I got a lot of email from people trying to get me to reveal the big secret “just to them” :) and if you wrote and I haven’t got back to you, my apologies, it has been a crazy week.

Anyway, hyperbole and cliff hangers aside (I’ve been watching re-runs of Lost, sorry about that :) I really have been feeling reluctant to talk about this topic, but it’s way overdue so here goes…

Those of you who know my story, know that Subvert was never really meant to be this big thing. It just started out as a way to help keep my close friends inspired, when they were going through a tough time.

I never dreamed that I’d have the opportunity to meet so many of my heroes. Or that I’d get to hang out and become friends with so many amazing people. Or that I’d ever be the one passing on what I’d learned to tens of thousands of readers every month.

And personally coaching hundreds of people myself – I would never have guessed that I’d be doing that, not in a million years!!!

It has been a thrilling journey so far. With two major, life changing realizations. First, that I had the ability to change myself. Second, that I had the ability to help others change themselves.

It’s hard to explain how empowering and freeing it has been to learn those lessons.

I’ve been deeply touched by the turnaround stories that have come from some of our readers. Frequently from the “quiet ones” we didn’t even know were listening.

The number of people who have quit their jobs to follow their passions is truly inspiring. Equally, I think there have been just as many people who were struggling with self employment and chose to get re-hired on a part time basis while they built a stronger, less stressful foundation for their business.

Those guys are just as inspiring to me, because they aren’t just dreaming about what could be, they are doing whatever it takes to stick with their dream whilst they perfect their craft and build their reputation.

Anyway. Here’s what I have been holding back on for years…

Through all the interviews and articles and coaching and courses, people have;

- asked nicely,
- strongly encouraged,
- begged,
- pleaded,
- and demanded…

that I cut to the chase and answer the one question they care the most about -> How do I make more money?!?

But for years I’ve resisted teaching the topic of making money head on.

Especially since I came up through the creative world. A world where you are free to express your feelings on love, war, sex, drugs, politics, religion – but if you dare talk about money, you’ll be cast out of the “credible but starving artist club” and thrown to the dogs.

When I coach clients from the creative world my first question is always the same – what is it that you want to achieve? And I can’t tell you the number of times the first thing I hear ISN’T what they DO want, it’s what they DON’T want.

It usually goes something like this…
“I’m definitely not in it for the money, I just want enough to survive whilst I focus on [making toe warmers from the underbelly hair of albino mountain-tigers etc. because it's my passion]….

The second question I ask is “what’s stopping you doing that?”, of course I get a long list of things, that would all instantly disappear with just a little of that money they are trying to desperately to avoid having!

It makes me cringe and do you know why? Because I used to be exactly the same!

Our beliefs about money are so deeply embedded it’s really hard to shake them and unless you were raised in a wealthy family, the chances are, your beliefs about money aren’t doing you any favors. In fact they are directly working against your success and your freedom to dominate the mountain-tiger toe warmer market.

After starting Subvert, I quickly realized that there’s a big difference between people who are open minded and willing to help themselves, and those who just want to prove to the world that their situation is hopeless.

For years I created work for “ambitious creatives”, but as word spread, I found more and more entrepreneurs sneaking into the events we were hosting. Then, it was ambitious people who had regular jobs. And all these new people were really enthusiastic about the work we were doing, supposedly just for “creative people”. Eventually there were more non-creatives than creatives so we had to change our scope to serving “ambitious individuals”.

Now, even though we have such a wide audience, I still find myself holding on to some of the hang-ups from my earlier creative years.

The funny thing is, the beliefs I hold about money, in private, changed years ago. And when they did, I started making more money, literally within weeks.

One day, maybe soon, I will share some of my personal stories to prove how quickly your income can rocket when you let go of old fears. I didn’t learn any magic, I didn’t buy a cosmic money magnet. I just installed and practiced a new set of beliefs. Those new beliefs caused me to make different decisions. Those new decisions produced dramatically different results.

But – cue the irrational music – sometimes, private beliefs and public beliefs are two different things, right!

Now, I’m trying to learn from my past. There have been so many times when I’ve been afraid to talk about something, but I overcame my fear and it turned out the be the most popular and profitable thing I did!

