Joe Vitale's Miracles Coaching Update

Well, kiddies, it's been a while hasn't it. Your old friend Burned by Fire has been attending to other duties, and frankly Fireboy hasn't been that interesting lately.

Unless you think visiting Arnold Schwarzenegger because your friend won a ticket interesting. Though I think Fireboy's choice of attire was interesting. Look at me! I dressed like a flag to impress you. But, but, it's STEEEEVE REEEEVES flag!

With new books out, Fireboy is getting more interesting, and I know that my skeptical friends far and wide are watching.

Of course, everyone's been watching the implosion of Kevin Trudeau and friends over at the Global Information Network, or better known as "that's GIN in your kool-aid" by those who have been sounding the wake up calls. Fireboy's good friend and former Marketing VP Peter Wink, was also Kevin Trudeau's marketing man.

Well well. I guess trips to visit Prosper Inc. with Joe for his Miracles Sucker Poaching Program (aka Joe Vitale's Miracles Coaching Program) weren't good enough for Peter. He'd rather fondle Kevin Trudeau's gold bars.

From not-doctor Joe Vitale to Kevin Trudeau to now definitely not-doctor Leonard Coldwell, Peter Wink certainly knows how to not-pick employers.

But back to our topic of interest... as there are other places to read about Kevin Trudeau, Leonard Coldwell, and Wink. And of course, even more Leonard Coldwell.

Well, Joe has a number of things in the cooker. Unfortunately, I don't recommend consuming any of them.

He's doing a book about his Miracles Coaching program to prove to you that it isn't a scam. His new book, from the image on Facebook, is called Miracles Manual: The Secret Coaching Sessions.

If it's anything like his Life's Missing Instruction Manual, it will a hobbled together mess of interviews and blog posts from "friends." It isn't a manual. It's a collection of essays.

And here's an alert: if it is published, it isn't secret. Rhonda wants her empty words back, Joe Vitale.

But back to miracles coaching. Specifically Joe Vitale's Miracles Coaching.  If you have any interest in Joe Vitale's Miracles Coaching program, please do your research. And read the comments on Jonathan's blog linked here. Many of them are fresh, so you can get a sense for what is still occurring in Joe Vitale's Miracles Coaching program.

People are still experiencing the "hard sell" from Prosper Inc. on Miracles Coaching.

Also coming soon from Fireboy, a book called Faith. Of course, all books are the first step in an upsell that moves through empty programs and into the multi-thousand dollar miracles coaching program. Have faith in the program, dear friends, because if it doesn't work for you, it is because you weren't working from faith!

It's faith or fear, Joe says, in recent blog post. Fear the upsell, don't fear the shredder, I say.

The thing is, his discussion of faith will inevitably lead people to the world of upsells... it's what Joe does. And if you haven't read any reviews of his previous work, you'll find evidence of it there. Every book he writes has an upsell to something else... an expensive DVD program for hundreds of dollars, audio regurgitation programs, or the dreaded Miracles Coaching.

I probably wouldn't even write about Joe Vitale if it weren't for the Miracles Coaching program. Books and "programs" are one thing. But when someone asks you how much you have available on your credit card, and then you find out the multi-thousand dollar program is basically a fresh-faced recent college grad leading you through a book study program... there's something wrong with that right there.

Edit: If you're still interested in Joe Vitale's Miracles Coaching Program, do some research on Prosper, Inc. the company Joe Vitale fronts his "coaching" program for. They are the ones you'll talk to, they are the ones you'll pay, and Joe Vitale receives a commission for everyone he points at the Prosper Inc. program.

It's All Your Fault I Charge Too Much

Recently, Joe Vitale posted a blog entry about a curious question. His answer was even more curiouser, leading us to wonder what rabbit hole Fireboy is holed up in on his Wimberlie not-estate.

