Erin Pavlina has an ebook out called 10 Ways to Raise Your Vibration in Under 10 Minutes. It’s free, but you have to sign up for her newsletter “Spiritual Wisdom for Conscious People” (you can unsubscribe at any time).

It’s a very quick read, with 10 tips you can put into practice right now to “raise your vibration.” If that sounds too mystical for you, you can substitute the phrase “put yourself in a good mood.”

Are you feeling depression, anxiety, fear, anger, guilt, gloominess, shame, grief, apathy, or helplessness? If so, you’ll learn ways to instantly trade all that in for strength, happiness, vibrancy, cheerfulness, delight, elation, euphoria, hopefulness, lightheartedness, and peace of mind. (Wow, the thesaurus is sure getting a workout!)

How do you celebrate life? Let me count the ways. OK, there are 114 ways by my count.

Of course, I’m probably biased, having just read Marelisa Fabrega’s free ebook 114 Ways to Celebrate Life.

Just click and download instantly, no email address required. Then get lots of ideas for how you can make your life more enjoyable today. It kinda reminds me of Zen Habits.

As I went though the list, I kept count of how many of these things I’ve done in the last week or so. I’ve done 11 of them, including blowing bubbles (#36), going to a baseball game (#73), and eating Lucky Charms (#83).

(It would have been 13, but unfortunately the list does not include getting something from the ice cream man, or playing basketball with a stuffed cow.)

How many of the 114 have you done recently?

Incidentally, this is an example of a list post (or list ebook) done right.

So at last I get around to reviewing Napoleon Hill’s classic, Think and Grow Rich. It was first published in 1937. People had lost their money as well as their spirit in the Great Depression, and needed a reminder that financial success was still possible for people who would create their own opportunities. That’s not so different from today, is it?

“You have ABSOLUTE CONTROL over but one thing, and that is your thoughts. This is the most significant and inspiring of all facts known to man! It reflects man’s Divine nature. This divine prerogative is the sole means by which you may control your own destiny. If you fail to control your own mind, you may be sure you will control nothing else.

If you must be careless with your possessions, let it be in connection with material things. Your mind is your spiritual estate! Protect it and use it with the care to which Divine Royalty is entitled.

You were given a WILL-POWER for this purpose.

…

Doubting Thomases scoffed scornfully when Henry Ford tried out his first crudely built automobile on the streets of Detroit. Some said the thing never would become practical. Others said no one would pay money for such a contraption.

FORD SAID, “I’LL BELT THE EARTH WITH DEPENDABLE MOTOR CARS,” AND HE DID!

His decision to trust his own judgment has already piled up a fortune far greater than the next five generations of his descendants can squander. For the benefit of those seeking vast riches, let it be remembered that practically the sole difference between Henry Ford and a majority of the more than one hundred thousand men who work for him, is this-FORD HAS A MIND AND CONTROLS IT, THE OTHERS HAVE MINDS WHICH THEY DO NOT TRY TO CONTROL.”

This gives a taste of his writing, which is a bit old fashioned and peppered with glaring typos, creative punctuation, and RANDOM ALL CAPS. It also requires a good amount of patience to read it, because he’s very wordy, sometimes going on and on about things that are completely out of date.

But Think and Grow Rich is worthy of being a classic. While the wording is dated, the ideas are timeless. It’s also incredibly optimistic without being too cheesy.

And it’s practical. It’s about controlling your thoughts, but in a down to earth way instead of being all about “thought vibrations” (although there is some of that). If you find yourself making excuses instead of money, Napoleon Hill will whip you into shape.

Actually, it’s not really specific to money. At one point he says that “riches” means “financial, spiritual, mental, and material estates.” Think of it as a guide for keeping your mind from getting in the way of your success, whatever it is you’re working towards.

He alludes to Andrew Carnegie’s secret, which he says is the key to all great financial success. He doesn’t state it directly, but he hints at it in every chapter, and says the secret will appear to you when you’re ready. I’ll revisit the Carnegie Secret at a later time. (Update: now you can learn The Hidden Secret in Think and Grow Rich!)

