Wealth and Happiness,
Stephen Chua.
I’m happy as H E dble hockey
sticks through the blogosphere
I’ve been Blessed to be amongst
Such as Yourselves Praises :))
ArtByLetters©®™
SRXXXP
James
©®™
Hi,
Great post. 10 years ago I started to follow my passion, poetry (and I’m now number 1 + 2 in the world for ‘gift poetry’). 6 years ago I jumped off the cliff, left corporate world and decided to become a full time poet. People laughed at me, said I’d gone mad. Yet, here I am, 6 years later, still a poet and now I’m also following my other passion, Internet Marketing. I’m going to share (free of charge) ALL that I have learned in the last 10 years online. Along the way, I have had so many seen and unseen helpers, it is way beyond coincidence. I believe, if you believe, you can ask for things and they will arrive, many times in shapes and forms that you never expected. For the record, I am not rich, but I am rich in so many other ways. If I was more materially minded, I know I could attract wealth, in fact, I’m in the middle of that process right now, as I want to build a dozen or so orphanages. I know that wealth will come because when it comes to dreams:
“Build them, and they will come”"
All the very best, Allen Jesson
Hello Everyone:
I just want to acknowledge everyone here for your great stories. Llife does indeed give us feedback. Over the years, my ability to manifest has steadily increased. My deceased wife used to say that she rarely asked for anything, because she was afraid she might actually get it!
I’ve been toying with the idea of hiring a fulfillment house to ship my orders. As soon as i put the word out, life responded. I just came back from having sushi (and a bit too much sake) with one of my vendors, who flew out to Portland, Oregon from Florida to see if i might want to buy his business. And guess what? He has a fulfillment center happy to take on my business at a fraction of the going rates!
And then there’s true love. I met a wonderful woman a few years ago, but she was involved with someone else. The guy she was dating was a player, so i figured she would be available pretty soon. But time went on, and i just deleted her phone # from my cell. Then a month ago someone told me she was no longer in that relationship. I was so excited, but she’s not a part of my social circle, so i couldn’t find her. I hurt my back doing contact improvisation, and had to go to the chiropractor. I forgot my wallet, and went to run down to the car to get it. When i opened the office door, guess who was in the waiting room! Catherine! Who would have thought i hurt my back just so i could meet my girl!
Me reading this blog post is one of those synchronicities, because I got an email about it, and out of hundreds of unread emails, when I don’t have time to read emails, somehow I found myself here, reading this!
And now I know why.
I started out on a mission to help parents teach their kids about money a few months ago, and through just this kind of co-incidence, I am now-coauthoring a book on the subject to raise funds for microfinance charity.
http://hubpages.com/hub/One-World–One-Book–One-Hell-Of-A-Difference
Rich, we’re going to have a global competition to find a handful of young entrepreneurs (under 16) to feature in the book, and I’d love it if you would publish the info about the competition here on your blog when it starts - but until today I had no idea how to approach you.
And now I just have …
Everything in your manifestos has been so exactly on the mark that I am forever quoting you. Thanks for the work you put in to them, for your integrity, and for your willingness to step out of the shadows and become a guru in your own right. You make such a difference in the world.
Jenny Ford
www.raisingentrepreneurs.org
Hi, Rich!
Indeed. Finally getting to meet you F2F in Orlando recently…
and meeting GaryVee! A turning point for me. More later.
Regards,
Cheri
To you all,
What awe inspiring stories from you all. I came into work this morning to check my emails. It is a normal day and I am faced with stories which make me stop, think and be so very grateful for what I have and so very grateful that the internet is here and I get to learn from so many wonderful teachers. I don’t have a fantastic story. I am trying my best to get through each day and cause no harm while I am doing it. Thank you all. I have my website as you can see but I am not getting any visitors and if anyone has any ideas how to have people to visit me I would love to hear from you. To all of you who have faced your own mountains and won I am humbled. I am at the point in my life where I would love to kick my day job but don’t know where to begin to do something else. Godbless you all.
Hello Rich,
I have been reading your blog for a while.
I have a short story to tell you about amazing experiences and things you wish for.
After reading Robert Kiyosaki’s books more than 6 years ago, I decided to change many things in my life regarding my career and was very influenced by what he said.
I was trying to define ways to rich women to be aware of financial education, I did it for myself but had no ideas how to teach others apart for the game cashflow which I kept playing with women in reunions that I organized.
Last year Kiyosaki and his wife Kim, came to visit first time in Israel, and one guy that I meet years ago that I wasn’t in touch with him called me and invited me to play the game cashflow at the press reunion for the couple. So I sat in a nice table with other 6 players and Kim and Robert came by the table and sat
with us, so I had my chance to meet them personally and ask them questions.
And since then I am teaching women in seminars to take responsabily to their financial education.
Silvie
Thanks for sharing that wonderful story. It’s always amazing to realize, sometimes much later, when you have a moment of synchronicity. It reminds me of a scene from the “Secret” where one of the presenters (and I wish I could remember his name now) talks about how five years back he was dreaming about buying a house, so he clipped it out and stuck it on a vision board. Jump to five years later after he’s moved around a few times and he pulls out his vision board…and wham! He had just moved into the EXACT house he had picked out five years earlier without even realizing it. It’s remarkable.
I’m head over heels in love with this girl and after a number of rejections, I had no idea what the heck I needed to do to win her heart.
I thought about forgetting about the whole thing and just move on, when this women’s magazine popped up beside me one day and in it was this article about this guy who had his flowers trashed and cards torn up his face, but he still persisted. And he married his sweetheart in the end.
Man, if he