In essence, someone asked Joe Vitale why he charges so much for his audio book The Secret to Attracting Money. That's right. I'm not going to call it an audio "program." That's a trick of the internet marketing trade, you see, to call something that is really an audio book an audio program. Program sounds much more official. Book sounds like a $9.99 bargain bin find. But if you look at content, substance, and packaging, The Secret to Attracting Money is nothing more than a bargain bin audio book.

Of course, that's insulting to bargain bin audio books, in my opinion, but I think they'll forgive me.

Joe explains in numbered points (much more authoritative than bullets, donchaknow) why he is forced to sell his The Secret to Attracting Money audio book for $120 instead of $9.99 like other audio books of this caliber.

Let's take a look at some of those points.

1. I already give away a book! That's right. He does. And it's got www.miraclescoaching.com listed on every single page. It's not a giveaway; it is an advertisement. Also included as a bonus in his numbered point #1, the blame game: "you've got money, but you assholes don't appreciate your money!"

2. You wouldn't respect me if I gave something away. Free is not respected, says Joe. That's because Joe doesn't respect anything free... and he gives away his free book (see authoritative numbered point #1) as an advertisement for something he really craves... a boiler-room sales pitch designed to find out how much money or credit you have and how to get it ALL from you.

His comments about people not respecting something given for free is conjecture. No evidence of this, just assertions. But of course, we have lists of blog entries from Joe about how generous he is. He even gives away cars and has a program for ending homelessness in one day! Why would he do all of this if no one respects generosity? Oh right, conspicuous altruism. Joe's favorite card to pull when things get hot in the media for him. ABC News does an expose on his Rolls Royce Mastermind, so Joe goes full on psycho with his Operation YES, aka, Operation Broken Promises.

3. I have people to PAY, people. Sure you do, Fireboy. But why does it take so many more dollars to pay your people than it does anyone else who has an audio book? Why is your audio book priced so much higher than anyone else's audio books on the same topics? Why are other people giving away the same program information for free. 

Darn, that's all the authoritative numbered points we get? I thought we were on a roll. But once again, Mr Fire disappoints.

Now, we're going to look at something important. Limiting beliefs, one of Joe Vitale's favorite "it's all your fault" mantras. Just by asking Joe Vitale why he charges exorbitant rates for his products, we are all just plagued by limiting beliefs. Instead, we need to venture into Joe's world... .the world where everyone can charge whatever they want, free market forces be damned.

In Mr. Fire's utopia, everyone pays what Joe wants. And if they ask a question, it's their own fault for not being open to Mr. Fire's definition of things.

They're not open to thinking that audio books are sophisticated audio programs. (Because it's not)

They're not open to thinking that Joe's audio book is unique and holds actual secrets (because it doesn't)

They're not open to thinking that Magic Wish Dolly's stolen from Maria in Russia can actually solve all of your problems (because it doesn't and it says so right in his disclaimer)

They're not open to being taken for a ride in his Rolls Royce Master Mind. (because it... well, it is being taken for a ride)

They're not open to seeing the possibilities of Prosper Inc. emptying their bank accounts and racking up tremendous credit card debt for Joe Vitale's Miracles Coaching. Oh, it's popular, Joe Vitale's Miracles Coaching.

It's your own fault for being so limiting to not give Joe what he wants when he wants it.

For someone who teaches taking full responsibility for everything in your life (the very basis behind the ho'oponopono teachings), Joe Vitale certainly has a lot to learn.

Lessons (numbered for their full authoritay)

#1. Don't blame your customers.
#2. Take responsibility for your pricing instead of blaming others. Why not say, "I think it is a fair price given the market, the content, and the distribution costs.
#3. Stop being such a monumental douchebag when people question you.

And on that note, I'm going to go buy an audio book and celebrate the fact that not all authors are complete douchebags. Just the ones living on not-estates in Wimberlie.

Here's one thing on which I agree with Joe Vitale: money is neutral. It is a symbol of what you value. How people earn their money is a symbol of what value fulfillment they seek in their life. From this blog post, I can only assume that Joe Vitale values money more than anything else.

Disclaimer: this web site and this blog post are full of my opinions, DUH.

