want something, but can live without having it,

you have upped the odds of your having it. This is one of the ironies of life. As long

as you are playfully desiring something, but not addicted to your

having it, the universe will most likely quickly bring

it to you. But as soon as you say, “I must have this,”

you begin to push it away.

Why? Because you are sending out an energy to repel

what you say you want.

Because you are focused on need and not in the moment.

Because you haven't learned the ultimate secret:

Let Go.

Again, the ultimate secret to attracting whatever you want is

to want it without needing it. When you are detached to the

outcome, you disconnect from everything that could sabotage

your success when you state your intention and are happy whether you

achieve it or not. This is a delicate balance. But it's the major

secret to how the universe works. In other words, in the world of everyday reality,

struggling to achieve something causes the opposite forces

within yourself to kick into play. But when you come from

an inner place of serenity, and you go with the flow toward

your wishes, you have upped the odds of your achieving

them. Your peace will attract peace.

Years ago I discovered that most of us, myself included, don't

like to let go and allow because there's nothing for us to grapple

with. There's no drama. Most of us feel that if we can't get

in there and fight and struggle, we don't feel like we're accomplishing

anything or getting anywhere. The struggle gives a sense of accomplishment. At least,

you can say, “Hey, I tried.”

The ego gets a big rush out of struggle. The ego gets to feel

that it is doing something worthwhile. Well, that's okay. If

your ego needs a pat on the back, let it struggle for some of

the things that you desire. But the truth is, you don't have to

struggle at all. Again, it can be another way, an easier way.

I used to teach a class called “The Inner Game of Writing.”

It was modeled after the work of Tim Gallwey, who wrote

The Inner Game of Tennis and co-authored several other “inner

game” books. What I discovered was that we have at

least two distinct beings within us, not personalities so much

as aspects of our mind. Gallwey called them Self One and

Self Two. Self One can be likened to your ego, the part

of you that wants to control.

Self Two can be likened to the inner master within you, the

part of you that is connected to all things. The job of Self One is to select what you

want and let go. The job of Self Two is to bring it to you.

Gallwey learned that when people learned to let go and

trust, they got what they wanted more often than not, and it

came much easier than if they fought for it.

The same concept works in your life. Choose what you

want and let God or the Universe (whatever that means to

you) bring it to you. Let it orchestrate the events that will

manifest the thing you desire. Give up needing to know how

you will manifest anything. Knowing how can become a limitation.

If you choose to manifest something, but can't consciously

see a way to create it, you may give up. The conscious

mind can't see all of the possibilities. Surrender control

and you free the universe to bring you whatever you want.

Again, when you know what you want and are clear, you will

be drawn to the thing you want, and events will pull it to you.

Dan Poynter is a dear friend and internationally recognized

expert on self-publishing. He's written several books, including

the famous Self-Publishing Manual. Dan also conducts

weekend seminars in his home on how to self-publish and

market your own book. He's been offering this seminar for

over 10 years, has helped hundreds of people, but has always

struggled to get people to register for the event. One day Dan

called me for my help. “I want you to write a brochure for me that

is so powerful that people sign up for my seminar without

my having to do a thing.”

Well, notice what Dan was doing. He knew what he didn't

want (to pull teeth to get people to come to his seminar),

and he knew what he did want (to have people call and

register easily and effortlessly). When I agreed to create a new

brochure for Dan, what did he have to do? Let go.

He had to let go. He had to trust that he hired the right guy

and all would be well. So I designed a flyer for Dan, he loved it,

and he printed it. A few weeks later, I called him and he said,

“My seminar is already sold out.”

“It is?!” I yelled, delighted. But Dan stopped me in my

tracks. “But it isn't due to your flyer,” he

said. “It isn't?” Dan went on to say

“The seminar sold out two weeks ago, and I only mailed

out the new flyer last week. There had been a delay in the

mailing.” I asked “Then what happened?” I asked. “Why

did it sell out?” Dan didn't know. But here's my guess.

As you know by now, the energy you give out brings the results

you get. When Dan stated his new intention, and allowed

me to create a new flyer for him, he was changing the inner

signal he was sending out. Once you change the way

you are inside, the outer world changes. Dan didn't even

have to mail his flyer out. People picked up on the signals

in the air and responded.

Crazy? Well maybe so. But as I've pointed out throughout this

recording, the energy you give out attracts and creates the results

you get. Change your inner energy and you change

your results.

The following story reveals how one of my greatest dreams

came true. I am sharing it with you in the hope that it will inspire

you to go for your own dreams. It's all about the power

of setting an intention and then letting go of it.

I wanted to have an audio program of my own in the

Nightingale-Conant catalog for many years. I wanted it for

the prestige, as well as for the profit. I wanted to be among

their roster of greats: Tony Robbins, Tom Peters, Deepak

Chopra, Bob Proctor, Brian Tracy, and Wayne Dyer.

