I just recently finished listening to the audiobook version of Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret, and I don’t think I heard anything really new in it. There was some interesting scientific material that was briefly touched upon, but most of what makes up ‘The Secret’ is just a fancy repackaging of concepts that have been around for ages.
You’re probably wondering what exactly is The Secret, as was I before reading this book. The Secret is basically using your mind to mold your life the way you want it. The Secret is using positive thoughts to shape things in a metaphorical as well as physical sense. The book describes how thoughts can be measured in magnetic waves, and it talks about using positive energy from positive thoughts in order to physically attract good fortune to yourself. The Secret is the power of positive thinking.
In the 1950’s, a Christian author named Norman Vincent Peale published a book called The Power of Positive Thinking and has since sold millions of copies. His book was more faith-based and focused a lot on the power of prayer. This book, The Secret, mentions spirituality and faith in yourself, but mostly leaves God out of the equation. I find it interesting that this book so blatantly describes methods that it considers some kind of big secret when it’s really all just a form of prayer.
In addition to the author’s work, this book contains a lot of quotes and interviews from many other contributors. Most of these contributors are given titles like ‘philosopher’ and ‘public speaker’. When was the last time you saw a job ad for a philosopher? It seemed to me that most of the contributors to this book were the kind of people who make their living doing these kinds of self-help books or giving inspirational speeches. I’m quite skeptical of most books that fall into the self-help category because it too often seems like the only self you are helping is the author’s bank account.
This book also makes big promises that will disappoint a lot of people. The author talks about how she can eat whatever she wants because she has positive thoughts about her body and not getting fat. In other parts, it talks about gaining wealth by constantly thinking about money. The same goes for relationships. This book would be most appealing to people who are both materialistic and unrealistic about what it takes to accomplish goals. It’s like the author is encouraging people to live in a fantasy world by promising that if they fantasize enough, their dream will – not might, but will - come true.
If there’s anything good to get out of this book, it is the understanding that focusing your thoughts on negative things will not yield good outcomes. The author tells you to focus only on positive thoughts, even if it is to make sure something doesn’t happen. For example, instead of thinking about not amassing more debt, you should think more about amassing more wealth. Instead of worrying about not getting fat, you should think more about getting healthy. Again, it all goes back to the power of positive thinking.
The author, who is Australian, narrates the audiobook version of her novel. She has a subtle accent that’s not difficult to understand, though she does skew a few words. Since the book constantly mentions the law of attraction, you’ll hear the author pronounce the word ‘law’ like ‘lore’. In some other parts, she reads the text almost as if she’s about to start laughing. You can hear it in the way her speech raises up slightly higher than her normal speaking voice.
In the end, I think The Secret offers some generally good advice on believing in yourself and getting rid of negative thoughts, but there isn’t anything in this book that’s actually a secret. Don’t waste your time or money on this gimmick.
Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the fir...More at HotBookSale
Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the fir...More at Buy.com
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