So, it feels like I would be doing myself, and you, a disservice by not talking about this subject now. The fact is, I know how valuable the lessons I want to share with you have been to me personally.

So I’m Seriously Considering Doing This

Cracking open the vault, (work with me here :) and revealing the truth about money and how to increase your share of it, whether you are freelance, a small company owner or in a regular job.

And I would have loved to have had these lessons handed to me when I first started Subvert, it would have saved years of trial, error and a few tears…

But If I Do This It Will Be A Lot Of Work.

I’ve already got a bunch of strategies, tactics and templates that I have put together over the years. But simplifying that knowledge into low stress lessons that will help you guys get quick results is a hefty task.

I ONLY want to do this if there is enough interest.

So I want to know, from you…

- what do you think?
- should I do this?
- would you be interested?

Your feedback and thoughts are what keep me going. After all, Subvert is about how we can help YOU kick ass.

But I don’t even want to think about doing this unless there’s enough potential interest.

Anyway, if you have a second, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. Now, I appreciate that if I’M still a little unsure talking about money in public, YOU might feel exactly the same way. So feel free to comment as Mr or Mrs Smith or Darth Vader or something, that way you won’t have to reveal your inner Donald Trump to the world, before you’ve gotten comfortable with him. (I can hear the screams from here :)

Your honest feedback would mean a lot to me and I’ll do my best to respond to each and every comment.

Here’s to doing stuff that scares us. It’s the only way to grow!

Angel.

Well, today is a little different.

I want to share something more personal. Here goes…

Last week I was out celebrating with Paul. It was his birthday. His 40th birthday! And it really got me thinking about the journey we have been on together and how far we’ve come. Not just me and Paul, but you guys as well!

Did you know that I first met Paul on a website called Faceparty? It was like Facebook, before Facebook. I had gone back to University to study Art and he was at the other end of the country, working in a good job, but not enjoying what he was doing.

He messaged me. Twice. I ignored the first message. But then I got talking to him and within, like, a week he traveled several hundred miles down to meet me and things just got crazy from there!

Now, I’m not big on new years resolutions. If it wasn’t important enough for me to resolve to do it the other 364 days of the year, I probably don’t care enough about it to actually stick with it, right?

But I am big on the strategies and tactics that really do work when it comes to helping people stick with their serious commitments. That’s a big part of what we do.

Now, even thought my own birthday is just before Christmas and even though everyone else is talking about New Years resolutions in the first couple of weeks of January, the desire to plan for the coming year usually hits me right around Paul’s birthday!

Totally illogical, right. Maybe I just like to be different, for the sake of it :)

This year the feeling was especially strong. You see I’m only a year younger than Paul. So his 40th, got me thinking about my 40th. Eeeek.

I don’t think I’m headed for a mid-life crisis though – in fact I’ve never felt better. But something *has* shifted. The way I look at the work we do, the people we coach and life in general has changed.

What I didn’t tell you, is that my plans for this year are mostly about YOU!

One of my deepest philosophies, one shared by everyone we’ve ever interviewed and one that was passed onto me by Paul from Kathy Sierra, is the idea that for us to be successful, we have to put Your success first.

In other words, Subvert Magazine is not about how great we are, it’s about how great we can help YOU be!

You may have noticed small changes happening to the site. I am focusing on the topics that You have told me over the years are important to you. Finding your creativity, boosting your energy, lowering your stress, increasing your value.

But there is still more to come. I am always interested to know what you’d love to do better in your life, so keep the ideas coming.

But, there’s always a but…

There is one Really Big request you have been making for years, that I’ve been holding back on, despite people begging, pleading and complaining.

I’m contemplating changing my mind and giving you what you’ve been asking for since we first started Subvert.

But I’m nervous, because it means going out on a limb and exposing myself to controversy. Something that we have (mostly) avoided so far.

And I’m also going to need your help.

Anyway, that Really Big request people have been asking me to do for years is…

(…damn, I’ve gotta run, stay tuned till next time)

Angel.

