1. Summer 2103 TOEFL Promo Email Subject: Own Your Future – Before You Get Owned! Dear <Name>, You want to go to college in Los Angeles… Or even somewhere else in America… NEWSFLASH: ONLY taking regular ESL classes will not help you. Sure, that will improve your Grammar… your Reading… and Vocabulary, too… I’ve seen you around. Your English has improved – A LOT! – since you first came. You’ve also made friends. Gained confidence. Learned American culture. Had a good time… Now, however… You’re a little more serious. You want to go to college. A good one – USC, UCLA, LMU, UC-Irvine. And more… You’ll get a better degree. An American degree. Which leads to a better job. More money. Higher status. This is your goal. But if you want to go to one of these good American colleges… Regular ESL classes are not enough. You need to take the TOEFL test. The college entrance exam for international students. And you cannot get into college without it. The minimum score is different for each college, but a good minimum score is 80. Even better colleges demand 90. The best of the best require 100+. I know, I know… You’ve been putting off taking the test. But the time for you to go to college is coming – it’s only about six months away. That doesn’t seem like enough time to prepare. But the MLI TOEFL program is designed for you.

You will make your goal. But only if you follow the course curriculum and work hard. Our dynamic TOEFL teacher makes TOEFL fun! “Kyle is the best teacher I’ve ever had! I would not have gone to UCLA without this class!” – Masaki, Japan “Kyle is the best! TOEFL material is boring, but Kyle makes it fun! Thanks, Kyle!” – Kie, Japan “I scored an 86 after taking Kyle’s class! My dream for UCLA is come true!” – Giovanni, Brazil Our TOEFL teacher, Kyle, has been teaching TOEFL for more than four years. He once worked for TOEFL grading students’ essays and speaking tasks on the real test. He knows the test. He knows how to take the test. Best of all… He teaches it well. He entertains. He cares. He pushes you to be your best. And you…? You go to college… Get your degree… Land your dream job… And own the world!! Learn how to

• find information in a reading passage • think and speak quickly • organize your thoughts • elevate your writing to college-level skill • follow and understand college-level lectures and discussions • improve your vocabulary – informal AND formal

And we give you a full, simulated TOEFL test – all 3.5 hours on all 4 parts – once a month. You practice what you learn and get a simulated score. It is the perfect TOEFL curriculum to hit your minimum score – FASTER! Which means you go to college – FASTER!

You’re more prepared, more skilled, and more confident! The world is yours – FASTER! Enroll today and hit your goals tomorrow…! See you in class! John-Michael Patino TOEFL Program Coordinator PS – I almost forgot!! Our TOEFL tuition fees are the best value in Los Angeles! One month of TOEFL is normally $819.00. But if you purchase three (3) months, it’s only $1987.00!! That’s nearly 20% off!! What a deal!! For the best program around! Sign up today! And own the world TOMORROW!

2. Fall 2013 TOEFL Evening Promo Email Subject: Spend Your LA Nights with US… Dear <Name>, You have to take the TOEFL test, don’t you? So you need TOEFL class. Yet… You hate getting up early… Morning classes are impossible. Afternoon classes are a drag, too… Ruins your beach time, doesn’t it? Either way, your attendance is bad and you’re not doing well. How about an alternative?

The evening TOEFL class. Same great curriculum…

Better hours! Night classes are different. More relaxed. MLI evening classes are even better!

They’re cool! Many students work or play during the day and then come to study at night. So you do what you need during the day. And go for your goals at night. Our TOEFL evening program pushes you. Even as you have fun. You need to take the TOEFL test. But maybe time is less important. Our night TOEFL class follows the same curriculum as the morning and afternoon TOEFL classes. Day students want to take the TOEFL test in about 6 months. Night class students are not in such a hurry. Their goal is 9-12 months. But the night TOEFL program is the same. You will still make your goal. But it’s more relaxed. More engaging. More… fun! Different TOEFL teacher, yet more TOEFL fun! “Brian is really cool! He know when to push us and when to relax!” – Marco, Italy “Brian not only helped me get an 87 on the test, this class helped me prepare for my work visa interview!” – Antonio, Italy “At first, I didn’t want night class. But then I realized I go out after class. It fit my lifestyle perfectly! I actually looked forward to class…!” – Derya, Turkey “Does the ‘F’ in TOEFL stand for ‘fun’? Cuz that’s what our class was – fun! Yet, I improved from a mid-60s score to above 90 in only a few months…” – Igor, Brazil Brian has been teaching TOEFL for more than six years. He worked for TOEFL grading essays and speaking tasks from the real test. Brian knows the test. Knows its ins and outs. More importantly for evening students, he knows when to push you and when to ease up. He cares. And he’s always free to answer your questions. You go to college Get your degree Land your dream job