Joe Vitale's Adventures in Scamworld

Hello again, kids. I know. I've been missing. Actually, I've enjoyed my time away from blogger so much that I barely recognize the place. Who rearranged all the furniture?

I'm writing today because something interesting popped up in my Google alerts this morning. And I think you should read it. If you're ever considering participating in Joe Vitale's Miracles Coaching Program, please read the article.

If you are considering Prosper, Inc. and a miracles coach, please be aware of what tactics you will encounter when you are run through the "free 30-minute coaching session" that is apparently really a sales call. Your psychology will be unearthed, your unconscious beliefs exposed, and then the sales person allegedly will use those things to separate you from the money in your pocketbook or the credit on your credit cards.

If you complain about the failure of the Miracles Coaching Program to help you, you are then blamed for their experience. If you had a bad experience with Miracles Coaching, you are then told that you created it, you didn't do what you were told, or maybe you "just need to clean on it."

After all, these techniques worked for Joe Vitale. He's the one that has the car collection, right? So obviously he knows what he is talking about.

But wait a minute. Maybe he got that car collection by getting them into these programs and blaming the victims for not being able to do what he did. Kids, get a miracles coaching program if you want a car collection. Don't do what Joe says, do what Joe does.

Actually, I'm kidding about that last part. Don't be a scammer.

It is unfortunate that those in the spiritual community are brow beaten with ideas such as: don’t dwell on your mistakes or you create more of them, you are responsible for your own experience, what you say comes back to you… and all of these statements keep people in the new age/spiritual communities from coming forward and actually speaking about their experiences. They’ll vent privately, but public discussion is discouraged. After all, who wants to be told that it’s their own fault they got scammed by a boiler room?

I don't know that I believe in miracles. I certainly don't believe in Joe Vitale's miracles coaching.

I do believe that there are scammers in this world who are using the internet to sell people an unattainable dream-lie that cannot and will not happen and then separating them from their money in the process. It has happened. It is happening.

And it is time for it to stop.

Fire Fire Everywhere

Fireboy, aka Mr. Fire himself, is asking people to "Nevillize" away the central Texas fires.

Remember, kids, if you're breathing in smoke from wildfires, it's because you're not being positive enough.

And if Mr. Fire is breathing in fire (instead of spewing out sulfurous material as is his usual modus operandi), then there is only one real solution. That solution is to rally the troops. See, if people will only think positive thoughts, imagine rain, and meditate, use EFT, hooponopono, then it will help. See, he's been doing it and the wildfires in his area have increased in containment. Oh, and it happened INSTANTLY he said.

He writes:

People from all over the world sat and prayed, or visualized, or intended and requested that the fires diminish. 

What happened? 

Almost instantly a friend who had been evacuated from his home due to the fires wrote to me saying the smokes seemed to clear, the power came back on, and he was told he could return home safely. 

Friends of mine who were preparing to evacuate were told they were safe. 

Then I looked at the news and saw that while the fires were still burning and there was no rain in sight, most of the larger fires around my area of Austin, Texas were either contained, put out, or greatly improved in containment.

See? It works! Just pray and think and it will magically fix itself. Oh, but if it doesn't work, he'll bring out some crap about how he talks about action and tell people he never said that thoughts make magic happen.

But here we are again, with Mr. Fire saying that people should use the power of their mind -- and use intentions -- to make the wildfires stop. It worked for his friends!

But in other communications, he'll tell you that intentions are for wussies. Or that he never said that thoughts create magical miracles.

So. What is it? What's the truth? If thoughts, words, intentions and unconscious beliefs create reality, what is Mr. Fire creating every time someone types in mrfire.com? Fire. Everywhere. Fire. Central Texas. Fire. Joe Vitale. Fire boy.

But don't try to blame Mr. Fire for thoughts creating reality, unless it somehow makes him look like he isn't unconsciously Law of Attracting Fire to central Texas.

If you are Mr. Fire, you are using more than 2 dozen scientifical studies that prove when people hold intentions for Mr. Fire, those intentions come to pass. I'm sure all of those FLAMES on your web site wouldn't get hypnotically into people's unconscious, would they.

