He did, however, eventually happen onto a unique ancillary revenue stream on his own. In 2015, Dr. Amp began a direct-mail operation after a number of his followers responded to one of his frequent admonitions to “dig yourself out of the shit”—a central theme of his call to self-empowerment, urging people to fight back and seize control of their own lives and destinies. Before long, he added the ideal tool you could use for the job: a (at first) metaphorical “golden shovel” that his followers could visualize to help them complete said task. The desired transformation through undertaking this assignment he described as a process of “intrapersonal alchemy,” turning the lead of dull, everyday consciousness into the gold of an evolved human soul, the goal of what he described as a hallowed tradition in esoteric philosophy harking all the way back to the Middle Ages. This led to Jacoby offering literal golden shovels for sale