The Secret #1
The Secret
Rhonda Byrne
3.72
440,231 ratings15,018 reviews
Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781582701707.
The worldwide bestselling phenomenon that has helped millions tap the power of the law that governs all our lives to create—intentionally and effortlessly—a joyful life.
In 2006, a groundbreaking feature-length film revealed the great mystery of the universe—The Secret—and, later that year, Rhonda Byrne followed with a book that became a worldwide bestseller.
Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions, and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that will be life-transforming for all who experience it.
In this book, you’ll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life—money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You’ll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that’s within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life.
The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers—men and women who have used it to achieve health, wealth, and happiness. By applying the knowledge of The Secret, they bring to light compelling stories of eradicating disease, acquiring massive wealth, overcoming obstacles, and achieving what many would regard as impossible.
Show more
GenresSelf HelpNonfictionSpiritualityPsychologyPersonal DevelopmentPhilosophyInspirational
...more
199 pages, Hardcover
First published November 28, 2006
Book details & editions
Rhonda Byrne42 books4,791 followers
Follow
Rhonda Byrne is an Australian television writer and producer, best known for her New Thought works, The Secret—a book and a film by the same name. By the Spring of 2007 the book had sold almost 4 million copies, and the DVD had sold more than 2 million copies. She has also been a producer for Sensing Murder. According to an article published by Australia's Herald Sun, Byrne has also worked on the Australian TV series World's Greatest Commercials and Marry Me. In 2007, Byrne was listed among Time Magazine's list of 100 people who shape the world.
Show more
Community Reviews
3.72
440,231 ratings15,018 reviews
5 stars
164,343 (37%)
4 stars
106,522 (24%)
3 stars
89,957 (20%)
2 stars
41,495 (9%)
1 star
37,914 (8%)
Search review text
Filters
Displaying 1 - 10 of 15,017 reviews
Bethany
52 reviews · 65 followers
Follow
July 19, 2007
this website is too kind. one star means "didn't like it". I hate, hate, hate this book with absolute passion. sorry if you like oprah but she seriously did the world a disservice by recommending this book. apparently there is a dvd also that i don't even think i could stomach. so here's the concept behind "The Secret". You can attract good things to you through your good thoughts. Ok, I'm on board with that. It has worked for me. Ooh, I already knew the Secret! too bad I didn't use it to make millions like this chick! But no, it goes further. You attract bad things to you through your negative thoughts. Well, negative thoughts are pretty useless, so I can see benefit in trying to decrease or eliminate them. And one time (true story) I did get robbed while traveling after worrying about it for 3 weeks. BUT. There is no gray area with this one. According to the author, people who are raped, killed, maimed, tortured - they all bring it on themselves with their negative thoughts. The people in Darfur should be thinking "here comes the food, there go the guns". The book goes on to say that weight management is simply a matter of "thinking thin" and not looking at fat people (for real), that if you have a stack of bills to pay you should instead picture checks coming in, that you can have everything you want through visualization, such as your hands on the steering wheel of your car, and that you can cure your cancer watching funny movies. There is a weak chapter at the end about how you can use your Secret powers for the common good, like world peace, but why would you want to waste it when you can be driving your new Hummer? I would go so far as to say that this book is not only BAD but it is DANGEROUS. It promotes the self-absorbed, materialistic, shallow outlook of predominantly rich white people to the exclusion of the rest of the planet - while managing to blame them for their problems and justify those in possession of the Secret for not using their visualized wealth to promote social change. Aah, brilliant. genius. avoid this book. do not give money to this woman and her brilliant marketing pyramid!
2,214 likes
202 comments
Like
Comment
Gabriel
41 reviews · 46 followers
Follow
September 21, 2018
A horribly-written and assembled collection of tripe; it has no cohesive voice, no cohesive theme, and is completely facile in its analysis. I literally threw the book across the room when I read, 'Quantum Physicists will tell you the universe was created from thought!'. No, numbfucker, they won't. Not to mention the 'facts' they assert don't have citations to lend those assertions the slightest hint of credibility.