PS. I’ll be back with more details in a couple of days ;) Until then, tell me in the comments where you stand on the whole resolutions issue. Have you felt the wind of change this year? Are you a January 1st person or a Birthday planner or just a random resolver like me? I’d love to hear how you are planning on kicking ass in 2012.

Kevin Gianni health advocate, author, and interviewer

Angel talks with raw food dude Kevin Gianni about the side effects of a raw food diet, detoxing myths, the one critical thing Kevin does daily that’s more important than anything he eats and why you should ignore 99% of what he says.

Raw Food Dude: The Kevin Gianni Interview

Enjoy this interview? Let Kevin know on twitter by clicking here.

More about Kevin Gianni

Learn more about Kevin on his website www.renegadehealth.com

And you can grab a FREE digital copy of his groundbreaking book “High Raw” here http://www.renegadehealth.com/highraw

Or to connect with Kevin on Facebook click here facebook.com/pages/Kevin-Gianni/65768819559

What About You?

So, Kevin gave everyone permission to forget 99% of what he said. But what’s the 1 thing you’re going to remember and take action on from this program? Tell us what you’re going to do, then go take some action right away and come back and tell us what you’ve DONE.

Tara Stiles by Steve Shaw

In this interview Angel talks with model and Yoga teacher, Tara Stiles. We love Tara’s accessible and down to earth approach to Yoga. She’s one of Jane Fonda’s New Faces Of Fitness, she’s the personal Yoga instructor for Deepak Chopra and the founder of Strala Yoga in New York.

If you do nothing else, watch this, then go subscribe to Tara’s YouTube channel. Her 5 minute Yoga for bedtime routine will improve your sleep no end.

Tara Stiles Interview

Enjoy this interview? Let Tara know on twitter, just click here.

More about Tara Stiles

Tara’s number 1 selling book, Slim Calm Sexy, is published by Rodale, and is available on Amazon.

Tara’s new book “Yoga Cures” will be released on April 3 2012. click here to order yours now

And you can buy the DVD she’s done with Jane Fonda. Jane Fonda’s Workout: Daily Yoga with Tara Stiles

Tara’s also done two dvds with Deepak Chopra Yoga Transformation: Weight Loss & Balance And Yoga Transformation: Strength & Energy

http://www.tarastiles.com/stralayoga/

http://www.facebook.com/TaraStilesLiving

http://www.youtube.com/user/TaraStilesYoga

What About You?

I love one sentence wisdom. “If you got off the bus, just get back on the next bus!” That sums up just about everything we’re trying to pass on here. Over the years of studying our heroes in all sorts of different areas of life I’m always listening out for the aphorisms they repeat. Rather than just being cliche’s, what we say repeatedly provides a glimpse into how we think. Most importantly, how we deal with inevitable set-backs. What are your favorite aphorisms for picking yourself back up and who did you learn them from?

Aggressive Strength With Mike Mahler

Why should you watch this interview? If you’re smart enough to know that success in any endeavor is about mastering the fundamentals and you prefer to learn from a straight talker, then you’ll appreciate what Mike Mahler has to say. He’s known for kettle bells, aggressive strength and hormone optimization. Tim Ferriss recommends him and so do we…

The Mike Mahler Interview

More from Mike

Mike’s website: http://www.mikemahler.com/
Mike’s store: http://www.mikemahler.com/store.html
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mikemahler
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Mahler/523235510

People can download Mike’s free kettlebell ebook at:
http://www.mikemahler.com/kettlebellprimer.html

Free Hormone optimization lecture from Mike at:
http://www.mikemahler.com/articles/hormonelecture.html

What’s Your Humiliating Moment?

Mike told us about getting pinned to his weights bench and how it triggered his desire to get strong.

Did you have a humiliating fitness moment that changed your path? Or maybe this is the moment you’ve been waiting for, maybe you’re still holding onto that pain. Maybe today is the day to put that humiliation to work for you and change your own course? Use that energy, go do something, take the first step, then make sure to come back and tell us what you did in the comments. Paul.

Yoga and Martial Arts Expert Cameron Shayne. Photo by Casey Moore

In this interview Angel talks with Cameron Shayne, Martial Arts & Yoga personal trainer to Hollywood celebrities like Courteney Cox Arquette & Jennifer Aniston.

