DOUGLAS CASTLE HUMBLES HIMSELF

Dear Friends:

I received a polite but excoriating rebuke from Mark Joyner regarding my earlier post. It was well-deserved, and I was caught in the act of being a clod.

In his letter, he claimed that I had: used his letter without proper attribution or permission; removed hyperlinks which were referenced in his letter which were part and parcel of the letter's import and intent; that the points about entrepreneurship which I made at the end of my article were not in accord with the principles of Simpleology.

Mark - You were quite correct on all counts (except for the one about requiring permission), and I apologize for taking advantage of your good offices in order to present my own agenda, a small, but important portion of which coincides with yours. I also apologize to you as I am admittedly a subscriber and a fan of yours. (Are you blushing?)

Mostly, one and all, I have been lured into the all-too-human trap of self-righteousness...and have foolishly and thoughtlessly built up a fence when I should have built a bridge.

I do not endorse everything Mark says or does. But I think he has some excellent ideas which are worth serious consideration.

EVERYBODY - please read my previous post, in its amended form.

MARK - I apologize for my ungentlemanly conduct, my thoughtlessness, my seeming disrespect, and for my wanton ("wonton" is the Chinese stuffed noodle) disregard of your personal feelings. I entreat you...can you forgive me? Can we become friends?

There is more that unites us than that which would separate us.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

p.s. The link to Simpleology is http://www.simpleology.com/

p.p.s The link to The Internal Energy Plus Forum is http://theinternalenergyplusforum.blogspot.com/

Check the "LINKS" Section on this blog for updated postings.

HAIL ENTREPRENEURSHIP! -amended post.

Dear Friends:

The only ship that stays afloat upon the dark, stormy seas of severe economic recession is...entrepreneurship. As ashamed as I am about having made that imbecilic pun, it is, in substance, quite true.

Recently, Mark Joyner, the Founder of Simpleology (an interesting and useful school of thought) sent me his monthly newsletter in which he shared some of his thoughts about the recession that is upon us. I found his words and his approach to be very encouraging, although his writing style is sometimes an issue I shall have to reprimand him about in the future (smile implied). Please understand that I have substantially edited Mark's content, and even taken it out of context, in order to "warm you up" for my point of view, and I have not divulged Mark's secrets here. His strength (aside from writing a tempting sales letter) is in using historical examples of very practical strategies and techniques that other great and successful figures have used throughout history in order to achieve victories and to turn problems into opportunities. The words in quotes belong to Mark Joyner, and are not mine. I have omitted the site links to which he refers in his letter -- if you wish to find out about these mysteries, I would suggest you make an independent trip to www.simpleology.com.

*****

"It's official - I'm ticked off about the recession. Not because of the recession itself (it's real) but because of the doom, gloom, and mindless complacency the news media seems to be bent on selling us.

Let's separate the facts from the fiction ...

First, how you and your family fair during the recession is 100% up to you. No bones about it.

In fact, did you know that the foundation for some of the greatest fortunes in history were laid by ordinary people during the Great Depression?
It's true.

They were just ordinary people who had the right information and refused to be talked into inaction by those around them.

Over the next few weeks I'm going to tell you a story about two men who seem to have figured out a formula for making obscene profits - no matter what is happening in the world.

I'll also give you some specific examples of some extraordinarily simple things people have done to create windfalls - almost out of thin air. For example, the letter I refer to in the first link above? The product in question was a simple printed piece of paper. Yes, there was more to it than that (read the story), but I just want to make clear: there is profit hidden everywhere - if you know where to look (you will if you follow my instructions throughout this series).
Amidst Bean's great posts over the next few weeks I'll be posting some stories and tips that 99.9% of the population have never heard.

If you're ready to take back the optimism that is rightfully yours, read the two stories above to get started.
There's more to come ...

All the best,

Mark

Mark Joyner
Founder of Simpleology"

*****

Mr. Joyner's letter is, of course, laden with "hooks" to get you to purchase certain of his course materials and to subscribe to some of his informational services. I have deliberately omitted the links to which he refers in his enthusiastic and inspiring sales narrative. Those links lead to two interesting stories which demonstrate some of principles of Mark Joyner's Simpleology...

Having said all of this, the three points which follow are my own, some of them IEP-derived, and at least one of which (you'll have to guess which) was influenced by some of the thoughts that Mr. Joyner has shared with me and other fans and students through numerous of his newsletters.

1. 
   
   A sales letter or other communication should contain some "pursuaders" -- these include: a brief opening paragraph that clearly states something of personal interest to the recipient (an appeal to his/her self-interest); an element of curiousity; an element of humility; a small show of vulnerability (saying that you have occasionally made a mistake, or miscalculated, or an admission that you need something;


2. 
   
