John Assaraf Interview (Blog)

[Steve Pavlina]

Use this thread to discuss the following entry from Steve Pavlina's blog:

John Assaraf Interview

[Paul C]

Great Interview. It was helpful, to say the least.

[pdamoc]

broken link around:
"John Assaraf is an international best-selling author"

is
http://www.johhnassaraf.com/
should be:
John Assaraf - More Money, More Life, More Love

[Sam988]

Great interview, i really liked it. His house isn't bad either

[Steve Pavlina]

Fixed the broken link. Thanks.

[selfimprovementjunkie]

Great interview. John is very impressive to say the least, especially for an aspiring entrepreneur like myself. Has anyone here used his products? His Having It All Program looks awesome. Has anyone bought this product? What did you think of it? Has Steve officially endorsed any of Assaraf's products?

I appreciate the help.

[Steve Pavlina]

I can't endorse his products because I haven't tried them. I just connected with him directly via phone and email. He and I have been in touch off and on for about a year.

I did hear glowingly positive feedback about his coaching service from a woman I know, but I don't know if she's still using it.

[christine s]

I enjoyed this interview and I'm sure Mr. Assaraf is a brilliant man who has helped many people. It seems that every time you read an interview with the folks from The Secret, you eventually get to hear how much money they've made. I absolutely believe there's plenty of $ to go round for everybody. I'm glad that these folks exist as evidence to the rest of us that you bring to yourself that which you think about. But they're beginning to lose credibility in my eyes when they tell us about their magnificent homes, etc. I bet there are more people like me out there who are trying to deliberately manifest something using their best understanding of the methods and energies, but have not really succeeded (at least not yet), than there are people who have created such wonderful results. I don't think I'll believe in it more once it happens to me but I do think I'll get better at it with experience. Until then, the sincerity in their intention to teach me how to do as well as they have is becoming reminiscent of television preachers displaying their cars and bejeweled wives. Is humility good? or does it create a negative polarity by admitting the possibility of scarcity?

[Steve Pavlina]

I completely agree The Secret is too focused on the money side, which is really putting the cart before the horse when it comes to cultivating abundance. I loved the movie when I first saw it, but the obsession with materialism was a turnoff.

See the David Schirmer videos for what can happen when that money-first mindset is taken to the extreme.

[Andrew Russell]

I really liked this interview. In fact, I really enjoy all your interviews, Steve. I love your content, but it's always good to have some fresh perspective to "spice things up" a bit.


I do think Assaraf's hair looked better in "The Secret"

[pdamoc]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

I completely agree The Secret is too focused on the money side, which is really putting the cart before the horse when it comes to cultivating abundance. I loved the movie when I first saw it, but the obsession with materialism was a turnoff.

The emphasis on material abundance and high roll living style was a turnoff for me too.
I guess it depends on the type of person you are... I have no doubt that for certain people this had the opposite effect. There are certain psychological differences that shift the focus of people.

I'm more focused on Meaning... and my heroes are Gandhi and Mother Theresa instead of... I don't know... Andrew Carnegie or Henry Ford. I understand the value in having heroes like Carnegie or Ford, they did tremendous good through their work BUT they approached things from a different perspective...

[christine s]

But, Steve, is humility good or is it an expression of scarcity? Maybe it becomes a non-issue when your focus is always on giving more and creating more.
Since $ is something most people want, it's fine that it is discussed a lot, but they're all sounding self-congratulatory telling how much they themselves have made.

[Steve Pavlina]

I think for many people, humility becomes a form of false egoic expression -- another face of pride.

When you allow energy to flow through you instead of forcing it, the ego largely steps out the way, so neither humility nor pride seem to apply because there's no "I" there to feel that way about itself. It's more of a feeling of connectedness and joy.

[Zukin]

John Assaraf is awesome. I thought he was one of the best presenters in The Secret, and his autobiographical personal development book is great too:
Amazon.com: The Street Kid's Guide to Having It All: Books: John Assaraf

I also like his Amazon wish list. Anybody who likes Top Gun is ok in my book:
Amazon.com: Wish List

[Dan.Linehan]

I'm pretty impressed by Mr. John.

Check out this book too:

Amazon.com: Reviews for Everybody Wins: The Story and Lessons Behind RE/MAX: Books: Phil Harkins,Keith Hollihan,Dave Liniger

On a side note, I've flown in the Re/Max balloon.

[Hari.c]

Great interview. Found some good stuff in his website too.

[smartile]

Hi Steve,

I just wanted to say thank-you. That was a great interview.

I got so much out of that post.

Keep up the good work,

Stephen Martile — Personal Development Made Simple

[Uplift]

Originally Posted by pdamoc

The emphasis on material abundance and high roll living style was a turnoff for me too.
I guess it depends on the type of person you are... I have no doubt that for certain people this had the opposite effect. There are certain psychological differences that shift the focus of people.

I'm more focused on Meaning... and my heroes are Gandhi and Mother Theresa instead of... I don't know... Andrew Carnegie or Henry Ford. I understand the value in having heroes like Carnegie or Ford, they did tremendous good through their work BUT they approached things from a different perspective...

This stuff is interesting, Mother Therasa and Ghandi are heroes of mine too, but so are some really wealthy people. I live an extremely prosperous lifestyle myself, and I've learned not to play it down or hide it, just because someone else has some problem with it. Its like meeting someone who surfs (I love surfing), and they happen to be stoked and rip, and are better than the other guys in the water. So they hoot and claim waves, and get engrossed and lost in the whole buzz. I get inspired to see stuff like that, the better the better. More example, more inspiration. Then you'll see some guy so busy trying to be cool, so worried about what everyone thinks, their whole surf is a nightmare, they are terrifed to fall off, to try anything new, to even laugh...heavy dudes. Scared dudes.

I think its societal control. You ever seen whats on the menu in our parliament house? Its not 'black and gold'. I deserve just as much as the next person, and I embrace abundance and unlimitedness totally. I see too many people talk about it, read about it, but the reality is they doubt it, and feel they aren't it, or are unworthy, so guess what.

That's the beauty of little kids. When they want to walk, or anything, they just don't care what anyone thinks and they learn so quickly. And we don't hesitate to praise and get caught up in their exuberance and joy. But then, suddenly, they are too old for that anymore? Slowly lots of parents allow their kids wonder to literally be suppressed out of them. And they grow up to be good little worker ants. Can you believe all these ants scurrying around the queen and prince Phillip...the filthy rich queen and prince Phillip. 'Look they looked at me, I'm sure of it, there is a God!' Thats where God wanted all the money to go.

Is that it, we are just overgrown insects? Humanity? What a wasted limiting existance. No thanks. Celebrate Spirit, life, and all its wonder, thats my motto, no shame here.