I think Cameron’s style of following a practice where you become more connected to your body is an intelligent one. All too often we’re encouraged to punish ourselves into shape. But you can still challenge yourself, even through a martial art, without having to beat yourself up. Don’t miss this one.

As well as training Courteney Cox Arquette and Jennifer Aniston, Cameron lived with Charlie Sheen for a summer to help him rehab from drug addiction. He told us it was an influential time, where he was exposed to the power and wealth of Hollywood’s elite.

He’s also trained Jamie Lee Curtis, Sean Penn, Renee Russo and David Arquette. And he was the personal trainer and fight scene choreographer for Chris Tucker in Rush Hour 1 and 2.

Cameron has been training in martial arts since he was 12 years old. He started the practice after being bullied as a child and eventually formed Budokon International, A School of the Yogic, Martial & Living Arts.

Cameron Shayne Interview

If you enjoyed this interview, let Cameron know on Facebook

Connect with Cameron

Check out Cameron’s official website for information on classes and workshops

And you can buy Budokon training and teacher training DVD’s here

Special Thanks: Photograph by Casey Moore – www.caseymoore.com

What About You?

For me, one of the most powerful pieces of advice Cameron shares with us is “Find an exercise that you love, that inspires you and that is difficult.” We’re constantly being bombarded with products and services promising to make things effortless for us, when our minds and our bodies are really evolved to thrive under challenging conditions.

When was the last time you did something challenging but doable, either mentally and physically, and how did you feel afterwards? Let us know in the comments. Paul

Yoga and Pilates Expert Kristin McGee

In this interview Angel talks to Yoga & Pilates expert Kristin McGee. A model and actress herself, she works with other Hollywood celebrities, including Tina Fey, Ben Stiller and LeAnn Rimes.

Kristin has a positive approach that is infectious. Angel has played her DVD’s often enough that editing and listening to this interview was like having an old friend in the house.

Kristin McGee Interview

Connect with Kristin

You can learn more about Kristin on her official website: http://www.kristinmcgee.com

Or email her directly: kristin AT kristinmcgee.com

Follow Kristin on twitter here http://twitter.com/kristin_mcgee

Friend her on facebook.

Watch her video’s on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/user/kristinmmcgee

And buy Kristin’s DVD’s here

What About You?

I think Kristin made a really interesting point about yoga teachers not being Doctors or Therapists, but it’s certainly a trend that trainers and coaches now cover far more than just basic physical exercise. After all, our physical condition is just a reflection of how we’re leading the rest of our life. What are your experiences with the “guru’s” of the fitness world, let us know, good or bad in the comments.

Get Kristin’s Free Fitness Tips

http://www.subvertmagazine.com/blog/kristin-mcgee-fitness-tips

Scott Cole by Millicent Harvey

In this interview, Angel talks to personal trainer Scott Cole whose celebrity clients includes Christian Bale, Baywatch actress Gena Lee Nolin and Stefanie Powers. Scott has something special. It’s hard to describe, but if I had to, I’d call it a calmness. That’s rare to see, especially under the pressure of an interview, but it hints at something valuable…

The Scott Cole Interview

Scott was named as one of the top 5 fitness experts in the world by The IDEA Health & Fitness Association and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal as one of the USA’s leading experts in Tai Chi and Chi Kung (QiGong) He gives us the lowdown on working with Christian Bale. He warns us about great foods we could be missing out on. And he tells us about a client who turned up looking like she’d given up on life, but went on to defy age and become the star of his class.

If you enjoyed this interview, let Scott know on his Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/ScottColeWellness

Connect with Scott

Check out Scott’s official website http://www.scottcole.com/

And you can find a wide variety of his exercise DVD’s here. Including the retro groovy sounds of Disco Dojo alongside several Tai Chi products and the famous Abs of Steel series.

What About You?

Let us know in the comments if you’ve had any experience with Tai Chi or QiGong and whether it worked for You.

Get Scott Cole’s Free Fitness Challenge

Subvert subscribers should check your email in-boxes for Scott Cole’s “Fitness Challenge” plus his “Top 12 Wellness Resolutions For 2012″. If you’re not a subscriber yet, you can join us (and get both these documents) via the green box below.

