'The Secret' Debate

Here's a definite sign that something has made it into the collective consciousness:

One way is: Oprah features it.

By now, you've probably seen, heard of, or read 'The Secret'.

Let me give you a few thoughts:

I love 'The Secret'. It's absolutely phenomenal. I wholly recommend it if you haven't seen it yet. It may just have an impact on your life.

I feel that 'the Law of Attraction' is at work in my life and in the lives of my students and family and friends--anyone who has begun consciously paying attention to the law of attraction.

What is the Law of Attraction?

Basically, it says whatever you concentrate on, you'll get more of in return. If you concentrate on your lack of money and worry about paying bills, you're going to get more 'need'.

On the other hand, if you concentrate on drawing money to you, becoming a money magnet, you will attract affluence.

This can be applied to every aspect of your life--love, health, relationships, business, and spirituality.

Of course, there are naysayers--people, who in an attempt to make a name for themselves--have decided to tear down 'The Secret'.

What does this have to do with persuasion? And why would someone want to trash it?

The Secret is certainly in the news and many people will use things in the news to piggyback. In fact, I love to use the piggybacking strategy myself when I get a chance. And I guess you have to take a stand one way or another on things, so this group of people chose to take a negative stand.

Do you agree with everything that you hear from any source? I don't, and I doubt you do either.

The next question I have is, do you agree with everything you've heard about 'The Secret'? I, for one, do not.

But disregarding the entire movie just because there are a few things I disagree with would be like saying, "Money can be used wrongly so I'm going to do the right thing and never try to earn another dime as long as I live. I'll make sure that if ever anyone gives me money, I'm going to give it away because, after all, I don't want to be involved with something bad."

If a person objects to positive mental thinking, positive mental attitudes, and the sage advice that has shaped our nation and most all of the successful people in the world today that have followed along the footsteps of great thinkers of our time, then I guess someone could genuinely be upset with 'The Secret'.

But what in particular did 'The Secret's' detractors pick on? One thing is that 'The Secret' talks about our own personal responsibility and says that, "We all choose our own reality. Even the people of Darfur consciously chose their plight in life."

Alright, so the people that stood against this movie basically said, "That's nonsense. The Secret is a cult and so it's saying things that are blatantly untrue." They are framing the creators of this movie as a cult.

I don't believe for a minute that the people of Dafur or people who suffer other tragic existences consciously chose their lots in life. And 'The Secret', in an attempt to be entertaining and maybe even a little shocking, went a bit too far.

If you think of this in terms of 'beliefs', many millions of people practice a religion that does absolutely believe something along those lines.

I don't think anyone would say someone would consciously choose that kind of life, but let's say that you believed that we are here on planet earth for a reason: to learn. Life is a school and we're trying to learn all the lessons this school has to offer.

Through the perspective of reincarnation they might believe that we choose our parents, we choose the country we're going to be born in, and we choose to live the lessons that earth has to give us such that one day we don't need to come back anymore and we can evolve to a higher level.

I'm not asking you to believe in reincarnation, but can you see that with this belief as the basis for the premise of 'choosing', then it might be reasonable for 'The Secret's' makers to say something like, "The people in Africa who are starving have chose their plight in life so that they could experience these difficulties to learn how to overcome them or simply experience a life of poverty"?

I think the answer is absolutely yes. They didn't choose them consciously; they chose them before they came into this earthly experience.

Why should we tear this theory down?

I have my own beliefs and thoughts. I believe we need to be responsible. I believe we need to be careful, but to deny the value some people have derived, just to tear it down, I just can't fathom.

By: Kenrick Cleveland

Kenrick Cleveland teaches strategies to earn the business of affluent clients using persuasion. He runs public and private seminars and offers home study courses and coaching programs in persuasion strategies.

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