If you want me to believe that 'thinking positively will lead to success because your energy and focus will follow and, in turn, develop into what you hope for' then fine, I'll go down that road with you but this is just shit.
This is 'What the Bleep do We Know' blended with 'The Celestine Prophecy' blended with a steaming turd. My wish, universe, is that this book be banished to Cthulu's hell-mouth and regurgitated as Kevin Trudeau's doppelgänger. Make it so!
Show morecraphat
823 likes
69 comments
Like
Comment
Varmint
126 reviews · 18 followers
Follow
February 6, 2009
went to dinner with the boss lady the other night. she went on and on about this wonderful book. it was truly life changing. and she was already seeing the positive results of applying principles from it in her business and personal life.
she wasn't able to really articulate any ot those principles, so she just gave me a copy. went through it the next day.
holy crap. my employer, the person that i am financially dependent on, is a fruitloop. am updating my resume now.
667 likes
20 comments
Like
Comment
Maggie
50 reviews · 91 followers
Follow
October 22, 2017
I had a long review and I got too many responses to it. Comments and emails, and strangers connecting with me because of this review.
So I deleted it.
Here is what I will say now
I once gave this 5 stars. I have since changed it to 2 stars.
My focus is on something else now. This book is fine but I don't recommend it any more but other books instead...
If you are looking for control over yourself and future, Its in being as close to God as possible.
How to do that and what that looks like is a much longer explanation and individual for everyone.
Good luck on your journey!
mental-behavioral-social spiritual-religious
447 likes
110 comments
Like
Comment
===
Maggie's Reviews > The Secret
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
Want to Read
Rate this book
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
The Secret (The Secret, #1)
by Rhonda Byrne
1149818
Maggie's reviewMay 24, 2008
it was ok
bookshelves: spiritual-religious, mental-behavioral-social
I had a long review and I got too many responses to it. Comments and emails, and strangers connecting with me because of this review.
So I deleted it.
Here is what I will say now
I once gave this 5 stars. I have since changed it to 2 stars.
My focus is on something else now. This book is fine but I don't recommend it any more but other books instead...
If you are looking for control over yourself and future, Its in being as close to God as possible.
How to do that and what that looks like is a much longer explanation and individual for everyone.
Good luck on your journey!
449 likes · Like ∙ flag
Follow Reviews
READING PROGRESS
Finished Reading
May 24, 2008 – Shelved
October 21, 2017 – Shelved as: spiritual-religious
October 21, 2017 – Shelved as: mental-behavioral-social
Post a comment »COMMENTS Showing 1-50 of 110 (110 new)
dateDown arrow newest »
message 1: by La Petite Américaine (new)Aug 07, 2008 04:07AM
La Petite AméricaineI really like your review, especially for its honesty and openness. I believe in every word of this book: we control our own lives. I'm really glad to see among all these one star reviews that someone else actually liked it. :)
reply | flag
message 2: by Maggie (new) - rated it 2 starsAug 07, 2008 06:43PM
MaggieThank you. I was also diappointed to find so many people who didn't like or actually hated this book. Thanks for sharing.
I think I found where this book originated from. If you're interested. "The Strangest Secret" by Earl Nightingale. He's a famous radio host from the 50s and it's one of his radio shows on the secret. It was passed around by word of mouth and they later put down his words on paper. Interesting.
It doesn't look like we have any other books in common. kinda funny how that works.
reply | flag
message 3: by Shawnni (new) - rated it 4 starsFeb 04, 2009 09:30PM
ShawnniIt's been seven months since your review just wondering if you still feel the same about the book....I am nearly finished reading it and need to have some serious discussions about it. My brain is kind of hurting because it's wanting to discuss it! LOL
reply | flag
message 4: by Maggie (new) - rated it 2 starsFeb 07, 2009 10:17AM
MaggieShawnnita wrote: "It's been seven months since your review just wondering if you still feel the same about the book....I am nearly finished reading it and need to have some serious discussions about it. My brain i..."