So. Either thoughts, intentions, and magical thinking don't have any effect, or Mr. Fire has some responsibility in Law of Attracting himself a regional disaster. The logic he uses holds about as much water as the Pedernales River has in it right now. Aka, not much.

I'm not saying people shouldn't pray for Texas. I think a prayer or two would be nice. Supporting the people who are there with tangible donations would be better.

My problem, and the reason for this blog post, is with the fallacy of logic of the past two Joe Vitale posts. It's the fallacy of logic he uses to sell everything from crappy books to overpriced, scammy miracles coaching. It's the fallacy of logic that requires criticism and scrutiny.

Instead of wussified intentions, Joe, why don't you donate some of that vast wealth you say you've accumulated in your marketing to help some of those people who lost their homes?

Also, remember that during the San Diego fires of a few years back, Joe Vitale blamed the victims of those fires for what happened. The evidence has all but disappeared from his blog, but there's enough discussion on the internet to keep your google goggles busy.

Update: Thanks to our friend, Cosmic Connie, here are some links that will remind you of what Joe Vitale REALLY thinks about people who suffer from wild fires.

http://cosmicconnie.blogspot.com/2007/10/all-fired-up.html

http://cosmicconnie.blogspot.com/2007/10/all-fired-up-continued.html

http://cosmicconnie.blogspot.com/2007/10/putting-out-fires.html

http://shambook.blogspot.com/2007/11/mr-fire-indeed.html

Timothy Wilson versus Joe Vitale

Oh, now this is getting fun.

Joe has announced a new Abundance Network after lunching with God. Hint: Joe has in the past announced television shows such as Expect Miracles, a radio show on CNN, and a TV show on CBS. He has announced bogus charities that do nothing but feed his ego and make him APPEAR to be generous, meanwhile doing absolutely NOTHING. My prediction: the abundance network will amount to Joe's pile of dirt.

Joe has announced a trip to fantasy island, but you have to pay him $50,000 and he's not even going to dress up like his alter-ego, Tattoo. Don't worry, he'll still look like Danny Devito, and your brilliant imagination skills can make up the rest. Friend of the Pyre, Cosmic Connie has details on that.

But look what Fireboy did. He got mentioned in a book called Redirect by Timothy D. Wilson, the Sherrell J. Aston Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia. On page 45, no less. The shot isn't completely directed at Joe, there's lots of mentions of his cohorts in the "movie" The Secret. But Joe, our fearfilled leader, takes it upon himself to defend himself and the rest of the make-believers in the Law of Attraction. You see, Joe never said anything about thoughts creating your reality. It's about actions. Actions create your reality. That's it, that's the ticket.

Oh, and I love the way Joey shows off that he learned a big word in that blog post where he defends himself against the completely unconscious Timothy D. Wilson. But then again, small minded "Got Milk" types of hucksters trying to play superior games against well respected actual Ph.D. (not the pretend Ph.D. in "meta-physics Joe Vitale asserts that he has from a diploma mill) always have amused me.

So, real Dr. Wilson says that movies like The Secret and just-think-happy-thoughts self-help books and programs that not-Dr. Vitale put out actually cause more problems than they're worth.

Joe's response:

He [the author of 'Redirect'] quotes me as saying the reason you have what you have is due to your thoughts. He apparently missed the part where I said you have what you have due to your actions. Thoughts are only part of the equation. Glossing over facts because they don’t support your underlying message is a common way to communicate...

 

...I’m not kicking the author’s shins, as I enjoyed his book and urge you to read it. But I am reminding us that we all have unconscious blind spots – even authors who try to help us see them. We don’t see them because they are unconscious. The point of life is to awaken.

