| The phrase "feeding yourself" kind of follows | | | | I get the same feeling from the internet |
| Maslow's heirarchy, doesn't it? | | | | marketing gurus I've met- the ones who have |
| When you're broke, feeding yourself means | | | | gone to the stratosphere of marketing. They're |
| finding enough food. | | | | not focusing on money. They've got bags of the |
| Later, it might be more about choosing between | | | | stuff. |
| caviar and truffles. | | | | I think that's why Joe Vitale's Spiritual Marketing |
| After you get enough toys and truffles, you start | | | | philosophy feels so right to me. I can testify that |
| to bump into those tricky "self-actualization" | | | | you can make piles of money following his |
| issues. | | | | marketing strategies, but I can also testify that |
| Picture this- in Zen mythology there is a character | | | | making money is the by-product of the process, |
| who's figured it out. He was probably born into | | | | not the goal. |
| royalty, although nobody's really sure. He's | | | | When you listen to the real superstars in |
| achieved material success and turned his back on | | | | marketing you realize quickly that their goals are |
| it. He lives in the hills, enjoys good wine, and gets | | | | not strictly about themselves. Yeah, they arrive in |
| a kick out of making fun of the serious monks. | | | | nice cars and go home to nice houses, but that's |
| He's figured out that we already live in the | | | | not their focus. |
| garden, and he's making the most of it. | | | | Joe's seminar last January in Austin was my |
| Come to think of it, most pictures and statues of | | | | introduction to the world of marketing, and I |
| Buddha picture him smiling, don't they? | | | | quickly realized a couple of things: |
| A careful reading of the world's spiritual texts- the | | | | 1. If you diligently follow the strategies of ANY of |
| ones that absolutely resonate with the crystal | | | | the speakers, you will make a consistent income. |
| inevitability of truth- will turn up no references to | | | | 2. The really successful speakers were happy to |
| material possessions as the path to happiness. | | | | teach you how to make money, but what they |
| And yet... what do we spend our time on? | | | | wanted to talk about was the way they were |
| Why? | | | | making the world a better place with their money. |
| Listen to Yo Yo Ma, the cellist, when he talks | | | | One speaker goes to poor villages in Mexico and |
| about playing his cello. Even after decades of | | | | provides medicine and medical care. Another funds |
| playing the cello, his most treasured moments are | | | | a foundation that provides scholarships to bright |
| the ones where he caresses his cello and draws | | | | kids who can't afford college. Another works with |
| transcendent music from it. | | | | economically challenged young athletes. They |
| When he talks about his cello, and his relationship | | | | were feeding themselves by feeding others. |
| with it, you can feel the rich, centuries old wood, | | | | The general consensus was that the more they |
| see the deep grain, and hear the timeless tone as | | | | gave, they more they got- financially and |
| his bow brings the strings and wood to life. He | | | | spiritually. They also seemed to be having a lot of |
| loves what he does. | | | | fun, which is hard to do if you narrow your focus |
| He doesn't care if he's alone or in front of | | | | to just enhancing your own financial position. |
| thousands- he's feeding his soul by playing his cello. | | | | What are you going to do? |
| He's also become stunningly wealthy- but he didn't | | | | How are you going to make the world a better |
| get rich by focusing on money. | | | | place while you're feeding yourself? |