Tag: The Genius of Joe Barnes
My New Book is Ready: Read The Introduction to ‘The Genius of Joe Barnes’
If you’ve read any of my previous work, be it books, blog posts or even watched my YouTube videos or attended my talks, you’ll know I’m passionate about letting people know they have options. You don’t have to accept the life you are presented with. If you want something extra, or different, it is within your power to create it.
If you’re familiar with my work, you’ll also know I’m fond of misquoting Henry David Thoreau. In his book Waldon, he stated that, “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.” Over the years, this quote has been embellished. Some creative, and wise, soul, added the words, “and go to the grave with the song still in them.”
For me, this improves on Thoreau’s insightful observation. Yes, the majority of people living in the so called ‘developed world’ are desperate. Mental health medication rates and suicide figures reveal this. Divorce is also an indication of our dis-ease. Even our inability to sleep (two thirds of the adult UK population report experiencing disrupted sleep) reveals that something is amiss.
We’re not happy with modern living. It’s fast pace, polluted space, endless written and unwritten rules and various forms of media distractions, disconnects us from nature, our fellow man and the deeper calling of our inner selves. However, rather than protest this malaise, as Thoreau suggest, we suffer in silence.
Why does this happen? Why won’t anyone speak out?
The simple answer is that we believe we are wrong for feeling the way we do.
Since childhood, we’ve been conditioned to accept the world as it is presented. This is ‘how the world works’ we are told, if we ever complain about the stifling limitations imposed upon us.
The implication behind this statement is life could never be any other way. Therefore, we are left in a predicament whereby we must adapt ourselves to the world. If we were to protest, we would be laying ourselves open to looking stupid and courting ridicule. Why challenge the unchallengeable? Far better to get on with life and make the best of what you’ve got.
This is why our desperation is “quiet.” Voicing it appears pointless. Instead, we suffer in silence and attempt to finish the job society started by telling ourselves that we should,
• be happy with a boring job that offers little more than a monthly pay check.
• tolerate a total lack of free time to do what we want.
• accept a passionless marriage devoid of intimacy.
• ignore our increasingly failing health as we prematurely age and deteriorate.
We should accept all of these things because that’s what ‘good people’ do. They get on with things, think about others and don’t complain (or only complain behind closed doors). However, try as we might to force ourselves to fit into the narrow confines of what society wants us to be, the unease and desperation never leaves.
What is the impact of living in a state of “quiet desperation?” Sadly, we shut ourselves down. We trade passion and meaning for security and comfort. As a result, all that we could have been goes to the grave without ever being expressed.
This begs the question, what could you do with your life? What is your song?
Could you have a positive impact on the world through a unique message you need to share? Might you have the potential to entertain millions, bringing joy and amusement into their life? Or, might you make a discovery that will save lives? These are all possibilities. However, they are only possibilities when you open your mind to the idea that you are right to want something more (or different).
Giving yourself permission to ‘want more’ may sound selfish. It’s the antithesis of what we’ve been taught. According to society, you should put others first, be humble and realistic. This makes you a reasonable and likeable person. On the other hand, those that ‘want more’, or something different, are either selfish or troublemakers.
Few people want these labels. They’d rather avoid the criticism and hassle. However, try as you might to be what other people want, there will always be a part of you longing to be itself.
The only way to free this part, and end the internal turmoil, is to embrace your desires. Go for what you want. Don’t be restrained by society’s notions of achievability or acceptability. By doing so, not only will you get to express your ‘song,’ you’ll also have the potential to inspire others.
The rest of this book teaches you how to do this. The method I’ve chosen to achieve this aim is telling stories. You’ll find that some of the sections are based on my personal experiences and most use examples taken from historical, and current, figures and various informative books or studies. Around each story, a lesson is offered, giving you the insight needed to get closer to creating the life you want.
What will this life look like? That’s up to you to decide. I can’t know the individual nuances of your desires. However, what I do know, is that you’ll find your guidance within.