I'd love to see if real Dr. Wilson would ever respond to not-Dr. Vitale. Is Dr. Wilson awakened enough to spend $50,000 of his book earnings to actually attend not-Dr. Vitale's Fantasy Island? Would Dr. Wilson be open enough to let go of his unconscious patterns and play the role of Rourke? I think not, Dr. Wilson. I think not. I bet Malcolm Gladwell, who apparently raves about Dr. Wilson's books, wouldn't invest $50,000 on Make-a-piece-off-you island either.

Let's talk a little bit about "glossing over facts," shall we? It's a common way to communicate in Joe Vitale's experience, and I agree. He experiences himself glossing over facts a lot. Like the facts about what he has really said.

Sometimes he tells us that we do things with our thoughts. Sometimes he tells  us we need to set intentions. Sometimes he tells us we need to listen to specially designed audios to set our intentions. Sometimes he tells us intentions are for wussies. Sometimes he tells us we need to neutralize negative thoughts. Sometimes he tells us it's all in our unconscious and we need to hooponopononono on it, like he just did to Dr. Wilson. Sometimes he likes to say that it is little kid's fault for attracting their killers, like he did on Larry King.

OK, now I am tired. Apparently, Joe likes to gloss over what some truths and concentrate on whatever message might be most profitable in the moment. If he was telling the truth, he wouldn't contradict himself every other minute. He'd have some congruency in the products he puts out.

My order of Redirect is coming soon. I am hoping I get to see whether or not Dr. Wilson is congruent in his message in the book. I think there will be a lot of congruency in his message that self help materials like Joe Vitale's, like The Secret, do much more harm than good.

Joe Vitale's God

We're still talking about Joe Vitale's lunch with God. It's fascinating, really, and it gives you a little look into Joe Vitale's motivations, psychology, and reality. For someone who says he loves everyone, for someone who tweets frequently that "I love you" is the most powerful statement you can say, it's odd who Joe feels God-like feelings towards.

Is it someone with a huge heart, someone who radiates love and kindness in every statement?

Is it someone who can  provide him health and healing?

Is it someone who can solve homelessness? (After all, Joe says this is a big problem, a problem worthy of his conspicuous altruistic attention.)

Is it someone who can solve worldwide problems of hatred, bigotry, and violence?

Or is it someone who has a few hundred million at his disposal.

Yes, the person who shows up and makes Joe see God is a per$on in bu$ine$$ ca$ual that make$ Joe $ee what i$ mo$t important to him.

Not love.
Not health.
Not helping people.
Not changing the world.

Nope. Joe Vitale saw dollar signs, and that is his God. He's willing to take someone's last few thousand dollars through a hard sell in his miracle coaching program before he will help a homeless person.

Operation YES, according to my research, is a sham organization that does absolutely nothing. It doesn't meet the promises that have been stated for nearly 4 years. It doesn't even try.

Joe Vitale's primary focus is money, it is his God, it is what he wants more than anything. And when he says "I love you" what he really means is "I love your money."

If Operation YES really is committed to changing the world and not just a sham organization that Joe pulls out when he's looking to look altruistic, why did he not tell his "God" in their lunch meeting about his goals of helping people around the world overcome homelessness? Why was that not pitched as an idea bigger than big, bigger than Joe's ego?

Perhaps because Joe feels that he wouldn't get enough attention, that the evil mainstream media would just turn it into another Hoshun doll escapade and ridicule Joe. Because there are never any feel good stories about people overcoming homelessness on mainstream media. Nevermind this guy. They are just looking to victimize people like Joe who are REALLY doing good work, you know.

Operation YES, homeless of the world, you're on your own. Really, it isn't Joe's fault that the media won't report in his favor. But he'll show them. Yes, he will. He'll show them.

After all, he's got "God" on his $ide.

God visits Joe Vitale (or not)

I apologize, dear readers, for neglecting you for so long. You took the time to follow me, encourage me, and off I go living a Fire-free life. How dare I.

I had to go back and look at my notes to see where we left off, and to see what Joe Vitale has up his sleeve these days. There's no real theme to what he's doing.... promoting a few products from Clickbank, promoting his pal Pat O'Bryan's unseminar coming up this month, and then... this morning, he wrote a blog post about a lunch meeting with "God."