Special Thanks: Photographs by Millicent Harvey – http://millicentharvey.com/

Seth Godin The Interview. Photo by Brian J. Bloom.

Paul: After our post on making contact with your heroes the emails came thick and fast. “But it’s easy for you” they said. “No it isn’t” we replied. We get rejected all the time. Our precious egos worry about why we were rejected. It has taken us years to get some of our interviews. And when we do, we often ask dumb questions that seemed really clever at the time. But one of the main reasons we share what we’re doing, is to force ourselves to live what we are preaching. So the day we published the mentor article, I got out my list of people I’ve always wanted to interview but had been rejected by. I tried harder. Here’s the first interview from that list, with one of my heroes, Seth Godin…

Once upon a time

Paul age 11

Paul: I suspect that there is a time in everyone’s life when all the conditions for who they will become are in place. This picture represents that specific time for me. From the launch of personal computers, to the potential of the space shuttle. From the bullseye on the dart board to the copies of Guerrilla Marketing and The Lord of the Rings which are in the top drawer of that desk. Right there at about Eleven years old I felt immense optimism and freedom. I had absolutely no fear when facing the world.

I want to understand the conditions that mark the start of your journey. When was that defining time for you?

Cornered, Doomed and Done. Illustration by Toni Roberts.

Cornered, Doomed & Done

Tell me the story of one of those doomed moments.

Well, I respect your answer, but I’m not convinced. I think the stories bring people together and give us a chance to say “look what happened to them and they got through it, maybe I can as well”. Without the stories, we end up with nothing but bullet points, soundbites and info graphics as the tools for passing on wisdom. We lose the context of the real people and their experiences. So I’m going to keep pushing people for the stories. But I’ll take the abstract universal notions as well.

I didn’t understand that there was an alternative

So, you left college, but then went and started an MBA. What was your thinking behind that decision. Was that a positive step towards your goals at the time. Or an attempt to avoid leaving the safe world of academia, or something else?

It’s not fair

Whilst researching for this interview, I discovered that the actress who played the “Good Witch” in The Wizard of Oz used to live in your home town. It got me thinking about mentors and I know we share a mentor, Jay Conrad Levinson. Author of the original Guerrilla Marketing book. For me, Jay provided a window into a world that was exciting and fun. He painted a picture of the endless ways that companies were competing and serving their customers in America. And it was a far more exciting world than the dreary local business scene that I saw in my home town. Tell me about your relationship with Jay, what did you learn from him and how did it change your course?

Hope and fear. Who's got your ear? Illustration by Toni Roberts.

Nonsense

I can understand the scaling issue. I guess Subvert Magazine is our attempt at hacking that idea. We get to reach out to a lot of our heroes and ask things that directly help us, but we also share that knowledge and discuss it, so lots of other people get to benefit as well.

I’m a big fan of Napoleon Hill’s virtual mastermind idea. Building an imaginary board of advisers. People who represent different standards you want to live up to. It’s a process that requires no contact with your hero whatsoever but lets you benefit from the guidance of their standards, so long as you’ve read enough of their work to get a good feel for what those standards are.

So many potential captions, so little space. Seth in canoe. Photo by Jill Greenberg.

900 rejection letters

I think there is probably a point for all entrepreneurs where they have to go “all in” on an early business venture. Surviving that gamble changes them. They no longer see getting a job as a viable fall back position. They become bolder and more independent.

Tell me about the first time that you really went all in.

I totally understand the “no choice” thing. But there’s always a reason why we feel we have no choice. I was a pretty entrepreneurial kid, but at 16 someone suggested I learn a trade as something to “fall back on”. My interpretation of that, rightly or wrongly, was that I would likely fail as an entrepreneur. That desire to prove them wrong cut a path in my brain that gives me the certainty of “no choice”. I’m in, if it kills me. But what was it that made “sticking with it” inevitable for you? 12 months of failure seems like plenty of rational incentive to say “I’m out”, for most people.

A lockbox, enough money to keep going

You’ve said in the past that you almost went broke 3 times in early ventures. What did you learn to prevent a 4th occurrence? Or, does the way you push the boundaries not entirely remove the possibility of a forth “close shave” in the future?