It's been over a year since I heard of it the first time. We bought the movie too, I think the movie is better. I still feel the same about it. My husband and I watch the movie every few months. what do you think of it?
reply | flag
message 5: by Kat (new)Jun 08, 2009 11:12AM
KatWow.
Just wow.
reply | flag
message 6: by Thatsbadshiva (new) - rated it 1 starDec 12, 2009 06:39AM
ThatsbadshivaA clear case of relating coincidences to a marketing wonder! But it's okay though since you're not a cynic. I mean, it's the sort of book which preys on peoples insecurities, rough times and hard days. But whatever works fr whoever!
I just had to say this 'coz i've never really heard anyone saying the book actually helped them!
reply | flag
message 7: by Maggie (new) - rated it 2 starsDec 13, 2009 04:04PM
MaggieThatsbadshiva wrote: "A clear case of relating coincidences to a marketing wonder! But it's okay though since you're not a cynic. I mean, it's the sort of book which preys on peoples insecurities, rough times and hard ..."
Hmmm, I never thought a person could be "preyed upon" by reading this book.
I see the way my life has been blessed because of learning about the law of attraction. Now almost 2 years later, I am fortunate to say that I have learned more about this and other laws and continue to have wonderful and inspiring experiences regularly by being aware of and using these laws.
reply | flag
message 8: by Eliza (new) - rated it 4 starsDec 14, 2009 10:19AM
Eliza Mansuetto UribeYou cannot be preyed upon by reading a book. You can only have your eyes opened to new experiences bad or good. This book is just a different way reminding us that we need to be positive thinkers to make positive things happen. And IF we ARE thinking positively, our eyes are opened to all of the positiveness that ALREADY exists around us. That is truth.
reply | flag
message 9: by Maggie (new) - rated it 2 starsDec 14, 2009 11:31AM
MaggieEliza, I agree. Whether these things be "coincidence" or not, I am more apt to recognize the wonderful things in my life and to be grateful for them.
So call it coincidences or miracles...I'm happier.
reply | flag
message 10: by Eric Lanvin (new) - rated it 5 starsMar 10, 2010 07:38PM
Eric LanvinVery great review... And you also gave real examples.
reply | flag
message 11: by Claudia (new) - rated it 4 starsJan 26, 2011 10:46AM
ClaudiaMaggie wrote: "Eliza, I agree. Whether these things be "coincidence" or not, I am more apt to recognize the wonderful things in my life and to be grateful for them.
So call it coincidences or miracles...I'm happ..."
I agree with this post. Even if 90% might be 'crap' like many have said, the other 10% has helped change my mindset into thinking more positively...and life is definitely better.
reply | flag
message 12: by Ian (new)Jul 24, 2011 09:26PM
IanSo, this review is a joke, right? I mean, it has to be, yes?
I happen to know a little bit (okay, quite a lot) about taxes and I can tell you with supreme confidence based on upon my hard-earned expertise in the field that your positive thinking had no connection whatsoever to the amount of your tax refund, not unless you mean positive thinking led you to taking aggressive (i.e., legally questionable) positions on your return, resulting in a lower overall tax liability.
reply | flag
message 13: by Thamer (new) - rated it 4 starsAug 16, 2011 05:13AM
Thamer XaviërThe same as me,, i'm changed totally
reply | flag
message 14: by Carla (new)Sep 24, 2011 01:58AM
CarlaThanks for your positive energy! :)
reply | flag
message 15: by Maggie (new) - rated it 2 starsOct 13, 2011 03:51PM
MaggieIan,
nope, it really wasn't a joke. Everything I wrote about really did happen. I don't usually joke about miscarriages, health, or obesity. However, I do occasionally joke about taxes, but in this case, no humor was intended.