Meanwhile, Think and Grow Rich is freely available from this link.

Table of Contents:

Author’s Preface
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Chapter 2 – Desire: The Turning Point of All Achievement
Chapter 3 – Faith Visualization of, and Belief in Attainment of Desire
Chapter 4 – Auto-Suggestion: the Medium for Influencing the Subconscious Mind
Chapter 5 – Specialized Knowledge, Personal Experiences or Observations
Chapter 6 – Imagination: the Workshop of the Mind
Chapter 7 – Organized Planning, the Crystallization of Desire into Action
Chapter 8 – Decision: the Mastery of Procrastination
Chapter 9 – Persistence: the Sustained Effort Necessary to Induce Faith
Chapter 10 – Power of the Master Mind: the Driving Force
Chapter 11 – The Mystery of Sex Transmutation
Chapter 12 – The Subconscious Mind: The Connecting Link
Chapter 13 – The Brain: A Broadcasting and Receiving Station for Thought
Chapter 14 – The Sixth Sense: The Door to the Temple of Wisdom
Chapter 15 – How to Outwit the Six Ghosts of Fear

Thanks to the newly-released MTVMusic.com, we now have easy access to just about every music video ever made. It doesn’t completely replace other online sources for music, because many songs don’t have videos. Still, people are cheering for this long overdue shrine to classic MTV.

To celebrate its arrival and also provide some motivation during the financial crisis, I came up with this list of the 10 most uplifting songs of all time.

This was really hard because there are just so many songs out there, and many worthy contenders had to be left out. But I gave it a shot, making up 10 separate categories to ensure some diversity. The list is heavy on British groups and almost entirely 70s/80s songs, but that wasn’t by design.

Without further ado, here are 10 songs that are great for lifting your spirits.

Best power ballad:

Somebody to Love, Queen (1976)

A year after Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen once again demonstrated their abilities with a complex melody, intricate harmonies, many high notes, and deeply layered voice tracks. Freddy Mercury searches his soul and begs God to find him somebody to love. The lyrics by themselves are extremely depressing, and yet somehow you know that everything is going to be OK.

“I have spent all my years in believing you
But I just can’t get no relief, Lord
Somebody, somebody
Can anybody find me somebody to love?”

Best doo-wop song:

The Longest Time, Billy Joel (1984)

Although doo-wop faded from popularity in the early 1960s, Billy Joel had a hit with “The Longest Time” in 1984. Because the only instrument used is a bass guitar, the song became a staple among a capella groups. However, Billy Joel did all the voices himself, by recording 14 different background tracks that were mixed in.

“I don’t care what consequence it brings
I have been a fool for lesser things
I want you so bad
I think you ought to know that
I intend to hold you for the longest time”

Best disco funk song:

Thriller, Michael Jackson (1984)

With creepy lyrics from Rod Temperton, a chilling monologue by Vincent Price, and a signature performance by then-black Michael Jackson, “Thriller” became the biggest-selling album of all time. The 14 minute video was more like a mini-movie, costing a record $500,000 and being listed in the 2006 Guinness World Records as the most successful music video. Ironically, Michael Jackson as a werecat or a zombie isn’t half as scary as what he eventually became in real life.

“It’s close to midnight and something evil’s lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight you see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes
You’re paralyzed
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night”

Best rap song:

Amish Paradise, Weird Al Yankovic (1996)

Weird Al really nailed it with this parody of Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise, teaching us what being Amish is all about. Because of a miscommunication, Weird Al was told that Coolio had given permission for the parody in advance, but Coolio later denied that and said he didn’t appreciate his song being desecrated. While that issue has long been behind them, I have to wonder what the Amish think of this song.

“We been spending most our lives living in an Amish paradise
We’re all crazy Mennonites living in an Amish paradise
There’s no cops or traffic lights living in an Amish paradise
But you’d probably think it bites living in an Amish paradise”

Best alternative song:

Birdhouse In Your Soul, They Might Be Giants (1989)

Back in the days when Istanbul was still Constantinople, TMBG filibustered vigilantly about a guardian angel nightlight. While many people questioned their sanity, this remains by far the world’s most popular nightlight song.

“Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch
Who watches over you
Make a little birdhouse in your soul
Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I’m the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little birdhouse in your soul”

Best supergroup song:

We Are the World, USA for Africa, 1985

To raise money for the 1984-1985 famine in Ethiopia, 45 popular singers recorded this charity single as the supergroup United Support of Artists for Africa. This included Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Harry Belafonte, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Hall & Oates, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Huey Lewis, Bette Midler, Willie Nelson, The Pointer Sisters, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, and Dionne Warwick. “We Are the World” reached #1 in 14 countries.

“We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making, we’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day, just you and me”

Best instrumental song:

Gonna Fly Now, Bill Conti (1976)

Not strictly an instrumental, but close enough with only 30 words, “Gonna Fly Now” was used as the theme song in Rocky. It reached #1 on the charts and received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.

“Trying hard now, it’s so hard now, trying hard now
Getting strong now, won’t be long now, getting strong now
Gonna fly now, flying high now, gonna fly, fly, fly”

Best progressive rock song:

Blinded By the Light, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (1976)

After Bruce Springsteen failed to even make the charts with this song, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band redid it and took it to #1. While the original was very folky and acoustic, the remake is very heavy on synthesizers and Chris Thompson’s New Zealand accent. (And no, he’s saying “deuce”).

“And go-cart Mozart was checkin’ out the weather chart
To see if it was safe outside
And little Early-Pearly came by in his curly-wurly
And asked me if I needed a ride
Asked me if I needed a ride
But she was blinded by the light,
Revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night”

Best transvestite song:

Lola, The Kinks (1970)

Even a bad case of mistaken identity couldn’t stand in the way of happiness in this song, based on two true stories in the band’s history. Surprisingly, its biggest controversy turned out not to be its reference to a drag queen, but its reference to Coca-Cola. The BBC banned “Lola” for mentioning a brand name, forcing the band to fly from New York to London to re-record it as “cherry cola.” The U.S. gets the uncensored version.

“Well that’s the way that I want it to stay
And I always want it to be that way
For my Lola, Lo-Lo-Lo-Lo Lola
Girls will be boys and boys will be girls
It’s a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world
Except for Lola, Lo-Lo-Lo-Lo Lola”

Best Beatles song:

Let It Be, The Beatles (1970)

If any group deserves their own category, it’s the Beatles. Paul McCartney based this song on a dream he had about his deceased mother (Mary), who told him, “It will be alright, just let it be.” This was the last single the Beatles released, and it went to #1 in five countries.

“When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And in my hour of darkness, she is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be”

Like I said, the astronomical number of songs in the world meant that many great ones had to be left out, plus this list is obviously influenced by my own opinions. What songs would you add?

I have no words to describe this. Nick Vujicic video (5:18).

More at Nick’s site.

Photo by telefrancais

Very often, people set out to do something, and then give up because it turns out to be too hard. They find they have to put in much more effort than they expected, they receive undeserved harsh treatment from others, they see results that are far from satisfactory, and they conclude that they just don’t have what it takes.

That’s not true. Meeting with tremendous amounts of resistance is perfectly normal. It’s supposed to be way too hard. It’s the world’s way of filtering out people who don’t want it bad enough. So don’t think you’re doing something wrong. You just need to develop your mental toughness.

There’s a great scene in the movie “Rocky Balboa” where Rocky’s son is complaining about living in his Dad’s shadow and having a hard time getting something for himself. After the usual sentimental parenting talk, Rocky lays out the bitter truth:

“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!”

People would do well to take this advice to heart. A few months ago, someone filled out a form on another one of my websites to request some help for the business he was struggling in. He said that he was having a hard time because his prospects were too skeptical to provide their contact information. Ironically, he provided a fake number and only his first initial (even though his full name was in his email address). In the email I sent him, I said “excuse me for saying so, but aren’t you doing the same thing?” My point was simply that you have to give a little to get a little, but he took it too hard.

