Examining the Secret -- and yourself

There's a comment from a "John Curtis" on the posting below that rants about self-help and how it is all an attempt for each of us to find someone to tell us how to think and feel, etc.

I wrote a response which you can read below his.

And then I did some poking around to find out who this guy is. If you click on his name, you'll be taken to a page that no longer exists. HOWEVER, in back of the address is a URL for a group that is against "fraudulent self help." You read it for yourself (if you want to take the time).

Clearly the group hates the current popularity of the secret -- but tucked in their list of opinions is one that basically says that if you want it to succeed, you first must focus your attention on what you want, and then take action to get it.

Duh.

That hardly qualifies as fraudulent self-help in my book -- in fact, it's the only thing that truly works, imho, no matter what program/church/practice you follow in your own life. It's what I've been saying in this blog for the past three years: you create your own destiny by the choices you make (or don't make).

There is no easy way. You can't read a book, hear a sermon, watch a video, and sit back and wait for things to happen. It takes work and patience and gratitude and more work. And the results you get may vary from what you thought you wanted -- but my experience is that it works better than what I'd planned.

Yes, people are making lots of money writing about the secret. So what? TV evangelists make lots of money talking about church. Does that make what they're doing fraudulent or wrong? No. The evangelistic entrepreneurs may believe what they're advocating, but they also know they can make a living from people who will abdicate responsibility for their own lives and choices. And there will always be those people.

As with any program/practice/church that I've EVER been involved with, I've taken some of the secret concepts and tried to apply them to my life -- always with an eye towards living a better, kinder, more productive life, but also being true to who I am. I don't swallow anything whole anymore, and that to me is just plain ol' common sense. Question. Examine. Discard some, save others. (can you hear strains of "I did it myyyyyyyyyy wayyyyyyyy" floating in the background?) That's me.

You do it your way.