I understand your point of view, its the same as a lot of peoples'. Its the same debate people have been having for ever. Coincidence vs Divine Intervention. We choose to believe what we want. Clearly, I have chosen...and so have you. And that's OK.
Ps, I don't know what "aggressive positions on your return" means. Not that I'm asking you to explain.
reply | flag
message 16: by Yogesh (new) - rated it 3 starsNov 02, 2011 10:55PM
Yogesh RautMaggie, I have gone through your comments but could you give some more examples of your life experience whether & how this book have changed your life?
reply | flag
message 17: by Maggie (new) - rated it 2 stars
Nov 03, 2011 10:01AM
Maggie
Yogesh, my initial review is from 2008, so now it being 3 years later, are you asking for more recent experiences?
Well, my thinking and view has evolved, as we all do. First of all, finding out about the "law of attraction" set me on a path to look for other "laws". Through other books and articles by other inspirationalists, (examples: Jack Canfield, Deepak Chopra, The Arbinger Institute, Earl Nightinggale, Leslie Householder, and one of my favorites, Wayne Dyre)
I have found some laws over the years and I hope to find more. The Law of Attraction is just one of many laws. I like learning about laws that govern our universe because I feel it gives me knowledge about how it all works together. Also, I feel when I need something in my life or I have a trial I am able to think about and utilize a specific law or a combination of the laws I need. The Law of Attraction is almost always used in combination with other laws.
Here is a simple example for you now:
I wanted a chest for my daughter's bedroom. I had another piece of furniture where I eventually wanted the chest because I needed something to use in the meantime. Then I discovered the "Vacuum Law", which states that what we want in our lives (physical and non-physical) cannot enter if we don't make space for it. So I created space for the chest by removing the furniture that was there. I also used the law of attraction in combination with this. One week later someone gave me a chest for free. The perfect size I needed.
Here's another simple example:
I have wanted a jogger stroller for a couple of years. I have desired one, but never really put thought into it, just always had a vague desire for it. I've looked at used stores for cheap ones here and there, but I never could spend the money on it. The last 2 months, my desire strengthened for some reason. I used the law of attraction by imagining myself jogging with it and feeling satisfied that it was something I could afford. 2 weeks ago someone asked if I wanted a brand new jogger stroller because she couldn't use it. For free. I think this took 2 years to manifest because my desire was weak for a long time. But, I have it now.
I only give physical examples because they are the only ones that I can really explain to an outside person. I could tell you about my happiness, my relationship with God, my relationship with my children, my parents, and so on. All of these more important areas have been affected as well. But because I can't prove a "feeling" or "atmosphere" of a relationship, its hard to give concrete examples. Does that make sense?
Here's a current one I'm working on. For a business loan, we owe $10,000 at the end of this month (November). Paying this would have been no problem, except that transferring the name over to a new business name has caused payment problems for some of our biggest clients. This is adding up to more than $10,000 of accounts that have not paid us. This will all work out in about 6-8 weeks and we will have the money later. But, WE owe the money in 4 weeks, which means, we have a problem.
Using the "law of inspiration", "law of attraction", "law of faith", and "law of work" We will be able to make this payment. I'm not sure how. But I've learned that I don't need to know how - my job is to be inspired by God, pray and focus on what He inspires me to, do my part by working at my 100% effort, and have faith. God does the rest.
Would you like me to let you know how this payment works out? Because I'm interested to see it myself.
And, is this the kind of information you were asking for?
reply | flag
message 18: by Yogesh (new) - rated it 3 starsNov 04, 2011 01:53AM
Yogesh RautMaggie wrote: "Yogesh, my initial review is from 2008, so now it being 3 years later, are you asking for more recent experiences?
Well, my thinking and view has evolved, as we all do. First of all, finding out ab..."
