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Have You Moved On From The Secret?
Ideas for Business and Life Success
During the first half of 2007, the buzz about The
Secret grew
and grew. I finally saw the movie about two weeks
before it was featured on Oprah, when the publicity really
hit a crescendo. The movie was mentioned on TV shows, in the
newspaper and seemingly everywhere. Honestly, I felt like I
was witnessing a short-lived fad, something destined to be
shorter and faster than anything I'd seen since junior high.
Was this really just a media-generated fad, or
is there substance to the movie that can actually help us live
better lives? I saw a variety of reactions, both good and
bad, among people I know. I'd like to turn an analytical eye to
the movie and suggest some strengths and weakness.
I've always considered the power of positive thinking an incredibly
important part of achieving one's dreams, but I learned, and
successfully applied, several new techniques from The Secret. Some
of the things I learned from this movie were:
- You get what you focus on the most. So don’t
focus on what you don’t want! If you want more
money, then don't focus on debt – put your energy towards abundance.
If you want a better love relationship, then don't focus on being lonely,
or on how your last relationship let you down – visualize your
ideal partner. Of course, everyone will find his or her mind drawn to
the negative sometimes. But there are a variety of tricks and techniques
that The Secret teaches to help keep you focusing on the positive – and
away from obsessing on what you don’t want.
- Make your dreams as present as possible, and keep your focus
on them over time. Use tools such as visualization, written
reminders around the house, dream boards or folders, and cards – or
whatever else you can think of! – to keep your dreams front
and center at all times.
I made remarkable progress on my wants when I started to imagine
I had already attained them. My energy went up, I felt great
and everything I was trying to do got easier. Suddenly, I was moving forward
without fear or anxiety, but with confidence and assurance. The more I
did it, the easier it got. Also taping my goals to the wall, so
that I could periodically remind myself where I was headed, worked wonders
to keep me going after the initial excitement wore off.
However, I do have some reservations about The Secret. The
way I see it, the movie presents its steps as the formula for success. The
creators don’t phrase it that way, but they break it into a three-step
process that implies that success is as simple as:
1. Ask
2. Prepare to Receive
3. Receive
This is simply not going to work the same for each and every person, and
that’s setting up a lot of people for a great deal of disappointment. Additionally,
the movie implies that people who don't get what they want can be dismissed
as simply “not doing it right” or “giving up too soon."
That being said, it’s always a good idea to think about where
you are…and where you want to be. What are your dreams?
Are they within reach? What can you do, right now, to bring them one step closer?
Be the person you want to be. Make large and unreasonable
requests – and be open to big changes…fast.
The key is in your focus, and in using the tools.
It is easy to write down a dream and get excited for a few days. Focus
over time is harder to achieve. Put aside daily time to focus on your
goal. Pick a device that will keep you focused and use it daily. The more
you focus, the more you’ll be able to focus. You’ll start moving in the flow,
finding opportunities instead of obstacles. And with every step forward, you’ll
be one step closer to your dream.
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