And own the world!! On your own time…! You will still learn how to succeed on the TOEFL test. Your still take a full, simulated TOEFL test. Everything is the same as the early classes. It’s just MORE RELAXED… The perfect TOEFL curriculum to hit your minimum score. MORE RELAXED but STILL PREPARED – for college The world is yours – AT YOUR OWN PACE! Enroll today! See you in class! John-Michael Patino TOEFL Program Coordinator PS – Oh, yeah…! Shhh! Don’t tell anyone, but evening TOEFL class is cheaper. Purchase three (3) months for only $1987.00!! That’s 15% off the day price!!

3. House for Sale Email

Subject: Upgrade Your Life – Elevator Included…!

An Entertainer’s Delight with Knockout Views and Amazing

Upgrades… There’s Even an Elevator…!

This 3-BR, 2-BA House Takes Cul-de-sac Living To a New

Level!

Dear <Name>

This home’s curb appeal immediately grabs: two-car garage, adjacent glass elevator, and stained glass windows. Walk up the stairs amidst the sounds of two waterfall ponds to the front door and enter the house. An open-concept living area and acacia hardwood floors invite you in like an old friend. The kitchen is a chef’s dream: custom cabinets, granite counter tops, and stainless steel appliances, including a Kitchen-Aid six-burner gas stove with warming oven. Gaze through the stained glass garden window at the sun-splashed backyard. Each of the 3 bedrooms has a ceiling fan and a roomy walk-in closet (the one in the master BR is cedar-lined). There are 2 full bathrooms (one with upgraded travertine floors), floor-to-ceiling tile, and 2 sinks for your family and guests. In the backyard, enjoy the oversized patio with a built-in gas barbeque, two skylights, and a custom built-in storage cabinet that conceals a deep freezer and TV. Check out all that this house has to offer:

• New, contemporary “Open Concept” Floor Plan • Remodeled Kitchen with Custom Granite & Stainless Appliances • Renovated Guest Bathroom • Upgraded Outside Gutters and Fencing • Custom Outdoor Backyard Patio with Skylights, Built-in Gas Barbeque,

and Cabinet with hidden Deep Freezer and TV • Front Deck with Expansive Views • High-Quality Dual Pane Kitchen Window Overlooking Backyard

Garden • Custom Stained Glass Windows in the Front of the House • Delightful Cul-de-sac Living • Beautiful, Durable, Long-lasting Acacia Hardwood Flooring • Crown, Base, and Chair Molding throughout • Gas Fireplace in the Great Room • And…Your Own Elevator from the Garage to the Front Door on the

Second Story.

4. Lead for a Financial Sales Letter

Subject: Prevent (Asset) Shrinkage

Protect Yourself…!

Leeches Are Hell-bent On Shrinking Your Assets!

“Money-printing is insidious.”1

August 9, 2013 Dear The Palm Beach Letter Subscriber, I have important news that will help you protect your hard-earned assets. The people at the Fed are out to get you. But you already know that. These sadistic, blood-sucking leeches have nearly wiped out the middle class of our great country. And they’re coming to get the rest of us… Like most people, you might think it’s the Fed that creates real money because it just keeps printing it and shoving it into circulation. That’s a mistake you can’t afford to make. There are other entities that are creating the real money. They’re not insidious. In fact, they can protect you from vile predators at the Fed. But more on that in a moment…

Not All Gold Is An Asset Gold never goes out of style. People eat it, drink it, melt it, hoard it, and wear it. Gold has hypnotized humanity for more than five millennia. Rings, watches, necklaces, and caps on teeth attract attention. But they’re not assets. Gold flakes in liquor and gold leaves on cakes are tasty. But they don’t keep value. Gold dinnerware, chandeliers, and candelabras look great. But they don’t grow value. They don’t protect you from the bloodsuckers that want your assets. Not all gold mining companies are an asset, either. They can be good investments. They employ teams of geologists to find the richest veins of ore. They utilize miners to dig it out. They pay marketing people to promote it. They hire business people to monetize it.