Maggie, Sincere thanks for your detailed reply. But the example of Chest or stroller are comparatively simple also they are not impossible or so difficult. Yaa ....but the example of 10000 $ is good one still they are in the capacity of you as you mentioned. I wanted to know whether have you faced any critical problem than this? Or have you heard about any other reader of same book who has come over from great agony by appying Law of Attraction?
Also please can u suggest me the book of following authors Jack Canfield, Deepak Chopra, The Arbinger Institute, Earl Nightinggale, Leslie Householder, and one of my favorites, Wayne Dyre).
reply | flag
message 19: by Yogesh (new) - rated it 3 starsNov 04, 2011 02:32AM
Yogesh RautOne more question Have you ever tried to apply this law for great fortune instead or for big task?
reply | flag
message 20: by Maggie (new) - rated it 2 starsNov 04, 2011 08:15AM
Maggie
Yogesh,
I absolutely agree with you that the examples I gave are really trivial. I find that, really, that's what most people want to hear. People want concrete and measurable examples. So that's what I give.
Obviously you are different.
You are asking me to open up very personal information. You said, "I wanted to know whether have you faced any critical problem than this?" Many things I have experienced, my friends and family don't know about and some of those people are my "friends" on goodreads. I wish to not expose myself in that way.
However, I will send you a private message with my response.
I will say this for everyone to see though:
as far as using this law, it takes two steps, which I found out on my own:
1. It must be a true desire. Money is hard for me because I don't really care about money. I have a very hard time truly desiring more than is necessary. I've always had the necessities and most often some extra for some luxuries in life. I have been blessed in this way. As for large fortune - I just don't care about it. Its not important to me, there are so many other more important things to me.
2. It must be what God wants for you (or a higher power, the universe, or what ever people want to call Him). This require inspiration. I pray, meditate, and ponder to even know what I should be desiring and focusing on. When we have this unity with the universe - wow! Its powerful, and everything we work towards comes into fruition.
Now I will message you examples of critical problems.
reply | flag
message 21: by Yogesh (new) - rated it 3 starsNov 04, 2011 08:52PM
Yogesh RautMaggie wrote: "Yogesh,
I absolutely agree with you that the examples I gave are really trivial. I find that, really, that's what most people want to hear. People want concrete and measurable examples. So that's ..."
Thank you very much Maggie. May God Bless You!!!!!
reply | flag
message 22: by Roxanna (new)Dec 02, 2011 07:44AM
RoxannaVery good review and follow-up. I am glad that this book has positively influenced your life. I think some people are very quick to judge people and experiences based upon their own biases. However, one is free to think how they want to and there should be no judgment towards those whose thinking does not mirror your own. To each his/her own!
reply | flag
message 23: by Sayed (new)Aug 28, 2012 02:57PM
Sayed SayedCould u pls. Inform me about ur experience? Will be v. Kind of u. Regards.
reply | flag
message 24: by Bhavna (new)Oct 25, 2012 11:49AM
BhavnaMaggie I totally believe in The Secret and want to talk to you most urgently. Is it possible? Would really appreciate it. Thanks
reply | flag
message 25: by Rick (new)Feb 25, 2013 06:12AM
Rick Roystercongrats on losing the 44 pounds, i bet you feel so much better?
reply | flag
message 26: by Maggie (new) - rated it 2 starsFeb 25, 2013 01:29PM
MaggieRick, it is now 5 years after this. I lost a total of 57 pounds that year. right after which I got pregnant and I have my little girl now. yes, I feel much better than I did back then. thanks for asking!
reply | flag
message 27: by Rick (new)Feb 26, 2013 12:14AM
Rick RoysterTalk about joining a tread a little late...lol. Congrats on the little girl, bet she's amazing. I'm in the process of reading the master key system again. I wish you and hubby much continued success. :)
reply | flag
message 28: by Yusuf Adi (new)Mar 05, 2013 10:57PM
Yusuf Adi SetyawanSo absurd, if by believing can make you just alright and healthy after drinking fatal dose of arsenic, waow i want that power to. Where i register then?
reply | flag
message 29: by Rick (new)Mar 15, 2013 01:00AM
Rick RoysterNeeka wrote: "I loved your review. It is very true. What you desire the most and put in the universe will come back to you.