I know your father has been an inspiration to you. And you’ve talked about various male mentors and heroes. But what about the women in your life? I’ve only ever seen one other man consistently use the female gender as their default, in all their writing. Tell me about your motivation behind that and tell me about the woman who has most inspired you.

Seth and Family

Pick yourself

Going back to the Wizard of Oz theme. (And why would we not?) In the story, our ruby shoed protagonist spends much of her journey hoping to be saved by the Wonderful Wizard. But when the gang arrive at their destination, they find out that the Wizard has been pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes. What pervasive myth have you discovered just isn’t true?

I want to fully understand this. What are we talking about here, confidence, self esteem, the value of selfishness in an objectivist way?

How dare I waste it. How dare anyone.

Often, the people I meet with the strongest motivation are fueled by a desire to prove someone right or someone wrong. (A parent, a teacher, a school bully etc.). What is driving you and to what end?

Seth, Seth's jazzy shorts, Dad and Great Grandmother

Shipping art that touches people is my process

I feel like we are getting closer to something with the phrase “How dare I waste it”. That is a passionate statement. Even angry. It hints at a set of deeper values. Obtained from somewhere or someone, that fuel your drive. That’s what I’m digging for, to understand better, what are the underlying values that make you tick.

So, the process of challenging the status quo, and even worse, writing down your challenge and then shouting about it at the top of your lungs, is one that we seem physically pre-programmed against doing. Where do you sit at this stage with managing the stress of putting out a new idea. Both the mental and physical pressure?

How so?

The 10,000 hour rule is legit

I worked with a super smart tech guy once. People would fire seemingly impossible technical problems at him every day. He would nod at them and say “hmmm, that’s interesting”. He approached every impossible situation as an interesting puzzle and he was a puzzle solving machine. That perspective was a key feature of his operating system. What makes the Seth Godin operating system run?

Don't let the lizard brain run amok. Illustration by Toni Roberts.

What you need to do right now

So we’re all being held back by our fears. Fear of criticism. Fear of learning the truth about ourselves. Fear that we aren’t smart enough to trust our own instincts. Fear that we’re putting our faith and time into a project that isn’t going to pay off. What can readers of this interview do right now to get past that fear and move forward with that project they are stuck on?

Go Fail

Readers, here’s my challenge to you. Go get out your list of failed attempts. If you don’t have one, make one, right now. You don’t need me to tell you what to put on it. It already popped into your head. That call you were going to make. That email you were going to send. That decision you’ve been putting off.

Look at it again. Try harder. Ask yourself, what would I do if I wasn’t afraid of failing? Then do whatever you need to do. Fail. Gloriously. Tell us what happened in the comments, after you’ve done it. We will wait.

Seth Says Posters

You've got the doll, get the poster.

Subvert subscribers should check your email in-boxes for our exclusive office paper printable posters. Guaranteed to raise the energy of the most soul-less cubicle. There are 4 to inspire you. If you’re not a subscriber yet, you can join us (and get the posters) via the green box below.

Special thanks

To Seth, especially for digging out the personal family photo’s.
To our amazing illustrator Toni Roberts. Go hire her while you can. http://toekneedesign.com
And to photographer Brian J. Bloom for the opening portrait. http://www.brianbloomphotographs.com

Overheard, reasoned, planned, executed, DONE.

Here’s what I DID today. It doesn’t matter that this picture isn’t clear. The content isn’t important. What is important is that I did it. I started my day like most others, open to new ideas, fresh input, raw knowledge from the best, action oriented people I could find. I listened to their ideas. I studied their proof. I reasoned it out. Go / No go. I made a plan. I broke it down. I set-up a test. I took action. I got results…

We’re bombarded with talk about the value of social media and online community and interaction. But all I see is lowest common denominator distractions that are moving us further and further away from real world action.

Don’t tell us what you should be doing.
Don’t tell us how you’d like things to be if only people were different.
Don’t tell us what you’re going to do. Tell us what you’ve DONE.

WARNING: You’ll attract less “friends” but they’ll be far more interesting.