But it’s a difficult business. It takes lots of capital. Even if production costs decrease, it’s hard to maintain gold reserves at levels sufficient for continued production. All the easy-to-reach reserves have nearly been emptied. Mining companies must keep looking deeper for gold. It’s not easy, though. Most of our planet’s gold is found near the core, where it sank billions of years ago when a molten Earth was forming. As a result, this makes investing in mining companies challenging. Risky. Volatile.

Your Gold Jewelry Is Weighing You Down Only a few well-informed people know the power of gold. Are you one of them? If not, you should be... And you can be. Many gold mining executives don’t understand their own product. They’re happy simply marketing their gold as jewelry. But gold doesn’t really gain or even maintain value that way. So why invest in a gold mining company? Where a CEO doesn’t even get his product? Or how it should be used? Fortunately, not all mining companies are the same. There’s a better, safer alternative. It’s known as a gold royalty company.

"Lots of money is to be made in the right kind of gold mining companies."2

Before I explain what a royalty company is, let me illustrate how much safer it is: In 1992, if you had invested $1000 (@$0.03/share) in Royal Gold (RGLD), one of the world’s largest gold royalty companies, it would now be worth $2,000,000 (@$61/share)! Not bad, right? Even if you had invested in Royal Gold at the turn of the millennium, your $1000 investment would right now be worth over $60,000. Still pretty good, especially since gold itself is up merely five times since 2000.

A royalty company is a finance company for mining companies. It provides funding for a mining company. In return, it receives a percentage of production from resources the company unearths over a specified amount of time. Essentially, the royalty company believes that the mining company will uncover enough resources to make its investment worthwhile. This obviously benefits the royalty company. But what about the mine? Well, in times of economic downturn, traditional lending methods – banks and other credit markets – shrivel up. Traditionally, this has meant taking on more debt. Or diluting shares. Either way, investors are unhappy. A royalty company fills this void. A mining company can access more financing. They take this deal because it’s a viable alternative that can put them over the top. Everybody wins. Investors are exposed to gold profits, but not to most of the risks. The mining companies get money they need to continue with their production plans. Not all royalty agreements are structured the same. In some agreements, the royalty company receives its money after the mining company starts making money. In others, the royalty company collects regardless of profit. Still others are structured so that the royalty company receives metal instead of cash. Then there’s another kind of gold mining company. A fairly new one called a gold streaming company. And this is where the sky is practically the limit for you as an investor…

"One type of precious metals equity has been significantly outperforming both the metals and

mining shares: gold and silver streaming companies."3

You might be familiar with the incredible success story of Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLV). Established in 2004, Silver Wheaton has quickly become the largest precious metal streaming company in the world. It specializes in silver and became a multibillion-dollar company in just a few short years. Let me show you some figures: In the past three months, silver is up 17%. The S&P 500 up 4.5%. Silver Wheaton? Up 50%!

