Innocence Lost

When I read about young kids questioning their gender identity and sexuality before the age of ten I must declare that innocence is lost.

This subject kept me awake for a while, last night, as I pondered this issue. I gazed out the sliding glass doors at the treeline behind the house and watched the twinkle of fireflies as they engaged in their courtship flights. 

I remember chasing fireflies and catching them, putting a few in a jar, complete with air holes, and thinking how cool it would be to fill it and make a lantern of "lightning bugs" to illuminate the patio. I must have been all of six, perhaps eight years old, living in Teaneck, New Jersey.

In the 1960s, most kids, like me, were innocent. Nobody heard of a child that age pondering their sexuality.

Back then, kids couldn't wait to grow up, to learn to drive, and to get a job and earn money. For me, school was fascinating because I learned things. The more I learned, the more I realized that there were so many things I didn't know and I wanted to learn as much as I could.

Back then, kids would run through the local woods and play. They were discoverers, adventurers. The world was full of wonder.

Today, over-protective parents don't allow their kids to go out and play in the woods. They hover over them. Half of all families are headed by single parents and kids are not raised with the same parental influences of my generation.

Many kids live in fear of growing up. They are terrified by the concept of living on their own and supporting themselves. They feign wisdom on social issues like gender identity and sexuality when, deep down, they are emotional children. They have no confidence, no assertiveness, and cannot handle any sort of constructive criticism.

Parents, you owe it to your kids to let them explore the world around them. Give them the freedom to make mistakes and learn by them. 

Kids have it tough enough already. If you are divorced, don't use them to manipulate the ex-spouse. 

Raise your kids with as much wisdom and positive thought as possible and give them the space to make their own decisions on small things so that when they are confronted by big decisions, they have a better chance of doing the right thing.

Get Happy - Ninja Mind Tricks

I wrote Get Happy, Write Away in order to help people figure out what they want to do-- what direction to take in life.

When people finally figure out what they want to do in life it is often fear, uncertainty, and doubt that stands in their way. So... I wrote my latest book, Ninja Mind Tricks, to solve that problem.

When you have figured out what you really want in life, and you want to make it happen, it is THEN that you need to establish goals and start planning for your future. Figuring out what you want to do is half the battle. From there, all you really need to do is start changing the way you think in order to make it happen.

You have been programmed to fail. Why? Because people love to hold other people back. Why? Because misery loves company. Why? Because it takes a little effort to be a winner and many people would rather sit on a couch, eat junk food, and be lazy rather than risk potential failure if they try to do something and fall flat on their face.

Cynicism is Everywhere

If you want to succeed in turning your dreams into realities, these two books will tell you how.

Get Happy, Write Away is a self-actualization guide, so to speak. It helps you figure out what your past dreams were and where your heart really lies.

Ninja Mind Tricks helps you overcome all the things that are keeping you from taking a chance and reaching for the stars.

Believing in yourself is a good start. Making a plan of action is your compass. Then, cast off fear, uncertainty, and doubt... there is a place in the sun just waiting for you.

YOUR TIME HAS COME.

Unleash the Ninja Warrior Within

I used to be high strung. I was always worried about losing my job or not being good enough. Then I was introduced to a martial art that came from the misty mountains of Japan's Iga province.

Learning martial arts is good for physical conditioning and self-protection, but the Way of the Ninja opened up doors for me that I never knew existed.

Of course, I learned how to protect myself, but it was the mental training of the Ninja that began in the dojo (martial arts training hall) and went a lot farther with me.

Being the avid reader and researcher that I was, I had to dive headlong into this new world of mental discipline. What began as a few simple relaxation techniques and breathing exercises coaxed me into wanting much more. I found out that ancient teachings of shinobi-no-mono, the Ninja, were in museums and libraries, and private collections in Japan.

I started digging...

Over the years, I have discovered the "Law of Attraction" and other teachings of what people call the "New Thought Movement." It just so happens, the Ninja have been using the Law of Attraction for centuries. But, the Ninja took it a lot farther than "The Secret" teachers take it.

What I have done is put together the teachings of the Ninja with modern business philosophy and positive thought of people like Earl Nightingale, Brian Tracy, W. Clement Stone, Napoleon Hill, Robert Collier, and other great teachers in more recent history. This book, Ninja Mind Tricks, will unlock your potential.

Imagine having confidence and the determination to accomplish almost anything. Cast off fear, uncertainty, and doubt. 

Become a Ninja Warrior at heart. See yourself in a whole new light. Reach your full potential.

Available at Amazon.com.

Ninja Mind Tricks

Announcing--- My latest book is LIVE at Amazon.com.

Ninja Mind Tricks (Take Control of Your Life with the Secret Mental Powers of Japan's Shinobi Warriors).

You might have heard of something called the Law of Attraction. Japan's shadow warriors, shinobi-no-mono --the Ninja, have used the Law of Attraction for centuries-- long before anyone heard of the so-called "New Thought Movement" and The Secret.

The teachings of the Ninja incorporate the mental discipline of Kuji-In, taught to Daisuke Togakure, the founder of the Iga ninja Togakure Ryu tradition.

I began my study of this Ninja tradition at twenty years old. I fully embraced the mental discipline and have used it to accomplish many goals over the years since then. 

This book teaches you the mental discipline of the Ninja without the combat arts. It goes beyond the teachings of the dojo (martial arts training hall). I teach you how to use this power to your advantage.

Take control of your life. Cast off fear, uncertainty, and doubt. Become a fortress of Iron Will. Become the WINNER that you were meant to be.

Available at Amazon.com.

Dare to Be Different

There's just as much opportunity in one business as another, if you will only stop playing copycat and begin to think creatively. ~Earl Nightingale

The world is full of also-rans and me-toos.

I see a lot of people going into business these days, but they all seem to be copying what has already been done. While it is true that some people have built a successful business doing what has been done before, on closer inspection you'll see that they have been able to do so with improvements and refinements.

What happened to invention? What has happened to creativity?

What sets you apart from everyone else?

Being good is not good enough anymore. You have to be exceptional. You have to go farther, climb higher, be better, and stand out from the crowd if you want to be noticed.

Jobs come and go. Businesses rise and fall. In recent trends, it seems that everyone wants to be a copywriter. Funny, I recall when everyone wanted to be a journalist. Now, out of work journalists all seem to be jumping into the copy-writing arena. "But we tell the story." they say. Yeah, right. But can you SELL?

There are lots of opportunities in this world. The question remains, "What makes you so special?" Indeed, what sets you apart from everyone else?

It's called a differentiator in copywriter geek speak. What's yours?