I’m sure many of you had seen the movie or read the book “The Secret”. It’s a very well marketed concept, but the interesting thing is that nothing in there is really revolutionary, and neither does it claim to be.
Briefly, “The Secret” is the Law of Attraction, which states that you will attract into your life what you think about, whether it is positive or negative. Your thoughts determine your destiny.
What I found interesting was that so many people underestimate the power of intention and positive thoughts. Look around in your own life at what you have. What you see physically in your world – your friends, relationship, job, possessions, wealth etc are all a manifestation of your emotional, spiritual and physical well being. For example, if you are emotionally depressed, you may have very few friends. If you believe that “money is evil” then you are unlikely to be rich. If you don’t place health as a priority in your life you may be overweight or underweight and unfit.
To change anything on the outside, we must first change on the inside. You won’t become fit and healthy if you don’t have the internal desire. You won’t become wealthy if you think about being poor.
After changing our attitude, we must then change our actions. Ideas or words without actions will produce little more than ideas alone.
Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, started the business as a retired man with a small pension and an old car, but with a chicken recipe he knew in his heart was a winner. He approached restaurant owners and planned to sell his chicken recipe to them. In return they would give him a residual for every piece of chicken they sold – 5 cents per chicken.
The first restaurateur he called on turned him down. So did the second, and the third. In fact, the first 1008 sales calls Colonel Sanders made ended in rejection. Still, he continued to call on owners as he traveled across the USA, sleeping in his car to save money. Prospect number 1009 gave him his first “yes” and after two years of making daily sales calls he had signed up a total of five restaurants. Still Harland pressed on, knowing that he had a great chicken recipe and that someday the idea would catch on. The Colonel’s smiling face in so many cities across the world shows that the idea did catch on. Colonel Sanders franchise actually helped many people succeed in the restaurant business.
Colonel Sanders had an idea, and a positive attitude that his idea would succeed. But the path to success isn’t just about wishful thinking. Success is due to action, action and more action.
I guess my point is that some people criticize “The Secret” because it seems so abstract. I don’t think any of those people in the movie are saying that by thinking about something it will magically appear. What does happen is that thinking certain thoughts will put you in the correct frame of mind to see certain opportunities and then have the courage and foresight to act correctly to make the dreams materialize.
The secret to a happy and successful life lies in, firstly, knowing exactly what you want, and secondly focusing your attention on achieving that. Setting goals and making time to achieve them is the best way to advance forward.
Every day when you wake up you begin the rest of your life. Every morning you decide how you will live that day. You choose your own life and your destiny.