Let’s go back four years, since the financial crisis. Silver is up 236%, twice the S&P500 and nearly quadruple the market. Silver Wheaton? Up an astonishing 1011%! How’s that for keeping the parasites in Washington and on Wall Street at bay? How has Silver Wheaton done it? Pretty simple, really. It has borrowed a financing system from the oil and gas industry called volumetric production payment, or VPP. It’s what Chesapeake Energy used to become an oil and gas behemoth. Under this system, a buyer contributes neither time nor capital to actual production. It just provides financing. The mining company sells a percentage of its production in exchange for an upfront cash payment. This is capital the owner uses while also keeping complete ownership of the company. The investing company, in return, receives in some form a percentage of what is produced. A win-win. And everyone likes that. Silver Wheaton has flourished in this system. Finally, less than five years ago, somebody brought this same approach to gold. And this is the company I’m here to tell you about. It already has a market cap of over $1B. Its stock is up 50% in the last three months – and up over 500% in the past four years. Its 2013 2nd Quarter earnings report was recently released. It disclosed that its revenues were $13.4M with a cash flow of $8.4M. This company recently purchased a 60% interest in one of its competitors. It has streaming deals with four of the most promising gold mining companies in the world – Colussus Minerals (COLUF.PK), Silvercrest Mines (SVLC), Luna Gold (LGCUF.PK), and Brigus Gold (BRD). What’s more, its CEO was one of Silver Wheaton’s first employees, so the management at this company is savvy. It knows what it’s doing. Before I divulge this company’s name, and further explain its enormous upside, let me give you a real example of one of their deals and what it means for investor: This company closed a deal on a South American mining company not long ago. The resource estimate at the time of the deal was roughly 1 million ounces of gold. They paid the mining company $20M (cash + company shares), which gave them the rights to purchase, over the life of the mine, about 200,000 ounces at a fixed cash cost of $400/oz.

From just this, our company netted $120 million (to make it easy, let’s assume $1,000 per ounce gold – $400 per ounce cost = $600 per ounce X 200,000 ounces). Deduct the $20 million payment and our company pocketed $100 million from an initial investment of $20 million – a 500% return! But here’s why the streaming model is so genius: the original amount of gold was underestimated! There were actually more than 3 million ounces of gold! So, going with the current price of gold, our company now will make $440 million ($1,200/oz gold - $400/oz cost = $800/oz/ X 600,000 ounces) from an original investment of about $20 million! Mindboggling! A return of around 2,200% from a single streaming deal! So… The company…? Sandstorm Gold (NYSE: SAND). It’s poised to explode. And it will protect and keep the Wall Street and Washington leeches from sucking you dry. Find out why you must add Sandstorm to your portfolio… Citations 1Jamie Mackie: http://www.theaureport.com/pub/na/15099 2Jay Taylor: http://www.theaureport.com/pub/na/14707 3Jason Hamlin: http://www.theaureport.com/pub/na/14648

5. Press Release for Brazil Body Now

Subject: L.A-Based Samba Dance Fitness Workout Sensation Goes National – Now Available In DVD Package Created by 9-time Miss Carnavale Katia Luna, Brazil Body Now, the dance fitness sensation that took Los Angeles by storm, is now available nationwide in a comprehensive DVD exercise and nutrition program. Los Angeles, California, May 10, 2013

Katia Luna’s Los Angeles exercise dance classes are unique, fun, and always filled. Click on YouTube and see the high energy emanate from her sessions. Tap your toes to the exotic Samba beats thumping through her classes. See how one session can burn 700 calories. But this program is not just for L.A. insiders anymore. The Samba fitness workouts that swept the city and buzzed the Internet are about to arrive at your home. Katia’s revolutionary nutrition and fitness program is now available in a DVD package called Brazil Body Now. The package features the same body-sculpting dance techniques used by sexy Samba dancers. Each DVD teaches the same dance moves practiced by Brazilian women for generations. Designed, created, and taught by Katia herself, the Samba- and Latin-infused moves in the DVD sessions are for use in the comfort of your own home. And the timing couldn’t be better, according to Katia. “I’ve had people ask me for years to put something together to use when they couldn’t get to my studio,” she says. “But I didn’t have the time to put together a DVD program that effectively captured the techniques I teach live. And I refused to put out something that would fall short of getting women the results they’re looking for.” Katia moved to California years ago, but not with any plan to start a fitness revolution. “I came out to broaden my opportunities. I was ready for the next challenge. To try something new.” She brought with her special insider techniques and secrets accrued from 25+ years in dance. Fat-blasting, figure-toning moves were second nature to her. But it didn’t take her long to see that they weren’t second nature to so many Americans. “When I was growing up in Brazil, it was rare to see anyone overweight. The lifestyle was very active. They have fun being active. We were all constantly exercising through our dance. No one thinks, ‘Okay, now I need to exercise.’” It is this last thought that gave her the idea to teach dance fitness. It’s also this thought that has attracted so many people to her classes. And she’s now using it to counter an epidemic plaguing the U.S. Figures in a recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that 70% of adults and 36% of children in the U.S. are overweight. Even worse, the same survey states that 36% of adults and 17% of children are clinically obese. “When I read those statistics, I was blown away,” Katia says.