I'm sure you know that he doesn't really mean GOD himself. Or George Burns. Or even Morgan Freeman.

I don't think he even meant Osho, Dr. Hew Len, or any other of his spiritual advisors.

Maybe Central Market needs to check their mushroom stash. Perhaps Joe was having psychedelic visions again.

Personally, I think he's just trying to call attention to himself.

(I know, say it isn't so. A known narcissist calling attention to himself with empty, false promises of things that will never come to pass. Like perhaps a miracle from miracles coaching.)

Well, apparently this business casual diety asked Joe to think big. Joe's thought processes immediately turned to the biggest thing he could imagine. He thought of his ego. The diety in khaki said to think bigger than that.

Joe was amazed. His eyes widened.

There's something bigger than Joe's ego? Really?

Maybe... yes. It is entirely possible.

Remember that evil media man, Dan Harris from ABC News, that twisted and turned his meeting with Joe into a hatchet job... this after Joe shared his love of all things indie music and bonded with Dan so deeply and spiritually. They were such good friends! Remember them... they tried to make Joe look human with foibles and attacked his beloved ego.

Perhaps Joe could find a way to upstage them and finally have his revenge? Perhaps Joe could have his OWN (not affiliated with Oprah Winfrey Network) network and only allow Vitale-approved news on it? Maybe Joe could take all of those negative nay-sayers, you know the ones that control everything in this world and try to make people feel bad so they buy things like medicine and food, and show them how media should be done. Joe has "complained" (his words not mine) about them in the past.

Yes, apparently, Joe is still burned by his own little fire from that experience.

Yes. That way, Joe could prop up his beloved ego and put everyone who doesn't worship at the Altar of Joe's Ego in their place. What a way to turn a negative into such an ego-worshipping positive! Way to go, Joe! I hear your business casual GOD really loved that! I'm sure all the great metaphysical texts have mentioned something about making up conversations with people you think are dieties in cafes on hot summer days.

Let's see. If the Law of Attraction really does work, then how did Joe attract such an ego-crushing experience with Dan Harris in the first place? What did you do, Joe? What awful, horrible thoughts did you have that magnetized your mind for such humiliation? After all, isn't your primary teaching that you should take responsibility for everything that happens to you?

Or maybe bad things do really happen to such wonderful people such as yourself? How is it that you area victim of evil Dan Harris, but your "friend" who was down on his luck from your previous blog post created it all himself?

Here's a question, and I've been doing my own investigative work to find an answer. But Joe doesn't talk about his homeless days much at all. Some people have suggested that perhaps Joe was never really homeless. Other people have suggested that perhaps Joe was actually homeless for a matter of a couple of weeks. We are just not really altogether sure whether or not Joe was really as down and out as he purports in his marketing.

We'd like to know, though.

Which leads us to another look at Joe's "world changing" Operation YES initiative. This is yet another thing that Joe mentions in passing all too often, but it's something that Joe hasn't done anything with. Nothing. Joe wanted to end homelessness (you know, the problem he's so intimately familiar with), but there has not been one dime invested, not one change made, not one person's life affected by his Operation YES initiative. The only thing that has changed is the removal of James A. Ray's  name from the Operation YES web site.

If I'm wrong, please prove me wrong, Joe. Stop talking about what Operation YES should be, and show some hard evidence of what it has done. Otherwise, I will assume that Operation YES is just another vanity affair like your Abundance Television Network will be.

A lot of talking, a lot of promises, and no substance whatsoever. Kind of like the little Russian Wish Doll Joe and Pat O'Bryan dreamed up to make all your dreams come true. Or did they take that idea from a woman named Maria Joe met while traveling in Russia?

My expectation is that Joe will do nothing with the Abundance Television Network. Just like he did nothing with the Expect Miracles Television show he promised was in the offing about 4 years ago. Just like so many products, books, services... it's all just empty platitudes... marketing at its best... substance at its least.

Recycled information... over and over again.

And that's my opinion, of course.