Back in the 1980s I read a life changing book called Contesting: The Name It and Claim It Game.
It was by Helen Hadsell, billed as “the woman who wins every contest she enters.”
The book showed the practical side of metaphysics. My attract a new car program is in the same genre: the idea is to show how tools like positive belief, visualization, feeling and action lead to concrete results — like winning a contest or manifesting a new car.
Contesting was a breakthrough book for me and many others – in fact, millions of others. The book sold three million copies. A few copies are still floating around, but you’ll pay anywhere from fifty to two hundred dollars for one (unless you’re smart and read this post to the end).
What most people don’t know is the author is still with us.
I talked to her on the phone the other night.
Helen Hadsell is 83 years old and a hoot. She’s vibrant, humorous, active, a hypnotic storyteller, and still as plugged into metaphysics as anyone around. She should have been in the movie The Secret.
Movie producers are in fact considering making a film of her life. I’d love to see that happen.
Helen and I spoke for about an hour. She’s still writing. She sent me her recent autobiography, Confessions of an 83-Year-Old Sage, which I’d love to see published, and one of her lesser known books, In Contact With Other Realms: An Adventurer’s Experiences in Awareness.
She personally knew many of the great teachers of the New Thought Movement, from prolific prosperity author Joseph The Power of Your Subsconscious Mind Murphy to Silva Mind Control creator Jose Silva to the mystical founder of Eckanker, Paul Twitchell.
Helen is delightfully fearless. She calls it the way she sees it, even if what she sees is invisible. She told me I was a monk in a past life who spent too much time “monking” around.
I guess that meant I got tired of being celibate.
She says we knew each other then.
Hmmmmmm…
I didn’t know how to respond to that esoteric observation, so I asked her about her most famous book, Contesting. The story of its birth is a great marketing lesson.
A young man who was so broke he lived in his car, heard of her winning contests with spiritual principles and said he wanted to publish her book explaining how she did it.
He didn’t have any money.
He didn’t have any experience.
He didn’t know where to begin.
But he had a goal: “I want to make one million dollars and move to India.”
Helen had a goal, as well: “I want to make one million dollars and open a center of my own to teach these principles.”
They made a deal: the man would pay a royalty of fifty percent (virtually unheard of today) for every book sold.
The young man drove off to begin his mission. Helen trusted him (though her late husband did not). She let go and allowed things to unfold.
“If it’s meant to be, it will be,” she says.
Six months later the young man returned, this time with a check for Helen.
A large check.
Here’s what he had done:
#1. He rented a mailing list of people who had entered contests.
#2. He sent every person on that list a postcard about Contesting, by the woman who won every contest she ever entered.
Clearly that’s an offer to market match.
You can imagine the response.
The man sold millions of copies of Helen’s book.
He made his million dollars, moved to India, and gave all rights to the book back to Helen. He had achieved his goal.
Helen got her money and opened her center.
This was a win-win-win.
The publisher won, the author won, and all those readers won.
That’s my all-time favorite way to do business.
There are so many marketing and metaphysical lessons in this little story that I urge you to read this post again and consider what happened.
And then apply the insights to your own life.
While you chew on that, here is Helen’s ending advice about life from her unpublished autobiography:
Make Every Day Special
Share a joke, hum a song.
Pass some special joy along.
And if someone should come your way
who doesn’t share your joy today…
THE HELL WITH ‘EM!
Ao Akua,
Joe
www.mrfire.com
PS – Helen is a private person. She doesn’t have a website. She rarely gives out her phone number. She does “Blueprints” on your life path, combining astrology and numerology and whatever her own intuition suggests, for $35. She has a few copies of her Contesting book remaining, which she sells for $10 each (postpaid). She’ll even autograph them. If you want one, write her at taptap88 at cowtown dot net. Tell her that her old lusty friend Joe the Monk sent you. 