Thus, an idea was born: a nutrition and fitness program that leaves nothing to chance. Katia herself creates detailed blueprints that map out precision fitness moves for optimal results. And as legions of her clients swear, her program helps people reach their weight loss and fitness goals fast. According to Katia, exercise doesn’t have to be about boring cardio and counting calories. It can be fun. And this is what separates her program apart from others. “Samba and Latin dance do what many other forms of exercise can’t. People love it. So they stick with it. That’s one of the biggest problems with most exercise. People do it because they feel they should, not because they want to. That just never works out long term.” Her program is specifically designed for a woman. “Many of the popular weight loss programs (both diet and exercise) cause women to lose muscle as well as fat,” Katia explains. “When you lose muscle, your metabolism slows down and makes it harder to burn off fat cells. So when you stop doing your weight loss plan and go back to living your normal life, your fat quickly comes back because you have less muscle to burn it off. You end up in worse shape than you were before.” Katia brings to each session an infectious attitude that spills over into each move. She conveys her own version of the Brazilian philosophy of living life to the fullest. Her mission is simple – give today’s woman of the world the body, confidence, and life she deserves. Dance-oriented workouts have become the rage in recent years, perhaps in part due to the wild popularity of Dancing with the Stars. While DTWS doesn’t feature any particular style of dance, it seems that exercise through dance is more than just a passing fad. And there’s good reason for it, according to Katia. “With dance-oriented workouts, especially Brazilian and Latin dance, you not only burn tons of fat and calories, but you also build long, lean muscles. Just take a look at the professional dancers on Dancing With The Stars. They are very lean but muscular. It’s that muscle that keeps their fat percentage so low. And it’s what helps so many of their guest celebrities lose so much weight.” The evidence seems to back her up. Kelly Osborne reportedly lost 40 pounds and Kirstie Alley shaved more than 30 inches from her body before their opening nights on DWTS. But there’s more to dance workouts, Katia explains. “The thing I love most about dance is the more you do it, the better your workout will be. When you first begin, you’re getting used to the moves. Your body responds by dropping weight and toning up because it’s doing something new.

Then, as you become more familiar with the moves, your body becomes more engaged. Smaller stabilizer muscles come into play. Your body becomes harmonious with the movement and takes your fitness to a higher level. And it keeps going like that. It never stops.” Katia’s program is designed for a woman of any age or fitness experience. The benefits come from the combination of multi-angled resistant dance moves that are unique to Samba. It’s something that comes natural to Katia; indeed, it’s seemingly that way to all Brazilians. “Music is everywhere and everyone is always dancing. From little children to men and women in their 70s,” Katia says. The program is also designed for today’s busy woman. Whether single or married, executive or stay-at-home mom, 17 years old or a young 70, Katia’s program is specifically engineered for a woman to train smarter, not harder. Each session is a fun, fat-blasting 30 minutes, and three sessions a week are all that is necessary to achieve the desired results. There is no need for a gym and there are no monthly fees. Membership in Brazil Body Now also includes a detailed nutrition plan and diet tips, all created by Katia herself. Additionally, members benefit from unlimited, 1-on-1 email coaching support. And success emails have been rolling in from women all over the U.S. It seems that the intimate community that Katia and her team of experts want to foster is succeeding. “I’m getting as big of a thrill hearing about their success as I’ve ever had on stage. I love the idea that I’m able to help more women than I ever have before.” The next time you see a woman swaying rhythmically to some unheard Samba beat, it might not be what you used to think. There’s a very good chance that now it will be a woman enjoying residual benefits of Katia Luna’s Brazil Body Now fitness and nutrition program. To learn more about Brazil Body Now, go to www.brazilbodynow.com.