Within you, is an untapped well of ideas, visions and urges, all pushing you in the direction of greater creativity, fun, love and enjoyment. Tap into these. Use them to start piecing together a future where you set your own schedule, have the financial freedom to only do the work you enjoy, have time for your hobbies and exercise, can travel when you feel like experiencing something new and have meaningful relationships that enrich your life. This is your aim and it’s perfectly achievable with a combination of the knowledge in this book and your will to use it.
So, take flight. Let this book be your guide as you attempt (and then succeed) at living life on your terms. There are few greater rewards than being able to say you crafted your own existence. Today marks the first step of achieving this aim.
I would say ‘good luck,’ but you don’t need it. The power is within you.
A Quick Look Inside The Book
Below is the contents page. The book has been designed so that you can either read it cover to cover, or dip into specific sections that are relevant to you. I expect it to be released some time in August and, if you want to go on a list to be notified of the exact date and receive an early bird discount, just enter your email address below the list of contents.
Part 1: Breaking Free
Chapter 1: Guidance for living an extraordinary life
Why you should aim for the ‘impossible’
How to avoid living a life you regret
What happens if you don’t follow your dreams
Chapter 2: Free your mind so you can achieve the impossible
Why you should stop living in the ‘real world’
Why trusting authority can be dangerous
Why you shouldn’t trust mainstream media
How you are being manipulated by science
Why you can push The System’s boundaries far more than you think
Chapter 3: Challenge the 9 to 5 to find something greater
Why it’s bad to have a ‘good job’
How to know whether you should quit your job
Why your work should be about achieving a mission, not selling ‘stuff’
Chapter 4: Embrace your individuality and shine
What to do if you’re not ‘normal’
Why you should feel happy about being depressed
Why you should be proud to be in a minority of one
Part 2: Discovering your Greatness
Chapter 5: Change your thoughts to change your life
How to use the power of belief to achieve your goals
How to avoid the ‘over thinking trap’
Why you shouldn’t place limits on your thinking
Chapter 6: Vital skills to become outstanding
How to reconnect with your genius
How to get rid of self-doubt once and for all
Why it’s so difficult to break habits and how you need to approach change
How to learn new skills quickly
How to perform under pressure
Chapter 7: Daily practices for peak performance
How to coordinate your conscious and subconscious to create the life you want
How to use meditation and self-hypnosis to rid yourself of anxiety and program your mind for success
What happens when you meditate every day for a year
How to set up a quick, daily motivational routine
Chapter 8: Strengthen your soul to overcome any challenge
Why you must have a positive self-image
Why your perspective determines your success
How to bounce back from wasted years and regrets
What to do if you’re worried about getting old or how you look
Part 3: Creating the Life you Want
Chapter 9: Advice for when beginning your journey
Why hope and desire are enough to get you started on your journey to a better life
Why you only need £50/$60 a day to create the life you want
How much T.I.M.E should you invest in your project or business each week?
Why you have a 66% chance of success
How your intuition provides reliable guidance during your journey
Chapter 10: Essential knowledge for achieving results
Why you must become obsessed with your most important goal
Why you must show understanding to yourself when trying to make progress
Why the effort you put into a project isn’t always reflected in the results you achieve
Why you shouldn’t let expert advice stop you from experimenting with your own ideas
Why you shouldn’t give a damn about being successful even with your most important projects
Chapter 11: Practical tips and strategies for getting your work noticed and more
Why advertising might be a waste of your money and what to do instead
Why you should use your existing network to sell your new product
How to highlight the benefits of your product to your customers
Why you should consider rationing the amount of TV you watch
How to overcome the anxiety of sharing your work, project or business with the world
Chapter 12: Clarity when you feel like everything is lost
Why you shouldn’t listen to naysayers
How to cope with heartbreak
The 3 questions you must ask before giving up on your dreams