My husband was telling me about this when we first got together in 2009. I was in the p..."
Great- heart warming story- so glad you are married to a great person with a good job. Try out the master key system and think and grow rich. The master key os awesome for mental training...
reply | flag
message 30: by Haidee_rectoyahoo.com (new) - rated it 4 starsMar 28, 2013 01:02AM
Haidee_rectoyahoo.comHi,how do I read this book in goodreads?it doesn't written "read"here in goodreads.what shall I do I'm new here and I'm desperately like to read all the book of miss Rhonda byrne,?
reply | flag
message 31: by Ryan (new)May 15, 2013 08:55PM
RyanMatthew, that is because most of people who actually believe in this New-age stuff are retarded. There is an actual study done in the field of psychology that indicates the correlation between retarded (lower-intelligence) people being more short-sighted and materialistic, thus egoistic and selfish.
Honestly, there is so much stupidity blabbered in this review, that I wish I could use the almighty Rhonda Bryne's law of attraction to get rid of it.
I actually prayed and wished with all my heart. But yet, this stupid review post still exists. Why is it not working? Is it because I am a non-believer?
No, wait, this law of attraction crap is a DUMB SCAM that preys on retarded people, that is why..
reply | flag
message 32: by Rick (last edited May 15, 2013 10:54PM) (new)May 15, 2013 10:52PM
Rick RoysterRyan wrote: "Matthew, that is because most of people who actually believe in this New-age stuff are retarded. There is an actual study done in the field of psychology that indicates the correlation between reta..."
Ryan Law of Attraction simply states that your mind creates reality. That is always true... U can't build a car until you think of it first. You can't build a plane until you think of it first... Swan and Edison were told repeatedly that no way a light bulb could be created but i'm sure you have lights. If Oprah, Will Smith, Jim Carrey, Bill Gates and countless other millionaires say Law of attraction works...then at least in their mind it does because they have the results to prove it.
reply | flag
message 33: by Susan (new)May 16, 2013 10:13AM
SusanThe OP makes it pretty clear she is primarily using material goods examples because they are concrete and easily understood. She also tries several times to make the point that her positive experiences are not limited to material goods acquisition. You can nearly distill this entire topic down to "the beneficial power of positive thinking and a positive outlook on life cannot be denied", with the examples Rick mentions here being just a small selection of "proof-positive".
reply | flag
message 34: by Ryan (last edited May 21, 2013 09:43PM) (new)May 21, 2013 06:59PM
RyanRick wrote: "Ryan wrote: "Matthew, that is because most of people who actually believe in this New-age stuff are retarded. There is an actual study done in the field of psychology that indicates the correlation..."
As much as I love to hear people blabbering with no facts and objective evidences to support their arguments.... no wait, I actually don't like that.
Tell me Rick, why does anyone have to believe your statement, "Law of attraction simply states... That is always true. (Rick)" The reasons you gave me are just god-awful and far from what we call objective evidences that add credibility to the said statement.
Honestly Rick, to your absurd idea that reality exists by the power of your mind, let me assure you, the reality existed and will keep on existing whether you are alive or not.
This is the problem with this New-age stuff, they brainwash you to think that you are somewhat of a God-like entity that makes everything happen around you.
It's not that Edison magically brought a light bulb out of thin air by wishing like Rhonda Bryne's Law of attraction (by the way, don't call it as if it is a scientific law) would say he had done, but it is that he tried and tried, with many failures, until he found a method that worked.
To all honesty, what Edison did, as you mentioned as an example, is the polar opposite of what you are trying to say. Unlike you, who is presumably sitting your arse on a chair, just wishing that things will come to you by the almighty power of visualizing through Law of attraction, Edison and many inventors, who made our lives easier, worked hard for them.
