When a lot of us hear the word “meditation” we think of monks sitting cross-legged with their hands in some weird shape, saying the word “ohmmmmm….” for hours and hours.

Well, that’s their version of meditation – but it doesn’t have to be yours.

For some, meditation is cooking, playing music, taking a walk. It’s anything you do that makes you forget your stresses, and allows you to find some inner-peace, and let your imagination loose.

To becoming successful, meditation is as important as breathing.

And here’s why: you actually have a mechanism inside of your mind that accomplishes all of the goals you give it. In fact, your life right now is a collection of accomplished goals that you gave your mind to accomplish, most likely without knowing it.

For instance, for years I put myself in situations where I had no money because I believed money was bad. So I gave myself the goal of “put me in situations where I am destitute.” I did that through the images, feelings, and thoughts I had when money came up in a conversation, or when I thought about money. And you know what? I became great at accomplishing that goal.

But then I tried something different…

I became aware of my thoughts about money and success, and I tried to “re-program” them. And that is where meditation came in. For me, meditation is playing guitar, or taking a walk in nature. When I do these things, I feel relaxed, calm, and I imagine my life the way I want it to be. I imagine every single detail of it, including how the hardwood floors of my million dollar home will feel against my heels.

Often music is an extremely powerful gateway into meditation. The right song can trigger such a peaceful, meditative state. That’s why I’ve compiled some of my favorite tracks to meditate with.

Each track is one-minute long, so you can have “one-minute power meditation” sessions

Here’s how you use these tracks – press play, close your eyes, and imagine your life the way you want it to be. Feel how it would feel to be successful, to have no more money worries, to have unlimited time for the people, places, and events you love most. The more detail you imagine, the faster it will happen. I know this from experience.

Jazz:

Experiment:

Venture Out:

Old Soul:

To your success,

David

p.s. I created these tracks myself Enjoy.

This week I’m going to break down the infamous “Dear Friend” letters that you so often see on sales pages. In case you don’t know what I’m talking about, here’s an example…

Dear Friend,

It seems like yesterday that I was 80 pounds overweight. Well.. That’s because it was practically yesterday.

Just six months ago I was 260 pounds. Now I weigh 180 pounds. Let me tell you how this is possible, and how you can get the same results.

Look familiar? Now let’s get into how to write a damn good one of these.

Tip #1: Be genuine

The best Dear Friends are genuine. Tell a true story – and tell it exactly how you would tell it to your best friend. Use the same kind of language you would use in everyday conversation.

Tip #2: Overcome adversity

Everyone loves a hero – so tell your heroic story about you overcame some sort of adversity. Whether it’s overcoming being overweight, or overcoming feelings of insecurity and self-doubt, think of something in your life that served as an obstacle for you to overcome. It helps if it relates to your product or service you’re selling, too.

Tip #3: Give your reader hope

Even if your reader decides not to hire you or buy your product, let them walk away with something they didn’t have before: hope that their problem can be solved. After you’re done telling your story, talk about how and why your reader can accomplish all of their goals, or solve a specific problem they have. You’ve just proven that the problem can in fact be solved because you solved it yourself – now give them hope that anyone can do it, including them.

Now, here’s an example of these three tips at work:

Dear Friend,

I know we’ve just met, so maybe it’s a bit early to be calling each other friends, but the fact that you’re reading this page shows me that we have a problem in common: money.

We both want more of it, and we want to spend less time earning it. Well, I think I’ve come a long ways in solving this problem. Let me show you what I mean, and how you can solve this problem of yours, too.

It all started when I began using Craigslist to advertise my guitar lessons business. I started just like everyone else on Craigslist – writing long paragraphs about why I’m such a great teacher. But there was a problem… No one wanted to read these long, boring paragraphs! So I didn’t get a single call.

So I started to think… How can I make people want to read my ads more? And then it hit me.

I began learning HTML, and using this code (which is the same code used to make websites) to design my ads. I made different text different sizes, and different colors. Plus, I also used time-tested sales writing tips to make my ads powerful and persuasive.

And you know what? My phone started ringing off the hook!

Then, I partnered up with a graphic designer, and together, using my powerful writing skills, and her expertise in graphic design, we made ads that were irresistable!

And we’ve designed a system so anyone, in any field, can use these same ads. You too can use Craigslist to blow past all of the long, boring paragraphs and shine through with a well-designed, powerfully written ad guaranteed to attract clients. And the best part is as soon as you get just one client, the system pays for itself.

To better writing (and more money),

David

David Ogilvy

This company was smaller than the #1 company, it didn’t have the same number of employees, and it had fewer locations.

And you know what? David used every one of these “weaknesses” to present this #2 company as the stronger choice for rental cars.

In his ad, he said something to the extent of:

“Yes, we’re the #2 rental car company in America. And because of it, we have to work extra hard to make sure you are happy, because unlike the #1 company, we can’t afford to have you walk away unsatisfied.

“That is why when you get into your rental car, the gas tank will always be full, the ash tray emptied, and the seats clean to boot – it will feel like stepping into a brand new car.

“Plus, our lines are shorter.”

My business partner and I use a similar technique when pitching our services to potential clients.

When they express concern at the fact that we’re new to the marketing/copywriting business, I tell them,

“You know what? You’re absolutely right. And it’s because we’re new that every single client we take on has to walk away completely happy with their product, and with more money in their pockets.

“Because unlike a big agency, or an experienced business that has a large client base, we can’t afford to let one single client walk away unhappy. We need your testimonial, and we need you to say great things about our business. For us to become successful, you have to become successful too.

“If not, we’re doomed to fail. So when we take on your project, we’re not just doing it for you – we’re doing it for ourselves, too.”

And you know what? It’s true! Being the underdog has its advantages. We know that what we produce is just as good, if not often better, than what many experienced agencies produce – but our prospect doesn’t yet know that because we’re so fresh to the industry.

Underdog!

But once they see what we’re capable of, it’s a different story.

So if you’re launching a new business – use that to your advantage! If you don’t yet have testimonials – use that to your advantage! Don’t try to hide it!

Instead, look your prospect in the eyes, and tell them,

“You’re right. We don’t have testimonials, and we’re not as well known as our competition. But you know what..”

And tell them why that’s such a blessing.

To better writing (and more money),

David