So, What Did You Think of "The Secret"?

by Traci Anderson | More from this Blogger

13 Feb 2007 10:40 AM

Last week, there was tremendous buzz about "The Secret". Oprah was featuring it on her program and various experts were invited to talk about their own experiences with "The Secret". Many of them were motivational speakers who shared their own "rags to riches" story as a result of "the secret".

I was fascinated. "How can I apply 'the secret' to my home businesses ventures?" I wondered. Excitedly, I tuned in and frantically took notes (for a little while, anyway).

Here are few things I learned from the much anticipated broadcast.

We attract what we give our attention to.

Here is a simplistic explanation of the first success secret. If you are interviewing for a job and spend time preparing and practicing, you will have a better chance of getting hired. If you don't give the interview your utmost attention, you won't. "Hmmm", I thought, "not exactly rocket science...but I'll continue watching".

If you focus on the negative, you will get negative results.

Apparently, according to "The Secret" spokespeople, if you think that your sales presentation will go poorly, it probably will. Again, not groundbreaking advice, but I continued listening for more "secrets".

Do onto others, as you would have them do unto you.

"Wait a minute", I thought. I learned that secret in Sunday School. Suddenly someone is making millions by selling us a book that tells us to be kind to people if we want them to be kind to us? It is too bad my bible school teacher didn't contact Oprah thirty years ago. Apparently, she knew "the secret" before it was such a big secret.

I have had a home-business for the past five years and have met literally hundreds of people who've launched their own businesses. Some are successful, some aren't. It isn't surprising that those who are successful are doing the things that are supposedly a great big secret.

They are successful, because they give attention to their business. They make success a priority. When they "lead by example" and value their employees and customers, their businesses flourish. Those that focus on the negative, typically fail (usually instantly). Why did there need to be an entire book, DVD and hour-long Oprah program devoted to secrets that most of us already know.

Please accept my apologies for my sarcasm. If "the secret" is accurate, my negativity will surely come back to haunt me ten-fold.

I'd also encourage you to share your own opinion of "The Secret" in the comments section. I tend to be a bit of a "simplistic" thinker, so you won't hurt my feelings if you feel I've missed the boat on this one.

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Learn more about Traci Anderson

Traci is a work-at-home-mom (WAHM) from beautiful Big Sky Country (Montana). She spends most of her time trying to keep up with two extremely energetic (but hysterical) Irish twins.

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Trinkies (5) 15 Feb 2007 06:52 AM

Your blog is great!

As for "The Secret" some people just don't get it. I was raised in a church that believed in the power of your mind and while some thought that weird, I see more and more things coming out of that nature that are delivered in a new way. It really is basic and while "The Secret" is no secret I have to say I admire this woman for putting it together, as that was no small task, and for helping those that didn't ever put two and two together.

To me she is delivering a message that many needed a refresher course on and these are messages sent to us by God through someone who is going to follow through and deliver it.

Traci Anderson (970) 16 Feb 2007 09:02 AM

Amen...friend. I was being a bit sarcastic in my blog even though I did agree with many of the points they made. I think I was more annoyed by the "hype".

Thanks for your comment! I love your blog too so I am honored that you read mine! =)

Nikki Goodson (15905) 20 Feb 2007 08:08 PM

Traci, have you watched The Secret? I think you ARE over-simplifying, and maybe it was not explained clearly enough on Oprah's show. There really are some amazing powerful insights that most people haven't considered. Watch it and see if it changes your mind. There's more to it than just "positive thinking". :)

Traci Anderson (970) 20 Feb 2007 09:13 PM

Thanks for your feedback. I really wasn't impressed with what I learned about it on Oprah. (you are right...that's the only place I'd heard about it). I will take the time to take a look sometime. I just didn't think it lived up to all of the "hype".

I will take a look sometime and will write another post about it! =) Again...thanks.

Lisa P (24013) 20 Mar 2007 08:10 PM

I just finished reading the book. IMO it is brilliant. It is no real secret.

People like Robert Schuller, Tony Robbins, W. Clement Stone and Og Mandino have been telling us these things for years. The difference is that this woman managed to get this movie and book into the mainstream and quite frankly I'm thrilled that she has!

The talk shows can't possibly do it justice. They're just a lot of blah-blah-blah and everybody says "Well, duh!"

Here's a pearl for you - read the book or watch the movie. This is stuff we should ALL be teaching our kids!