You are insulting those who improved our general welfare by attributing their accomplishments (which had been achieved by a combination of their bright minds and "perspiration") to a baseless idea from some New-age guru.
Tell me, in which accounts, all the celebrities you mentioned said Law of attraction works. A few sources would suffice, but you probably won't give me any source, because people like you love to make up stories about all these wonderful people saying all these wonderful things work.
Even if you do list me some sources, personal accounts by a few people do not make an absurd and baseless idea, like Law of attraction, to become a real, scientific law (which is what Rhonda Bryne argues, for heaven's sake).
P.S. I visualize, with all my heart and intentions, a world where the kind of stupidity that you showed in your reply doesn't exist. But this law of attraction thing doesn't seem to work that well. After all, I still see the stupidity you spewed on this site, and the online entity called Rick also retains its existence.
By the way, how rich and powerful are you? Not that your personal accounts make it any more real, but, at least, one would think that you would be a billionaire by now if you knew how to work such an all-mighty power.
reply | flag
message 35: by Rick (last edited May 21, 2013 10:36PM) (new)May 21, 2013 10:30PM
Rick Royster
Lol...Ryan, hilarious post. If you google any of the people names i mentioned and put law of attraction next to it, their individual stories will pop up. Jim Carey said every night he drove out to a park by himself, he wrote himself a check for 20 million dollars, and talked to himself about what a great actor he was. This was before he made any movies... Oprah we know had a show on law of attraction so we know she believes it works. Will Smith the same thing.
Arnold Schwarzenegger said the book the Magic of believing is what made him move to America to become a great movie star, even though he had no acting skills and could barely speak english. He worked hard, took a risk but he was 100% sold on the law of attraction.
If you believe you will accomplish something and have a burning- all obsessive desire to do so then I would imagine you will get it done. When they say women like men who are confident, or a confident man will get the girl, this statement is true because the man knows he will have success, and when he fails, he moves onto the next girl without skipping a beat.
Henry Ford gave Napoleon Hill a 20 year assignment to meet and study the 500 most influential americans of the early 20th century. He said all 500 had the same qualities and told him the same thing. law of Attraction.
Oprah, Donald Trump, Jay-Z, Bill Gates, David Lynch and countless others all say that they meditate and visualize there day in advance every single day, but I guess they are crack pots who never accomplished anything in their lives?
Only 10% of americans write down goals, meditate and visualize their goals becoming reality, and that is why 10% of americans control over 90% of the wealth.
It's not all about money with me...but I know law of attraction to work because it has for me good and bad. Recently for my book "Warriors at the gates" I wanted to work with an artist named Mario Wibisono, he's one of the best artist in the world and really only takes major clients. Not only has he done my book cover, but he's done well over 10 drawings for me, all over $1000 a clip and he'c currently drawing for me now as well. I live in Miami, he lives in Indonesia... Law of Attraction at work. Trying to get a premier artist like Mario to work with you can sometimes take years, not saying its impossible but to get a dozen drawing from one is next to impossible.
My book will be out soon and I believe it will be a huge success, I have no doubt about this. But I must work at it, the words aren't going to just pop out of my head and jump on the page, I must do the work, the really really hard work.
So if successful people tell you how they are successful and what has worked for them and you still reject it- then that is on you. Sorry your life hasn't turned out the way you wanted so far, but hopefully it turns and you can be fulfilled and happy.
As the great Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius said "Our life is what our thoughts make it". Many a great men have uttered that same line. Maybe they all were just "Absurd"?
Before I heard of the law of attraction I had always considered myself extremely skilled and extremely unlucky. Upon uncovering the master key system, things took a vast turn for the better. Even though I was college educated (florida state university) I was living on my Mom's couch, had a car with a busted engine and $485 month car note and my then girlfriend had just broken up with me. I was a super loser! Lets just say things have changed drastically.