6. Email Promoting A Survival Strategy Book

Subject Line: Protect And Prepare! A Widespread Famine in America Looms! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Friend,

Imagine this: Another long day away from the family you love, slaving away for someone else’s fortune, is done. You put your key in the door and enter your home. Suddenly, your stress is ratcheted up several notches. Strips of wallpaper dangle from a gaping hole in the wall. A closet door hangs off its hinges. Cabinet doors swing back and forth. Tears stream down your kids’ faces. Desperation grips your spouse’s eyes. “What happened?” you ask. “The Feds raided us,” your spouse says quietly. “Our garden, the cache of food. The bags of money, too.” Fear and anger squeeze your heart. But all eyes are on you, so you open your arms wide. “Come here, everyone.” As you embrace your family, your stomach flips and your breath catches. “What are we going to do?” _____________________________________________ We’re at the threshold of a food crisis. Are you prepared? If not, then the above scenario becomes more than a nightmare. We all know that history repeats itself. Right now, you better beware the omens and trends everywhere. They’re pointing to a worldwide food shortage on the horizon. Yes, right here in America, too. We’re on the same path that befell the Roman Empire. Recognize the signals? Government over-spending. Price manipulation. Improper farming methods. Whispers of population reduction through control of the food supply.

Only 72 hours’ worth of food on store shelves if deliveries aren’t made. And more… It would take only a small disruption in the chain to bring on a catastrophe. If you don’t know the history and causes of famine, you’ll pay a heavy price. Can you afford it? There’s only one sure-fire way to prepare. Click here to find out how. Yours in preparedness, Dave Marshall

7. Advertorial leading to a VSL

Finally! 2300-Year-Old Greco-Roman Philosophy Reveals Secret to Achieving Happiness and Wealth

In Today’s Stressful World

How an Ancient Principle That Forged a Nation Can Fuel Your Success Even in These Uncertain Times

By Dave Marshall Is stress ruining your life? If so, you’re not alone. The effects of stress ravage our relationships, our health, and our finances. But what if you could make stress your ally? What if you could use that pressure building within you to create a better life? To better your relationships? To amass an abundant life and keep your peace of mind? Not sure if it’s possible? Well, consider this: two objects the world values the most – gold and diamonds – are the beautiful products of incredible amounts of stress that last for centuries. What if you could put your stress to work for you? So that you emerge healthier and probably wealthier. And much, much happier? Well, let me tell you a story first…

The Birth of American “Cool” “What stands in the way becomes the way.”

–Marcus Aurelius It was a few days before Christmas in 1776. The year had started well for the colonists’ cause against the British. But it was on the verge of collapse as the year wound down. George Washington’s Continental Army had been chased from New York across New Jersey only a month earlier. Washington’s troops now lay tattered on the snowy Pennsylvania banks of the Delaware River, just north of Trenton, New Jersey. It didn’t look good. Washington’s army had shrunk due to expiring enlistments, defections, injury, and death. Two important divisions of his army had disappeared. Supplies had been lost. Provisions were scarce. The soldiers, if you could call them that, were hungry, cold, and whipped. Yet, less than two weeks later the British and Hessian troops had fled not just Trenton but the entire area. How did this victory happen? How did Washington manage to revive the fortunes of not only his own army but those of the entire American cause for independence? How did he do it? He called upon the resources of an advanced philosophy straight from ancient Rome. It gave him the impetus to see the obstacles before him – starvation, bitter cold, dwindling provisions, low morale, and near-hopelessness – to strategize and implement in stealth a brave and daring plan. All amidst incredible pressure. Washington used a philosophy that in modern times has come to have almost negative connotations. Most people mistakenly think that it means being standoffish or uncaring. But that’s the furthest thing from the truth. It’s the philosophy from which the much-admired American characteristic of “calm under fire” all started. If you, like me… …Believe that today’s American society isn’t what it used to be – but could be again if only we’d bring back some of the old ways – then this principle is for you. …Worry about the future of our great nation as you watch the erosion of our once-great education system, then this ancient philosophy already resides in you.

…Know that virtue is not found in fortune or fame but in self-reliance and rationality, then you already abide by this principle. …Understand that American “cool” didn’t begin with James Dean or Elvis Presley, but with the Founding Fathers, then you live this way of life right now. This philosophy is what gave General George Washington the strength to push through those hard times in late December of 1776 and win a vital battle. It’s the philosophy that, quite honestly, helped birth our great nation. It strongly influenced other Founding Fathers. Its principles guided them through difficult times not only in creating a nation but also in surviving their own personal trials and tribulations. Its principles helped build their character, fuel their lives, amass their fortunes, and push them through when they wanted to quit. But before I reveal this philosophy – if you haven’t already figured it out – let me tell you another story… The story of how it helped another great American hero prevail through unbearable strife.

