The Dirty Little Secret about “The Secret”
Have you been wondering why so few people ever really become rich? With scores of wealthy “gurus” teaching throngs of eager disciples how they too can become filthy stinking rich by following “the secret” path to unleashing the Law of Abundance, you’d think we’d be in the midst of a great economic boom rather than riding the tail of a deep recession that is still trying to figure out which way to go from here.
Well here’s the truth – the dirty little secret about The Secret. It’s all BS! Well almost all of it anyway. Abundance really is a reality, but the whole premise taught in The Secret is a complete red herring.
For as far back as recorded history goes, men have been trying to coerce “the gods” into giving them what they want. Believing that if they could just offer the right sacrifice, chant the right words, or follow the right formula, all of their dreams would come true. But for most, that illusive pot of gold continues to remain just out of reach right there at the end of the rainbow.
And all too often, those rare people who do seem to live the dream end up either lonely, paranoid, addicted, or all three. Where is the happiness that they expected to come with all that abundance?
You see, the problem with The Secret is the motivation behind it all. And the reason most wealthy people are still unhappy is because of what they wanted it for; the same reason the poor want it. It’s all about themselves – their comfort, their security, their fun, their power. And it just doesn’t work that way!
The real truth of the matter is that we are all on this planet for one simple purpose – to learn how to put others first, to learn to live the golden rule each and every moment of our lives. And there is just no secret formula or “law” that will enable you to coerce the Almighty and circumvent that purpose. (Note: I use the name Almighty as a generic word to identify the Power that controls the universe. Please read whatever name you prefer – God, Allah, Yahweh, Nature, the Universe …)
“Altruism” is the single word that embodies the golden rule, and is the fourth arm of the Cross of Prosperity. But the problem, the reason so few live a life of true abundance, is that they fail to accept it as a way of life. It remains a “feel good” notion reserved for after their own needs are satisfied, or stays limited as an obligation to surrender one tenth of “their” increase, rather than becoming their very reason for being, their ultimate life commandment if you will.
True Abundance is reserved, not for those who practice some secret formula, but rather for those who purpose to pass it all on, who create a colossal vacuum of giving that the Almighty can’t wait to fill! Everything they do is with the intention of serving better and more efficiently.
This is why social entrepreneurship is the ultimate business model. Social entrepreneurs
• Make charity the reason for doing business, not an after thought
• Revel in the joy of having a purpose bigger than themselves
• Benefit from customer loyalty and employee pride other businesses can only dream of, and
• Have a cash flow limited only by their vision of how much they can contribute
So why do so few people ever get wealthy? And when they do, why do they fail to realize the happiness they expected it to bring? It’s because so few ever experience the paradigm shift that takes them from egoism – taking care of themselves first – to altruism – putting others first. This shift, or conversion, usually doesn’t take place until the former view causes enough pain to start a search for something better. Though our cultural and religious heritages all point in this direction, it’s still counter intuitive, and not until faced with failure are most of us ready to surrender our instincts for self-preservation.
The Almighty is constantly seeking to bring us to this place of purpose, even if it takes pain and failure to get us there. This is the reality that proponents of The Secret fail to recognize.
So yes, we do exist in the presence of unlimited Abundance. But that does not mean that you can manipulate it to serve you own purposes. Real and balanced abundance comes to those who embrace their true altruistic purpose for being. Are you ready? If so, then maybe starting a social enterprise will be your path to fulfilling your purpose.
Dr. Lon Peckham provides comprehensive and wholistic dental care in Priest River, Idaho. He is a consultant certified in Lead Management and Choice Theory, Advanced Dental Implantology, as a Lifestyle Health Facilitator, and is currently pursuing certification by the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. He helps Patients and Dentists successfully incorporate whole-health into their lives and practices.