   It is easier to get $1.00 from each of a million people than to successfully solicit $1,000,000 from one individual (this is the Obama fundraising approach, in its essence);


3. If you acquire (or buy) something cheaply enough (i.e., in a distress sale), you can always sell it at a profit. Remember that it takes less sales energy and expertise if you've bought something "right" than if you are trying to re-sell something that you bought at too high a price. Please do not apply this to stock market bets, and don't quote that Baruch axiom about "buy low - sell high" to me. For this to work, you must think like a salvage scrapper. The ultimate entrepreneurial delight is to acquire things that others are either throwing away or giving away, repackaging them, and re-selling them. Don't focus on sales price. FOCUS ON PROFIT MARGIN.

Now that we've had this conversation, get out there and prosper. But before you do, check out all of my other blogs, many of which have been updated. Look for these beauties under the "LINKS" Sections on this blog.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

p.s. If you clicked on the Simpleology hyperlink in the second paragraph of this post and found yourself right back on this very blog, it serves you right. Ha!

p.p.s. The picture in the upper right-hand corner of this post will appear to be an otherwise unremarkable black square unless you are wearing your special viewing lenses, as I described in my post of 09.32.06, or unless you have an Intelligence Quotient which is either lower than 63 or in excess of 180, in which case you can see whtever you'd like.

HOW DID I GET HERE, AND WHY AM I STAYING?

Dear Friends:

In moving on toward meeting our most important personal and professional goals, we fall prey to the indisputable power of Human Irrationality -- the inexorable notion of "emotional investment" overrides logic, and causes us to take improper action and to waste precious, limited, uncertain time.

If it is true that in order to optimize one's opportunity at success by being, "In the right place at the right time," then why do we, in complete defiance of the Laws of Physics, spend excessive time in the wrong place? This defies intellectual logic, but it suits our emotional frailties. These frailties are worth mentioning, labelling, and be vigilant about:

1. SUNK COSTS - When we have invested funds or other resources in a failed (and likely unsalvageable) project, we should consider these to be irretrievable "sunk costs", and should, logically speaking, cut out losses and leave. In reality, as we get more emotionally invested in the project, and it ceases to become an invest and starts to become our baby, we irrationally continue to nuture it, to expend additional funds ("in for a penny, in for aplound..."), and to be protective of our original decision to partipate. This combination of self-justification, messianic delusions and denial cause us to continue sepending money and other resources on a losing proposition. Recognize sunk costs, and cut your losses early on. The object of an investment is to win, not to validate your undernourished ego............................................................................................................................
2. OPPORTUNITY COSTS - When we spend our time or money on one thing, we have sacrificed the opportunity to spend them on another. When we decide in favor of one thing, we decide against all other opportunities. If we invest money on the wrong project, we are sacrificing the opportunity to invest in another. If we spend time in a bad job, a bad realtionship, or a bad environment, we are losing irreplaceable time which we could be spending elsewhere, on other things. The solution is to be able to admit when you have made a mistake, and to get out of the wrong cirucumstances and into the right ones immediately. If your trained instincts tell you that you are in the wrong place, get out in a hurry. As long as you remain in the wrong place, you cannot be in the right one.........................................................................................................................
3. TIMING ERROR - Sometimes we find ourselves in the right place, but at the wrong time. In these cases, the intelligent thing to do is to leave and to come back another time. While you sit (or stand) idly waiting, you could be investing time more productively.........................................................................................................

Know these common errors of human irrationality, and avoid being entrapped by them. Your time, as well as your financial resources, is precious.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

p.s. Click on all of the other blogs which are linked to this one -- many have already been updated.

QUESTIONS (?)

Dear Friends:

I would be honored if you would read my updated posts, especially at SENDING SIGNALS! and TAKING COMMAND! I would recommend that you read those posts first, and then proceed down the line through the rest of the blogs which I have encumbered myself with.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

p.s. The person in the photograph used to be me, but he no longer is.

PLACES TO VISIT - NO GASOLINE REQUIRED

Dear Friends:

In the interest of providing wonderful travel opportunities without imposing the high cost of fuel upon my beloved readers (and also Scott), I have provided a number of places for you to visit without leaving your computer. That's right! You heard correctly (a point of clarification: if you actually "heard me," you were likely hallucinating, as I have merely been writing so far).

With a mere click on any of the hyperlinks, your mind can go on a refreshing and stimulating vacation from the mundane and the tedious.

Click on TAKING COMMAND! to learn about meetings, and how to make them more effective. In fact, learn about what doesn't ever work, and what always works.