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Thanks, Joe! I’ve written to Helen. You are JOY! And I appreciate you! I follow many of your postings and you are a win-win kind of a man, inspiring me. I also enjoyed watching the video of your visit at the Heart store in Wimberly. I even woke up this morning wondering if I should start selling his shoes. I’m really glad you are “out there”. Mary
Thank you so much for your postings, I want to share this with you; I went to my bank account today and it was zero + (overdrawn) instead of getting into a total thought bog I repeated over and over “focus on what you want” which turned my day around I am still overdrawn but I know that by focusing on the positive I have the power to do something about this! thanks again
P.S. I have just bought a new car but will check out your website anyway
Wow, what a beautiful story! Thanks for sharing it with us. I thought the name of Helen Hadsell rang a bell. I read that book back in the 80s or 90s in the Danish translation.
Best wishes
Britt
Just read the blog on Helen! And I immediately wrote to her. Thanks Joe for telling us about a remarkable woman of inspiration and encourages us all to expand and open and be mindful of both intention and the attractor factor!!!
Life just gets better and better because of people inspiring people!
The best,
Loyie
Joe, I tried to reach Helen at http://www.taptap88@cowtown.net and it forwarded me to waymark.net which is a business communications website. Can you please assist?
Thank you, Rozanne
What a sweet story. I hope that someday I will be inspired enough to create a million dollar in the same way. Actually, I am, but I have no clue how to begin. Even at $10, it is hold to come by for me right now, but you’ve really inspired me to think positively, so I’m working on it. Thanks!
A small Houston group visited Helen Hadsell in /around
the Dallas area and spent the weekend with her.
Didn’t she train in Silva with Jose Silva?
Anyways we bought her book(s). An interesting thing is
when we walked in she commented that entities were
walking in behind/with us.
She is a lovely woman and very tapped in to the SOURCE (obviously by her life story)
We had a great weekend with her. Helen Hadsell is an incredibly gifted lady and she told us her stories of winning all/each of the contests.We loved just sitting and listening to her talk and did not want to leave. We each also got a reading from her. Very insightful!
Thanks Joe for the reminder and wake up call, you are an incredible human being. I just read Zero Limits and am now reading Hynoptic Writing. You inspire me and so many others by your life example. When I meet you in person, I have a big HUG for you. Thanks so much!:grin:
Blessings,
Joan Maresh-Hansen http://www.artworkontheweb & http://www.reachingnewrealities.com Coming Soon!
Never mind… my mistake…
Joe
I wasn’t clear how to contact Helen. I really would like to get in touch with her. While I am at it I have just finished reading Zero Limits. I was saying a callover about wanting to be clean and free in order to make a difference and then bought your book. It was just right for me right now!!
Many Thanks
Love Mary
Joe thanks so much for the endearing share about Helen. It reiforces in me the clearing, erase erase that you shared in “Zero Limits” It also reinforces in me the desire to meet Dr. Hew Len in September near Charlotte NC. I say I love you and thank you often during the day!!
hay mr fire,hehehe l love that one truly i do,it makes me smile so much,love this story wow and wow again what a wonderful and awesome soul helen is i feel like i know her for lifetimes,she had the measure of you mr fire,hehehe monk that cracked me up cool. thanks for shareing this with us all i know of someone who is filming her story,wow how cool is this.thanks a million.blessings mr fire from ms fire.blazeing in glory.ros
Thanks, Joe, for giving us another example that getting older doesn’t mean losing all of your faculties. There are a lot of media stories out there hyping fear of getting older. It just doesn’t have to be that way.
I always appreciate your examples of win-win-win business too. I don’t think there is any MBA program out there that teaches this key to success.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom so freely!
Hi Joe greetings from Denmark, and thank you for the story, thank you for you,everything I learnt about LOA its trough you. Thank you.I havnt a website, i am doing it right now, my dream: I have 8 beautiful engels, each differend from onother, small, wonderful colors just like ballerins, wonderful creature. soon on my website, they are conected to the Univers. And i intend to sell them, many of them so I can make 1 million dollars so I can travell and come to America too.Love you and bless you.I will write to Helen. I am also happy that you are out there.Zsuzsanna from Denmark
Joe: you’re the greatest.
I loved the story about Helen. What a fascinating lady! I will email her shortly on her book.
Have you noticed the people coming out of factories and offices in the city? Bless their hearts! They look like zombies. Frowning, scrunched over, disgruntled, zombies!!!
What has happened to our society??? SMILE PEOPLE!!!