How an American POW Survived The “Hanoi Hilton”

“Choose not to be harmed and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed and you haven’t been.” –Marcus Aurelius

In September of 1965, a young U.S. Navy pilot named James Stockdale ejected from his shredded A-4 fighter and floated down into the Vietnam jungle. Straight into the hands of angry North Vietnamese soldiers and villagers, who beat him to within an inch of his life before dragging him to Hanoi’s feared, infamous Hoa La prison, the “Hanoi Hilton”. This horrible stone Hell would be his home for the next eight years. When he finally emerged from the prison, he was hobbled, a result of unimaginable torture he had endured: crushed joints, a disfigured face, broken back, fractured legs, and more. However, there were two things his Vietnamese torturers had failed to affect: his iron will and indomitable hope. How was he not broken? How did Stockdale manage not only to survive ungodly mental and physical pain but also to lead the silent American POW resistance within the prison?

How did he do it? He called upon the same resources that Washington had used to drive the British forces away from the Delaware River and into retreat: the tenets of an advanced Greco-Roman philosophy. These tenets gave him the incredible strength and endurance to hurdle the obstacles before him – physical torture, mental anguish, low morale, and near-hopelessness – to plan and implement in stealth brave and daring methods of communication and resistance. All under the pressure of an agonizing death if caught. And you, too, can use these principles to overcome the hardships in your life. Granted, maybe you’re not the leader of a ragtag, loose-knit, bedraggled group of colonists trying to defeat the greatest empire the world had ever known. And, no, maybe you’re not a tortured, beaten leader of a ravaged, imprisoned group of soldiers languishing in one of the most hellish prisons modern times has ever seen. But maybe it sometimes feels like you are, right? With a mountain of stress-related health issues, financial pressures, and fractured relationships, it might seem no better than what Washington or Stockdale endured. But you can make it through by using the same principles that those American heroes used to become your own kind of American hero. You can use the principles of a philosophy called Stoicism.

Stoicism: A Series of Mental Techniques

To Help You Achieve Happiness “Sick and yet happy. Imperiled and yet happy. Dying and yet happy. Exiled and happy.

Disgraced and happy.” –Epictetus

“What upsets people is not things themselves but their judgments about the things.” –Epictetus

For most people, the word “stoic” conjures up negative images. It describes a person who is uncaring and/or standoffish. Someone who’s not a people person. Well, a “stoic” person is not the same as a “Stoic.” A Stoic is a person who very much feels.

Stoics very much care. They very much desire. But it’s what Stoics do with those emotions that separates them from everyone else. That permits them to get a grip in today’s overstressed world. That helps them to channel their feelings into a serenity allowing them to cope with adversity. To be courageous amidst otherwise crushing trials and tribulations. Stoics are able to dig deep, using their self-discipline to overcome their insatiable desires of “more, more, more…” so they can simply enjoy the life they have. Stoics learn to want they already have instead of entering and becoming trapped in the endless cycle of always wanting more, of forever wanting what they don’t have. Stoics actively practice what many consider a cliché: they separate their worries into things they can control and things they cannot. But the results are no by no means a cliché… By actively letting go of the unnecessary and focus on controlling the necessary, Stoics usually become happy. And wildly successful.

The Ancient Practices of Stoicism Actually Work in the 21st Century

“How trivial are the things we want passionately.” –M.A. Stoicism is about action, not about debate. This makes it different from other kinds of philosophy. And it’s also why Stoicism is relevant today (whereas many other types of ancient philosophy don’t apply to today’s issues). One of the main problems of modern humanity is worry. It’s one of the main causes – if not THE cause – of so many physical and mental problems. We tend to think that pleasure equals happiness. Yet, pleasure is but one aspect of happiness. Stoics understand this. They also understand human motivation and emotion. And they use this knowledge not to seek pleasure but to achieve happiness. Stoics don’t revel in reflexive emotion. They bathe in reason. They know that impulse isn’t a path to happiness.