Click on INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS to learn about "Reports vs Results." Are your reports standing in the way of your obtaining results? Are they actually giving the responsibile parties a valid reason to miss crucial deadlines. What do good reports accomplish? Why do simple, short-term results matter more than obsessive conversation about either the incremental steps involved, or the "big picture."

Click on SENDING SIGNALS! to learn about the fine art of SEEING ORDER IN THE CHAOS.

Click on THE GLOBAL FUTURIST to learn more about the challenges facing the United States...as well as some strategies and opportunities.

And of course, click on LIFE LINKS, CIOF ON CURRENT EVENTS, and THORIUM ENERGY, INC. to read about some interesting developments and surprising study results.

Enjoy them all.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

p.s. A Human Being is truly just flesh, feelings, thoughts and actions.

p.p.s. Smoking is hazardous to your health, and to the health of others around you. If you must smoke, don't do it in my car or in an elevator. Gasoline pumps can be problematic as well.

PASSIVE ACCEPTANCE OF HARMFUL CHANGE.

Dear Readers:

With so much idle time on my hands, I pledge to you (and you know who you are) to update this blog with a new post each week. Additionally, I implore you all to go directly to the LINKS Sections below after you've read this post to enjoy the posts on all of the other linked blogsites and websites.

And now, to today's subject:

A frightening irony of the Human Spirit, is that although we generally fear any type of change asked of us or imposed upon us, if that change is foist upon us by those in power, we ultimately accept it. There may be a few questions, concerns and doubts...but invariably, we accept it. As the more feeble and plentiful constituents of the great mass of voters (or taxpayers, or servants, or serfs, or subjects, or victims or captives) come to be accepting of the change, we "fall in" with the fold. We allow ourselves to abadon thought and accept the concensus. After a time, in order to protect our frail psyches, we begin to forget about how things were before the change. In some cases, we even succumb to the Stockholm Syndrome, and start to justify, excuse and accept the people who have forcefully imposed their will upon us.

To make matters worse, we even accept the flimsiest excuses (as well as out-and-out lies) for why the change took place. We are, ultimately, too frightened of the truth, and of its implications. We do not want to see monsters under beds and in our closets, so we cover our eyes...like frightened children.

Never give up your power without a fight. Never surrender yourself, unquestioningly, into the hands of a possible enemy.

The world deteriorates because a few truly evil people are entrusted with too much power. Although Lord Acton 's addage about "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely. The energy and dynamics of power must be balanced. Doubts about the actions or intentions of others are healthy, and should be encouraged.

People who never ask questions ultimately become slaves, and become subject to the decisions of others.

Can you do two things simultaneously? Of course you can, gentle readers. I believe in you.

Excellent.

Then pull into a local gasoline station and start filling up your gas tank while thinking about the meaning of democracy at the same time.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle

p.s. Never give up. Never surrender.

TOOLS

Dear Friends, Fellow Thinkers, Success Aspirants and Exemplary Human Beings -

The theme of "Tools and Modalities" throbs like a heart's steady beating throughout INTERNAL ENERGY PLUS Training -- training of both the mind and of the body.

A tool is merely a device. It is the hand that wields it which determines if it will be used to build or to destroy; to hurt or to heal; to liberate or to enslave. I believe that tools are mindless things -- that they are merely an enabling extension of the individual's truest intentions.

We are not puppets, unless we choose to abdicate our responsibilities to ourselves and to all of Humankind. Neither are we puppeteers, as mere puppets cannot turn and rebel against their masters.

The world is filled with tools and with choices; with devices and decisions. Will we provide energy for the world, or will we blow it up in a giant, swirling ball of lethal dust?

To be Human is to be torn between forces and pulled in different directions by urges and inklings. To be Great is to acknowledge and accept one's Humanity, as well as the Humanity of others, and yet to strive to make right choices and to build a noble legacy for generations of yet-unborn strangers as if we knew to love them before they were even conceived.

Always,

Douglas Castle

This post is dedicated to my friends, Lola and Thomas, and to their beautiful new baby girl, Maya.

It is also dedicated to my former comrade-in-chains, Bob, who passed away two weeks ago, but not before having taught me that Atheists can "secretly" be Christians, and that Christians can "secretly" be Atheists.

The sun sets, but it rises anew.

--With Great Love, DC


www.CIOFoundation.org VISIT TODAY. YOUR GIFT COULD HELP SAVE A CHILD'S LIFE.

p.s. Please take a look at my last Post to this Blog for an exhaustive list of updates. Also, if you haven't already done so, please take a look at THE NATIONAL NETWORKER and the newly-developing NATIONAL NETWORKER WEBLOG.