Thanks Joe you are pretty cool….I have enjoyed the Secret and all of the things and gurus involved in it. Just wanted to take time to tell you that…..And when I am 83….may I be as wise as Helen Hadsell!
CJ
Another awesome story Joe! Everyone needs to pursue their dreams! This is a great example of manifesting and creating your own reality. It works, I am living proof.
Thanks for sharing Joe. This brightened up my day.
Joe,
Thanks! from the “Mule” who only responds to 2 commands;
GEE.. Generic Eclectic Esotericist
or
HAW.. Hedonistic Atavistic Wiccan
D2
Joe, I used to be an Eckist or a follower of Eckankar way back in the 80’s. First I’ve heard of it in a while.I wrote to Helen and I hope she still has one of those books left.
Thanks and peace be with you.
Jay
Joe,
Yes, I love you and all the incredible wisdom you share…your personal story gives us all faith that we can do whatever it takes from wherever we start. You have been an inspiration to me for a very long time and will continue to read your materials, watch your DVD’s and apply your wonderful gifts.
I can’t thank you enough for your continuing supply of brilliant insight that I can apply and grow from, I appreciate you…Smiling Gail Foley
Thanks for the story about Helen Hadsell. It reactivated some wonderful memories I have from many years ago. I remember her from the Silva Mind Control classes in Dallas in the early 70’s. She was always ready to talk and share about creating your life by keeping your thoughts positive. I also remember going to her home for a “counseling” session back then. She has had a very positive effect on my life. Thanks again Joe for sharing this…..I’m going to e-mail her right now.
Yhe email doesn’t work
Did anyone notice Joe’s H’oponopono smile ?
Kind of powerful, uh ?
Joe,
What I love about you is how you are able to find people like this and then share their stories with others for us to learn from.
Sometimes we are able to learn more from a simple but powerful story than a $1000 course.
I have also emailed Helen.
Thanks!
Rob
OMgosh! I’m so excited to learn Helen is still alive! I saved up my allowance and probably cashed in pop bottles to secretly send off money for that book! And read it and read it and just thrilled in the possibilities. Never did win any contests but it was fun trying and dreaming. Thanks for reporting in Joe! I appreciate you!
Joe, will you be bringing your conversation with Helen as a podcast? I am sure it would be very entertaining and worth listening to.
Joe, this email reminded me of Ho’oponopono when I first got your post about it, it struck something in me, an awakening. Is it my timing, your timing, the timing, I’m not sure but it feels good. I wrote to her, normally I wouldn’t – why? Coz I feel that is greedy of me, but you know I’m changing thank the goddess and I like to feel the desire and passion for good things and you give out wonderful information and good things and I appreciate you exposing me to yet another amazing person, I feel like more pieces of the puzzle are falling into place, into yet another face of the cube, filling it in like a jigsaw. I love how you’ve used your Capricornian nature to build and provide with joy, you must feel fantastic, I want some of that please!
Love lots
Lise x
PS. When you coming downunder again, love to see you, you had dinner with mutual friend Dale Gilham (Wealth Within) last time!
I would love to meet Helen and have a long cup of tea – I am fascinated. Thank you for sharing these tidbits, Joe – it’s rather cool.
I’ll just leave the monking bit out there …. !!!
Le’Chaim
Nancy
Great Story! Maybe ‘monking around’ refers to spending too much time alone and sort of hiding from life….just the opposite of what you are doing now.
joe PLEASE HELP I CANNOT REACH HELEN HADSELL TO GET HER BOOK THANK YOU
joe please help I CAN NOT REACH HELEN HADSELL TO GET HER BOOK
Joe, I used to dream of attending the 4 major tennis tournaments in one year.. Now I dream of meeting Joe, you make me smile
I tried to get the website for Helen’s book …but website does not exist…Joe can you help I would love to get the book.:grin:
Dear Marie and others who didn’t read my whole post about Helen, the PS said,
“Helen is a private person. She doesn’t have a website. She rarely gives out her phone number. She does “Blueprints” on your life path, combining astrology and numerology and whatever her own intuition suggests, for $35. She has a few copies of her Contesting book remaining, which she sells for $10 each (postpaid). She’ll even autograph them. If you want one, write her at taptap88 at cowtown dot net. ”
joe
Aloha Joe, if at all possible like to purchase the book and get a reading but the email doesnt work could you find time to help me locate the correct http://www., mahalo, Aloha ke Akua, Moana at ama51mo04@yahoo.com
Hi Joe, Thank you so much for sharing this! Thank you for your amazing book – “Zero Limits”. I ordered it from audible – it’s fantastic. So when I see you, don’t be scared if I say “I Love You”
btw, mentioned in your newsletter that Helen doesn’t have any more books left. I think maybe you should remove her email from this page coz this post came up on the first page of google results (of course! look who i’m talking to – the marketing genius!).
