Tears again this morning – it happens whenever I meet my true Self. This morning the trigger came in the form of an email that  touched me deeply - a writer sharing the idea that one of our true human needs is to contribute to others. It took me back to a moment years ago that I had forgotten…

I was teaching in an upstairs room across from Artarmon station in Sydney, at my brother-in-law's Alexander school that he ran with my sister. That day the students – who were outside-the-box kind of people (because that's who Bill was too) - asked me to process their personality types.

Welcome to my 30 Day Challenge!

Almost magically, we also have 30 teachers and students in a community that will every day be exploring how to set Alexander Technique careers on fire! You know – get more students.

If you didn't join, you still join can but the offer of an extra month and a free E-Copy of my book will finish very soon. (Actually, if you are in Tokyo, it already did!) Jump right to this link now to qualify.

During my failed attempt to launch BodyChance in Sydney, my retina detracted, my marriage ended and I lost a reasonable amount of money. Those are the highlights –if you ever get me in a room with a few hours to spare, there's a lot more to tell. I bring it up now, as I think a key factor in being unable to establish a presence was, well, I had no presence.

BodyChance never had a permanent studio presence in Sydney. No Place!

In Mejiro, near our old Tokyo studio, there was a Chinese restaurant that office workers would spend half their lunch-time queuing, then be forced to sit at a tiny tables with strangers, eat quickly and be hustled out for the next sitting.

Why would you want to eat there?

Place.

When I work with actors, Place is one of the first things I bring to their creative attention. In the mode of existence we live, it is impossible to do anything without being in a Place. An actor must creatively manufacture that Place so it becomes a powerful environmental influence on his mood and character.

It’s incredibly important, and nearly everyone misses it.

In Direct Response marketing (aka Social Media) it serves you to be simple. Ask for one thing, and one thing alone. Repeat your ask – many, many, many, many, many, many times. Be like a hungry 8 year old child pitching dad in the car for an ice-cream while he is driving you to the shops.

I am learning my lesson.

This week, I have been writing copy for the new BCLA website.

Top level Marketers understand human behaviour as well as, if not better, than top level Psychologists, Philosophers, Psychiatrists, Counsellors and Humanists.

Why?

Their livelihood depends upon it. Like Alexander, they start with how things are and theorize backwards. Practise and theory. They are quick to dump one theory in place of another, if it predicts behaviour more accurately than the one it supersedes.

Continuing my analysis from yesterday of Yoga teacher and Alexander student at BodyChance Michiko's 12 Point Plan…

My format below is to publish Michiko's 12 Point Plan in full, with my comments following each of the numbered points after you see the three asterisks, like this: ***

Steps 1 ~ 5 can be read here.

6. How is your skill in writing blog, e-mail and website content?

I’m used to writing but I’m still working on the skill.

***

Another 12 Point Plan, this time from Pro Member Michiko Kusunoki in Tokyo.

Michiko is a new student at BodyChance, but already runs here own studio, with classes at two different locations, in slightly different niches. She one of a new breed of students at BodyChance – already successful practitioners in their own field, excited by the possibility of bringing Alexander's Discoveries into their niche.

Back when I was 18 years old, I went through a psychotic episode that my family nicked-named: "Jerry's God period."

I was convinced I was enlightened, and I had powers to prove it. I used to slow and speed up my heart while disbelieving kids would press their ears against my chest to see if it was true. I could do it. As part of my psychosis, I inherited amazing powers of control that I no longer have.