"The Secret" It's All In Your Mind--3 Steps to a Better Life

All Oprah has to do is mention something and it is an immediate hit. That's what she did recently when she devoted an entire show to "The Secret" http://www.thesecret.tv; the best-selling book about the law of attraction. Oprah said it was the secret of life! Feel a little skeptical about finding the secret to life in a book on a TV show? Well, I did. I read a lot of positive thinking books in the '70s when such notions were very popular. I've lived a lot of life since then...here's what I've discovered about the secret of life and positive thinking....

It is all in your mind! Duh!!! "The Secret" and many other positive-thinking books do a good job of decribing how good things can be if you just think about it. There is a lot of truth to that, but there is more that these books don't divulge. Let me share with you what they don't spell out...what I've learned from experience...

1. If you want things to change, you have to do things differently. Let me say that again...If you want things to change you have to do things differently. If you repeatedly make the same mistakes over and over again, how do you expect things to change? Step 1 is to seriously commit to yourself that you are willing to change.

2. How you think is how you act. Before you set out to create your perfect life...consider the type of thinker you are. You don't do anything without thinking about it first. It is imperitive to know what kind of thinker you are.
Let me explain...the creative thinker is the easiest type of thinker to understand. This person makes connections between two seemingly unrelated items and brings them together. The creative thinker is not necessarily a linear thinker, but rather a person who sees all kinds of possibilities in one set of circumstances. The creative person is someone who likes to work with their hands and isn't afraid to get them dirty.

Then there is the linear thinker...the analytical thinker. This person follows the rules. Usually, sees one way to do things and that is the accepted way. The linear thinker read directions and follows them. This person calculates more than creates.

Before doing anything, determine what kind of thinker you are. Remember, how you think is how you will act. Being consciously aware of this will help you in crafting your perfect life because it helps you identify the steps you will take to make change.

I believe many people fail at diets, not because they don't want to loose weight, but because they are suddenly proclaiming they are "dieting" then try to strictly follow someone else's version of "diet." Whatever it is you want to accomplish...loose weight, save money, get out of debt, quit smoking...you are not going to have much success if you just wake up one day and proclaim, "I'm going to get out of debt today!" and then try to follow someone's else's advice.

Spend some time thinking about how you think--how do you approach problems and opportunities. If you are searching for "the perfect life," that means there are problems you want to go away. Few people think about problems in a positive light. Problems create dread. Debt is a dread. Excess weight is a dread. Smoking is a dread. If you are approaching an idea with dread you will never do it successfully. When determining the type of thinker you are, think about a success you have had--a dinner party, a great gift you gave, a new found short-cut. It doesn't have to be something huge. Think through a positive event/happening and how you came to that result. What did you do? How did you get there? Anaylizing positive steps to recent successes will help you see what you do right and how your thought process got you there.

3. Give your brain ammunition. Once you have made a personal commitment that you are going to change and you have thought about how you approach/think about problems and successes, you have to give your brain ammunition. A lot of the tips about positive thinking, the laws of attraction, advise you to think positively about your life. "Gee, I would if I didn't have all these problems!" Rather than just thinking positively--see positively. Great athletes use visualization and everyone can use this tool. See yourself where you want to be...skinnier, living with less debt, life as a non-smoker. I don't mean just think about it. I mean sit down, close your eyes, and see yourself in your mind as you will be once you accomplish your goal. What does it look like? What are you doing? How are others relating to you? What else has changed as a result of you accomplishing this goal? Really spend time "seeing" and analyzing the situation. In doing so, you are starting to give your brain ammunition to help you accomplish your goal. But, that's just the beginning.....

In my next blog, I will go into greater detail about more "brain ammunition," and how you can further prepare yourself to achieve "the perfect life." I've learned from experience, it's not a secret, but there are good tips to follow. I'll share mine with you.