The Secret: does it really work?

[purplefdu]

I agree with the race car drivers. Same thing in horseback riding and motorcycles. You look where you land. Look at the ground and you will be there shortly, without fail. As for the Secret working, I believe it does indeed if you have the faith, planning and time to invest into seeing it through. My mother was big into positive affirmation as a side effect of 80's self help books by Louise Hays. I won a raffle at church once using it. The Holographic Universe also supports the theory (scientifically) that the universe seeks to conform to our wishes and desires. Now while I'm not going to just sit on my butt and dream about checks coming in the mail I might think about them while working until enough start coming that I can sit on my butt while they come in.

[Miss Rosie]

The huge danger with things like The Secret is that if all you're focused on is your goal, you might miss that big, huge pothole in the middle of the road.

Been there, done that. It's taking literally years to recover. Had I taken my eyes off the goal a few times, I might have been able to swerve, and I would have saved myself a world of pain.

I also get annoyed when people who believe this stuff start telling me that I created my disability. Actually, my genetics did, plus puberty. I do create my own life with it and I do well at that, but that's never quite good enough, and I've become a bit sharp with people when they start in on me with this stuff.

I've come to the conclusion that the path itself is the goal. Interestingly, a lot of my role models have had the same attitude and have done quite well, so apparently that can work just fine.

[Indiescribe]

The secret of The Secret is repackaging. I have through about 44 motivational books in the past 4 years. They all generally say the same thing in different ways. Good things, but nothing radically new. Like all things, it falls upon us to distill this knowledge for our own lives. Like they say, that their is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. We have to make that distinction.

[RyanJ]

Any "method" or "religion" that says "all you have to do is wish for it, and it will be yours" is full of it... If you have to trick yourself into making the correct choice, through a layer of magic obfuscation, then you have bigger problems then getting a nicer car (secret advertises new cars + money).

[rhino]

I don't think it works, and in fact is probably damaging.

In economics it is a known and Scientifically Proven Fact (something 'The secret' can't claim)
is that if people Think Or Expect that they will have Money problems in the future they will Save and be more conversation with their money.

The reverse is also true. If people are expecting "good times" a head they will spend more and splurge more.

'The Secret' says to imagine yourself rich or whatever. The known effect of this, is that by thinking and believing you will be rich you will spend more and with less restrain. Meaning that 'The Secret' is really working against you in that regard!

Also there has been MANY studies done on Prayer and "Positive Thinking", google them yourself if you want (make sure you get real Journal Articles), but the short answer is "it doesn't work".

[starshard0]

Hmm... I just save money and invest it. No secret there.

[Victor V.]

Originally Posted by rhino

I don't think it works, and in fact is probably damaging.

In economics it is a known and Scientifically Proven Fact (something 'The secret' can't claim)
is that if people Think Or Expect that they will have Money problems in the future they will Save and be more conversation with their money.

The reverse is also true. If people are expecting "good times" a head they will spend more and splurge more.

'The Secret' says to imagine yourself rich or whatever. The known effect of this, is that by thinking and believing you will be rich you will spend more and with less restrain. Meaning that 'The Secret' is really working against you in that regard!

Also there has been MANY studies done on Prayer and "Positive Thinking", google them yourself if you want (make sure you get real Journal Articles), but the short answer is "it doesn't work".

Sorry, but that is the scientifically proved answer.

Following your ideas we can just totally disregard any religion (based on faith, rather than real facts).

The way the secret is looked at is that every molecule of the universe is formed of atoms, and atoms are pure energy. Therefore, they are all connected somehow, and if you send the right energy you'll interact with the universe in a way that the energy you sent will get to change whatever you wanted to, although you must understand that you're not the only one who is sending energy, and for that reason things or people who have a higher control of energy (negative or positive) than you do will be able to overcome your energy wave.

I'll not state you that it does work; I'm 14 and the biggest thing I used this for is to ask girls out. However, it really amazes me when small things I root for and imagine done happen (which is often) including Jonken(rock paper and scissors) games, chess moves, weather and basketball plays.

Something that happened today: I've been rooting for today to not be a hot day since Saturday. I've been completely off the news. Guess what happened? My geography teacher said right today an air mass from the south pole is coming. Coincidence? Maybe, but like anything unproven, it's based on faith, and I'd suggest you to completely disregard anything people has said to you about whether it exists or not and follow your own and only your own opinion.

[vacationofwealth]

The secret is you have all the tools inside you you need to have success with whatever you want to in life. You just have to harness those tools and that energy into making positive decisions that will yield to you the success you are looking for . Success is nothing but a decision. I decided 5 years ago to quit my job and be self sufficient earning 6 figures from home. It was a long journey but worth it. I knew I could do it and I did. There is no security from a job, just security in yourself that counts.

[fasteddie]

I'm a big fan of mind over matter, it may be blind optimism occasionally, but the majority of the time it works. Maybe thats just me.

[common_rider]

Has anyone in this forum thread read Psycho Cybernetics by Maltz?