James Dean's Lucky Watch

James Dean's lucky pocket watch was his most important personal possession. The back has a spiral pattern and the cover has his engraved initials. This lucky watch worked for him and he became a movie star. Talismans come in many forms!

When Dean first starred in East of Eden, he insisted on wearing his lucky pocket watch. He had bought it in late 1951 when he was a struggling young actor in New York. It was his first big purchase and he was proud of it. He had his initials engraved on the gold cover and carried it in his pocket for luck wherever he worked, whether it was on TV or in plays.

Around two and a half years later, Dean was spotted and went to Hollywood to meet John Steinbeck, author of East of Eden. When Dean arrived in Los Angeles, he visited his father, which was their first communication in a long time. His father was afraid Dean would lose his lucky watch, so he gave him his own gold watch chain. Even though director Elia Kazan protested, Dean wore the watch, hanging from a belt loop, throughout the filming of East of Eden.

Dean attributed his success to the watch, and it was also a link to his father. Kazan finally relented and allowed him to wear the watch, but he insisted that Dean's engraved initials had to be covered up in close-ups. Dean's performance in East of Eden earned him his first of two posthumous Academy Award nominations and two Golden Globes.

Before his fatal car crash, he had gifted his lucky watch to a woman named Tillie Starrier, who had befriended him early in his movie career. Tillie, a Warner Brothers employee, was older than Dean and seems to have been a surrogate mother for the young 23 year old actor. She was the only person he would allow to prepare his hair for East of Eden and also Rebel Without A Cause. Her letters describe their closeness and tell about how she visited with him the day he crashed his car. Our long-lost Jimmy Dean gave away his talisman and came to a tragic end.

The story of James Dean is a sad one. A talented young man brought down in the prime of his life and career (Heath Ledger is this generation's). I remember him as brooding, almost petulant and definitely a rebel in his own right. I didn't approve of his lifestyle but I still had his picture on my wall when I was a teen in the 50's. That brooding mystery appealed to young girls like me, much to parents horror everywhere!

Can a lucky charm work for you? Definitely yes, as long as you know how to use it!

Lucky Joe

Many years ago, I knew a guy named Joe Grant. At least I think that was his name. Anyway, what I do remember so vividly is that he was the luckiest guy I ever met.

Everything seemed to turn out right for Lucky Joe. We would be walking along and he would find money in the street. He would consistently win at poker and the other gambling games we played at. His date was always the prettiest and he seemed to have his pick of the summer jobs.

One day I asked Joe for his secret. At first he wouldn't tell me but he relented because in his words, I seemed to be such an unlucky jerk. I promised to honor his secret for at least 20 years. That was enough for him so he then showed me his secret.

It was a small medallion, a little bigger than a dollar. All I remember is that it had some writing on it and a picture of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow on one side. Joe told me that he carried this lucky charm with him at all times, ever since his grandfather gave it to him, and from then on he had been truly lucky.

It has been well over 40 years since Joe showed me his lucky charm. Believe me, I looked high and low for something even remotely resembling this magic luck piece with its picture of the pot of gold. No success. So, I finally decided to create an even more powerful amulet, not only for myself but for other people as well. I know it will work for you, too.

Three Secrets of Lucky People

Do you consider yourself a lucky person? If the answer is no, would you like to know how you can become a lucky person? There are three essential secrets about lucky people.

First, lucky people know that there is a force in their lives that will bring them good fortune even if there are temporary downturns. They are willing to ride out the bad things that sometimes happen, knowing that things will change for the better. They don't give up. They realize that there is a good side for everything that happens.

Second, lucky people exhibit this positive attitude in all the interactions with other people. This leads them to have a large number of contacts, which in turn brings them a lot of opportunities.

Third, lucky people are willing to take risks and try new things, even if they are full of fear. It is rational to be afraid to take a risk because there is always possibility for failure. Lucky people are willing to live with this fear, and to take reasonable risks. They are able to recognize the opportunities that come to them, and are quick to act on them. Lucky people are willing to commit to action!

Now that you know these three secrets, would you say you are a lucky person? If you still say no, there are some things you can do to change this. During my years as a psychotherapist, I have found two main ways that people can change; either by changing their thinking, or by changing their behavior patterns. Both work. Which one is best? Depends on the person. Actually, the two methods have to work together. Change the way you act and your mind will actually change its patterns, provided you keep up the behavioral changes. Change your thinking in a way that is long term and persistent and your ways of acting will change, to automatically keep up with your new ways of thinking.

Which approach is best for you? Actually, you can help change yourself in both ways by using the power of a talisman and meditating with it every day, or as often as is practical for you. The more you use it, the sooner change will happen. One of the most important ways you have to become lucky is to absolutely, positively make a commitment to changing your life.

Roland Gold