Every couple of years, a book or movie gets people’s attention and they talk about it as if it suddenly answers all of life’s questions that were, previously, unanswered. One year, it was “The Secret.” I haven’t read the book or seen the movie, nor do I think I will bother to do so, although I have to admit that all the hype has me at least a little bit interested, but enough people have spoken to me about what they have learned that I think I get the gist of it.
It seems that it deals with the law of attraction, which essentially states that like attracts like, so whatever you want to attract, you have to first be that. If you want to attract riches, you have to be rich. If you want a beautiful partner, you must be beautiful, if you want to relax and have fun, you have to be relaxed and fun.
That’s where people get stuck. They think: If I was rich, I wouldn’t have to be wanting riches and if I were beautiful, I wouldn’t have to be pining away for a beautiful partner, I would just have those things and life would be easy. That’s where the logic is flawed. Yes, if you were beautiful, you’d be more likely to have a beautiful partner, and yes, if you were rich, you’d be more likely to be able to engage in things that will make you richer, but that doesn’t automatically make life easier.
Who says it’s easy to be rich or beautiful?
Approach a very rich or very beautiful person some time and ask them about their life. To cultivate and maintain beauty or riches takes a great deal of time, energy, money, thought, effort, and determination. Just ask any supermodel or wealthy investment broker. People who have great things do great things to earn them, for the most part. Sure, some people get lucky breaks that may give them advantages, but people generally have to work for everything they get if they are going to be able to have it for the long haul.
A musical band can have a lucky hit that gets popular, launching them into instant fame and fortune, but to be around for 40 years like The Stones, Metallica, or Bruce Springstein, you have to work your butt off. A young person can inherit a fortune from a relative, but to keep that fortune and build it into greater riches takes self-discipline, intelligence, and patience. A talented basketball player who easily makes most of his shots may run the court in high school, but to play professional ball takes years and years and years of practice, sacrifice, and honing of skills.
Nothing good is free or easy and most anything that’s worth having is worth working for. It’s no secret, you just have to apply yourself towards your goals.