cheers,
Irina
Hello Joe,
Thank you for wonderful story about Helen. After reading it I am not scared getting older. And I want to say you have most wonderful smile in the world. My son has same:). I wish I could make him follow my steps to learn about LOA. You inspired me to start learning it.
Thank you again.
With love,
Emma
:Hi Joe.
Greetings from Southern Ireland I was delighted and inspired to read this story . It gives me such hope. I have read the Secret and have noticed small but real changes occuring in my life. I have yet to realise the dream of obtaining 50,00 euros to allow me to remain living in this wonderful part of the world but I am ever hopeful that it will be granted.
Kind thoughts.
Margaret.
Hi Joe,
I love your work because it always seems to touch something in me that I’m not aware is there. I would love to get a coy of Helen’s book if she decides to re-publish it. Please put me on the follow-up list.
I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you.
Cheryl
I did a search for Helen Hadsell on ebay, and there is a seller with several copies of this book available right now for $12.00 a piece, 300 available, expiring Aug. 15. maybe he’ll relist if he doesn’t sell them all. I was only #17 bidder, and it’s already the end of the 12th.
just thought someone might want to know this.
~Suzanne
p.s. I just finished readin “Zero Limits.” What a wower! I always “knew” there was something beyond intention, and now that I’ve read this, I realize it’s what I knew all along….
Thanks for everything Joe!
That seller is Helen’s son. Helen couldn’t answer all the emails, so she put the books on ebay. If you want one, best to get it there until she reprints.
joe
Glad I waited…I’m off to ebay!! Thanks Joe!
Joe, I can’t reach helen at taptap88 at cowtown dot net. I would love a reading do you have her snail mail address or the correct way to reach her.
Thanks in advance, Beth
Hello. I think you are eactly thinking like Sukrat. I really loved the post.
nice very nice inspiring story i like it very much. thank u joe for sharing this
Hi everyone.
Ms. Hadsells’ first name is Helene, not Helen. FYI
I got her book ‘The Name It and Claim It Game’ from Helene last week, and I sent off today for her other book, ‘Confessions of an 83 Year Old Sage’.
You can go to http://www.deltasciences.com to get info, or order the book(s) online.
Hi,
I was wondering if you’d care to comment on the numbers the article mentions.
What I mean is – it would appear that her system does not work well for everyone who tries to implement it, certainly not as well as it works for her. If her book worked for everyone who read it, the people who bought the millions of copies of her books that were sold (not to mention if even 10 or 20 percent of them resold the books) then these people would be winning all of the contests they entered, over and over, so there would be lots of stories of repeat winners similar to her, but I rarely see that in any media (tv, radio, or internet) . Also when several of these people enter the came contest they are be competing with one another.
I wonder if you’d care to comment on this? I would really like to hear your thoughts on why some people are so much more successful with these techniques than others. I have my own theories (basically unresolved karma or subconscious negative attitudes and feelings). What do you think?
I took the basic Silva training about 20 years ago and had great results with it. After reading this article I would certainly like to use a Silva technique to improve my life, but I was wondering if you agree that most people will probably not have great or even good results with this approach, and how we can improve our effectiveness if we find that is true for ourselves. While your article is certainly motivating, I think an article that addressed this issue would be very useful for many many people.
Thank You,
Mike Scirocco
Hi Joe,
Than kYou for all the sharing that you do! Your “The missing secret” CD’s are awesome.
And thanks to you Jimmy for sharing the website on where to order the books.
Love you all,
Rev. Mary Madeline