They understand that by eliminating as much as possible any negative emotions – anger, fear, anxiety, dissatisfaction, to name but a few – it is possible to build a pool of happiness and joy of such depth that everything else will follow: mental and spiritual well-being, physical relief, better relationships, improved finances, and more. It’s not easy, though. There is no doubt about it. It’s hard to resist the newest, latest, and greatest smartphone being released. It’s hard to resist upgrading your car every other year. It’s hard to resist other new “toys” when they are being produced and marketed in our faces so much. We want to keep up. Think about this, though: possessions, like achievements, are ephemeral. They don’t last long. But if we’re slaves to them, they master us forever because the cycle is so vicious that it’s hard to break. However, it’s not impossible. We just have to remember to maintain clear judgment about what is and isn’t important. Furthermore, it’s also hard to release negative emotions when dealing with the insults of a condescending co-worker or an antagonizing boss. For most of us, the impulse is to strike back, to retaliate. But consider this: the insult is either true or it isn’t. If it is true, reason dictates that we should improve ourselves and eradicate that negative trait from our lives. If it is NOT true, then reason dictates that the problem isn’t really ours but instead that of the other person, whom we should actually pity for being so narrow-minded. Dealing with people reasonably, like Stoics do, allows us to be better friends, better entrepreneurs, better spouses or parents, better people. Fear, greed, grief and insecurity enter us only if we allow them to.

Putting Stoicism to Work for You “In times of security…the spirit should be preparing itself for difficult times;

while fortune is bestowing favors upon it, then is the time for it to be strengthened against her rebuffs.” –Seneca

Make no mistake… today’s world is a tough one. It’s tough to keep up, much less get ahead.

And by keeping up or getting ahead, I don’t mean amassing an embarrassment of possessions. I mean achieving joy and happiness. Keeping honest, humble, and aware. Being a better entrepreneur or innovator. A better spouse. A better parent. A better friend. A better person. Stoicism is made for hard times because Stoics are always practicing techniques that strengthen both their mental and physical capabilities. Mentally, a Stoic is always preparing for hard times by implementing an old secret. This old secret allows you to appreciate what you have while mentally preparing yourself for any unexpected changes that can drastically alter your life. You don’t worry about what you don’t have because you’re too busy optimizing what you do have. Physically, a Stoic is always preparing for adversity by employing another ancient technique. This time-honored technique allows you to deal with those insults. It allows you to broaden your comfort zone. It allows you to replace crippling reflexive emotion with empowering reason.

The Key to Productivity, Abundance, and Happiness “Do not seek have events happen as you want them to, but instead want them to happen as they do happen,

and your life will go well.” –Epictetus If you can put both of those old secrets to work for you every day, you become a better leader. In this age of globalization, you connect better with people from all walks of life and all corners of the globe. Your uncertainty dissipates, replaced by confidence and control. You understand whatever happens to you or all around you happens necessarily. You realize that you cannot control anything until you control yourself. The funny thing is that by releasing our concern about all possessions, we usually find ourselves richer and surrounded by more abundance than we ever thought possible. We also find ourselves being more productive in all areas of our lives, which leads to happiness, which leads to abundance, which leads back to productivity.

Should you achieve this cycle, you’ll be more successful than 99% of the people you see every day. How? Because you’ll have the enlightenment that they’re missing. You’ll be using ancient Stoic principles to achieve happiness and abundance beyond your wildest dreams. You’ll be more productive and more principled than you have ever been. And you’ll be able to use the ancient, secret techniques mentioned just above to access a kind of productivity used by some of the most powerful people in history, including the “Most Productive Redhead in History”, a man who single-handedly saved the West from defeat in World War II. If you’ll allow me, I’d like to share more about Stoicism. I’d also like to talk more about the two advanced techniques you need to achieve Stoic status. And I’ll reveal secrets to being productive that complement Stoicism perfectly. Just in time to change your life for the better – FOREVER. Get the inside story on how to achieve a serene, happy state of mind and body, as well as how to attain abundant riches – both tangible and intangible. Learn and implement ancient techniques and principles that powerful people have been using for centuries. Click below to get the inside story and read more: <link to VSL and/or sales script>