But until autumn 1998, this desire had only been a dream.

Despite the fact that I always sent Nightingale-Conant my

new books as soon as they were published, I could never

seem to ignite their interest in my work. But I never gave up. I simply held onto the

dream, trusted that something would give sooner or later,

and kept doing my thing.

And then something amazing happened. One day, a man began sending me e-mail, asking

numerous questions about marketing in general and P.

T. Barnum in particular. I answered all of his

questions, glad to help. Then, one day I received a shock. The man

sent me an email saying, “If you ever want your material

considered by Nightingale-Conant, let me know. I'm their

Marketing Project Manager.”

This amazing story illustrates many lessons: The power of a dream (I held my vision of

what I wanted for years).

The miracle that comes from having someone who believes

in you.

The true magic that occurs when you are in alignment

with your life's purpose and doing what makes your

heart sing. And the power of letting go.

I'm sure there are other lessons in this story, lessons that

you see and I don't. Again, I am sharing this with you in

the hope that it sets your own heart on fire, awakens something

in your soul, and urges you to go for—and get—your

own dreams. And here's something else to think about:

According to research done at Spindrift Foundation on the

power of prayer, a “Thy will be done” prayer gets more

than twice as many results as a specific “give me this”

prayer. That's why it's so important to end your request for

anything you want with the magic words, “This or something

better.”

When I was writing my book on P. T. Barnum, I went to the famous showman's

grave in Bridgeport, Connecticut. I had a moving experience

there. But what I want to share with you here is what I saw written

on P. T. Barnum's gravesite marker. To my surprise, carved in

his simple concrete headstone were these magical words, words

that Barnum relied on throughout his colorful life:

“Not my will but thine be done.” Those magic words worked for Barnum, helping

him to survive personal and professional disasters

and to become one of America's first millionaires, and

those words can work for you, too.

In other words, trust the universe. Want something better?

You can ask for whatever you want to do, be, or have, but

also be willing for the universe to give you something better.

End all of your requests with the phrase, “This or something

better” and you will be letting the universe know that “Thy

will be done” is of highest importance.

Why is this so? Because the universe can see the big picture

while your ego can't. Your job is to ask for what you want, and

then to act on the inner nudges you get to do things, like

make phone calls, write letters, visit a certain person,

or whatever. Bob Proctor, in his wonderful book, You Were Born

Rich, puts it this way:

“Learn to follow the quiet voice within that speaks in feelings

rather than words; follow what you 'hear' inside, rather

than what others may be telling you to do.” The universe itself will act to move you to

what you want, and move what you want to you. All you have

to do is let go, while acting on your inner prompts. Let go

of fear, doubt, worry, disappointment, and any other negative

emotion that might make you feel low.

The famous poet and sage Rumi wrote something that may

help you here: “Some things that don't happen keep disasters

from happening.” Now think about it. What you're being asked

to do is trust. Trust that when something happens, it's

good, and trust that when something you want doesn't happen,

it's good, too.

Wayne Dyer has an interesting book out called The Power of

Intention. It claims to teach you how to get whatever you

want. A friend read the book and said the title should be How

to Get What You Want By Wanting What You Get. Well exactly!

The trick to manifesting whatever you want is to trust that

whatever you get is what you wanted to manifest in the first

place. You attracted it. The more you can understand this balance

of wanting and allowing, or desiring and letting go, the

more you will be happy in every moment.

Some things that look like they are in our best interest are

often not going to serve us when we see the big picture. We

have to trust and let go, realizing that everything that happens

is for our highest good.

I'm riveted by the book A Lifetime of Riches, the biography of Napoleon

Hill, the author of the classic book Think and Grow Rich.

Not only did this man struggle for 20 years to write the

definitive guide to success, but he experienced poverty, his

life was threatened, his backers were murdered, he suffered

from bouts of hopelessness, and his family suffered beyond

all understanding.

He was not an overnight success. One thing that stood out in Hill's life

story was his ability to turn the negative into the positive. He

always looked for what some people call that silver lining

in the dark cloud. As I thought about Hill's life, I

realized I've been noticing this ability to see the good in the

bad practiced by others, too.

I was at a meeting with my friend Mark Joyner, Internet pioneer

and bestselling author. I overheard Mark talking to a

man who had just gone through hell due to the FTC. Mark

listened to the man's sad story and then said, “Turn it into

something good.” Now this is remarkable advice. It's the

kind of thing Napoleon Hill would have said. It goes against

what most people ever even attempt to try. The whole

idea of taking whatever happens to you and turning it into

something good seems, at first glance, preposterous.

But this also seems to be a key to success. I remember P. T.

Barnum offering to buy a rival's elephant. He sent a telegram

stating his offer. His competitors took Barnum's telegram and

ran it as an ad, saying, “Here's what Barnum thinks of our

elephant.” Well instead of being upset, Barnum decided

to join with those competitors. That gave birth to the famous