There was bar-b-que, chips and hot sauce, and adult beverages. The focus of the party was a free-for-all jam session.

Who else, but musicians, gets together and "works" for fun? I'm trying to imagine a bunch of accountants, getting together over bar-b-que and beer, with spreadsheets and green visors. For fun.

Not gonna happen.

Back to the party.

It was a blast- but I left early. As much fun as playing guitar can be, I felt the pull of my laptop. I had a couple of promotions going on, some coaching clients who needed help.

The internet marketing game is addictive. I'm hooked.

But, I got an internet marketing lesson between sets at the jam session. It was fascinating.

There was a guitar player there who was just amazing. Played rings around everybody else there. He sang like a country Otis Redding. He's a nice guy.

He's trying to live like I used to live- playing bars in Texas for $30/$50 a night.

I took him aside, and asked him if he'd like to break into the next level. I offered to introduce him to my European agents. I might as well have been talking to a brick.

His vision extends just about as far as the next bar gig. He's about as likely to fly to Europe and tour as he is to fly to the moon on a motorcycle. It ain't gonna happen.

Why?

Why can some musicians make the transition to recording artists and touring acts while others, who are just as talented, spend their lives playing bars for no money?

It's the size of their "box."

Bill Hibbler and I were talking about this today, and we realized that the same thing is true of internet marketers.

Why do some internet marketers just "take off" and build successful businesses, while others, who are just as talented, continue to struggle?

Bill's the one who said it, "It's the size of their box." Your world can be as big or as small as you let it be. That's your box. You can succeed as much as you let yourself succeed- that's your box, too.

You attract what you focus on. Focusing on concepts and objects that expand your box will make your world bigger.

I hang out in several internet marketing forums, and help run one. When I read threads posted by successful marketers, they're almost always positive in tone, and energetic. When I read threads by those who are struggling, they're almost always negative, limited, and dull.

My guitar playing buddy would do great in Europe- he's the perfect combination of blues and country.

He just can't visualize doing it. He focuses on how hard it is to "make it" in the music business, how club owners don't want to pay very much for bands, how the audience doesn't appreciate his music. And that's what he attracts.

I laid it out for him in plain English- and he just couldn't see it. He could be touring in Europe next month, making plenty of money, and getting the appreciation he deserves.

He could be, but he won't be. He'll still be playing in dives for drunks who don't appreciate him, and taking home just enough money to get to the next gig.

That's not romantic, or noble. That's living in a tiny box.

One thing I've learned, from studying Joe Vitale's "The Attractor Factor," and several other books, is that we create our own world. We attract what we focus on.

We can have, do, or be anything we want- and what we have, do or are is the result of our inner landscape.

It's actually one of the most profound discoveries I've ever encountered.

And it leads to a word of caution. Think about it- you attract what you focus on. If you carelessly focus on failure, scarcity, poverty, failure, and unhappiness, then that's what you'll attract.

What do you see when you watch T.V.? What do you hear when you listen to the radio? What is the story in the books you read?

What are the topics of the conversations you have?

That's what goes into your mind, and that's what you're focusing on.

That's what you're going to attract.

The magic happens when you realize that you're responsible for your own outcome, and start doing what it takes to achieve the outcome you want.

When you start focusing on what you want to attract, you'll attract what you want.

When you write down your goals, and look at them every day, and take the action necessary to achieve them- you will achieve them.

Since you're creating your world, and since you have to live in it, doesn't it make sense to create a world of prosperity, success and happiness?

Can you allow yourself a box that big?