The appropriate reaction on his part would have been to say “You know what? I’m guilty of doing the very thing I’m complaining about other people doing! I need to keep in mind that if I’m inherently distrustful, that will come across to others and affect how they act towards me.” A less helpful but still understandable reaction would have been to justify his actions by saying “Well, I didn’t know who you were, and I thought you might put me on some kind of list.”

But instead, he said “Because you insulted me, I’ll go with someone else. Don’t bother replying because I added you to my spam filter.” Now think about that. Because he couldn’t handle hearing something that wasn’t 100% what he wanted to hear, he decided to flush his business down the toilet. He can’t “go with someone else” because no other company does what he needs, and I’m sure he’s still having the problems he was seeking help for.

If you want to be successful in anything, you can’t get derailed by every minor imperfection in the world. If you get all bent out of shape every time a bunny is too soft or a rainbow is too bendy, you’re never going to get anywhere.

But learning not to be bothered by trivial matters just gets you caught up to normal. You have to go way, way beyond that and develop an extraordinary, almost superhuman level of mental toughness. When customers are unbelievably rude to you for no reason, when you make a mistake that causes a major setback, when people who are close to you tell you that you have no chance, you have to just shake it off and keep going.

I’m not going to pretend that this is even remotely easy. I haven’t mastered this skill myself, even though I’ve been working on it for years. It definitely takes practice, but the best way to get started is simply to realize that everything has a price, and decide that what you want is worth the price.

Developing mental toughness is, well, tough…but what’s the alternative? Quitting before you even get started? Letting unfortunate events ruin your attitude and thereby invite more of the same? Remember that at one point you decided that the life you wanted was worth fighting for. You don’t give up on your dreams just because achieving them turns out to be harder than you think it should be. You can have what you want, be you gotta be willing to take the hits. Develop your mental toughness.

Image from Rocky Balboa (2006)

In one scene from the movie “Rocky Balboa,” Rocky, who’s now a couple of decades past his prime, is listening to his trainer Duke talking about his strategy for his upcoming fight against the world heavyweight champion. Duke says to him:

“To beat this guy, you need speed. You don’t have it. And your knees can’t take the pounding, so hard running is out. And you got arthritis in your neck, and you’ve got calcium deposits on most of your joints, so sparring is out.

So, what we’ll be calling on is good ol’ fashioned blunt force trauma. Horsepower. Heavy-duty, cast-iron, pile driving punches that will have to hurt so much they’ll rattle his ancestors. Every time you hit him with a shot, it’s gotta feel like he tried kissing the express train. Yeah! Let’s start building some hurtin’ bombs!”

I think there are at least a couple of lessons here. One lesson is that even when things change, and what used to work no longer does, that doesn’t mean there’s not another way. You just need to figure out how to adapt.

But the lesson that I want to talk about now is the importance of building some hurtin’ bombs. So what does this mean anyway?

Simply put, if you’re going up against a formidable opponent, and the smart money says you have no chance, you can’t win by putting up a ho-hum effort. You’ve got to tip the odds in your favor by taking those thunderous shots that show the world you mean business. You don’t beat the 1980 Russian Olympic hockey team by playing conservatively, you don’t defeat the Nazis without D-Day, and you don’t defeat Sauron without throwing the One Ring into the Cracks of Doom.

Let’s look at some more practical examples. In writing this blog, I know I have lots of stiff competition in the personal development arena, and I’m not going to get noticed by only writing posts that are merely “fair” or “good.” Now realistically, such posts will have to be my bread and butter, but I’d rather write one post that really strikes a nerve with my readers and has the potential to be considered lifechanging, than write ten posts that are fine but really not that special in the grand scheme of things.

Depending on your situation, a hurtin’ bomb could be many different things. It could be your decision to change your career field. It could be the first steps of starting a new business. It could be learning a new skill that you can leverage to your advantage. It could be having a breakthrough session in marriage counseling. It could be deciding to make a particular investment. Whatever it is, the point is that to get out of a rut and make significant changes in your life, you can’t be blasé about it. You have to have the courage to dig deep and take those thunderous shots that mean the difference between winning and losing.

Don’t just jab your way through a mediocre life. Go for the knockout by throwing some hurtin’ bombs.