And me a Billionaire? Not yet sir, but i'm working on it. But Ryan I would never call you names as you have done to me, my life is fantastic and only getting better, I'm happy all the time. I sincerely hope and pray that you find the same because I spent many a night going to sleep stressed, frustrated and troubled. Its no fun and its no place to be.
Just remember you cant build a house until you have the plans and no exactly what type of house it is you want... same with life. You can't build the type of life you want until you have the clear picture in your head. The great inventor Nikola Telsa he would picture his inventions in his mind with great detail before they became a reality. He also did it with different countries and people as well.
I'll leave you with a comforting thought- if you believe it to be true or not, you are right either way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGcJim...
reply | flag
message 36: by Ryan (last edited May 22, 2013 12:08AM) (new)May 21, 2013 11:41PM
RyanRick wrote: "Lol...Ryan, hilarious post. If you google any of the people names i mentioned and put law of attraction next to it, their individual stories will pop up. Jim Carey said every night he drove out to ..."
Hey Rick, thank you for your reply.
I honestly didn't expect anything back from you.
Now, I'm sorry what I wrote before felt like name-calling to you. Now that I have looked over my posts, I see why you'd feel that way. One thing that I would like to clarify is that I do not hate or intend to insult you or anybody here as a human being. But I HATE and want to discourage ignorance/indifference in anyway possible (which the reasons will come later).
That said, let me elaborate. I read your real-life proofs from many celebrities and your own life story. I find it fascinating that you got to work with a well known artist that you wanted to work with. I think that's great, I really do.
However, I think you are confused with two different things. Many stories you illustrated are the real-life examples of what people could achieve with positive thoughts, goal-oriented thinking, dream and hope, and determination.
Now, Henry Ford and Napoleon Hill's story is quite far fetched, considering that the term "Law of Attraction" did not even exist back then. You have to understand that "Law of Attraction" as Rhonda Bryne explains it, started around 2000. You may be mistaking "Law of Attraction" with the scientific Law of Opposite Attraction, which has been around for over centuries. One thing is quite clear and simple, the set of ideas called "Law of Attraction" did not exist until Rhonda Bryne decided to publish it. Of course, there has been many ideas and thoughts similar to "Law of Attraction," but we are strictly talking about Rhonda Bryne's ideas. Thus, when you tell me a story about Henry Ford's story of finding "Law of Attraction" in great figures, you only add doubts, as that is a deception.
Henry Ford and Napoleon Hill may have found that those 500 influential shared the common traits of visions, dreams, determination, etc., but they would never have said "Law of Attraction."
That brings me to clarify my position. I am all for the positive mindsets, dreams, goals, and determination. Those are great traits; they, indeed, can make a person great.
But I am not for Law of attraction. I don't know if you have read the book, but the book clearly states that all you need to do is to visualize something happening. When you gave me an example of Arnold Schwarzenegger's story, you said he had vision and dream of becoming a movie star in the States, and he also "WORKED HARD, TOOK A RISK." If you have The Secret around you, read it again.
It does not encourage hard working with positive mind-sets, but only tell the readers to visualize what you want. Then what you want will be miraculously attracted in the universe right to your door step.
I do not know how much Arnold Schwarzenegger was sold on Rhonda Bryne's story. The truth is, the set of ideas called Law of Attraction wasn't around when he was becoming very successful (again like in Henry Ford's case). Maybe it was after he had become famous that he read The Secret and thought the ideas were similar to the positive and goal-oriented mindset he had.
I hope this clarifies it for you. The reason that all those celebrities and you (with your book) came to success is not because of some New-age cult law made by a guru. It is because all those people and you employed the method of success that has been around for ages: dreams, hopes, goals, positive thinking, determination, and, last but not least, hard working.
Let me tell you why I hate Law of Attraction. If you have read the book, you must remember the part where Rhonda Bryne explains that bad thinking and bad visualization bring bad things as well. She says fat people are fat because they visualize themselves to be fat. Wait a minute... really?
Don't get me wrong, I both lift and play sports avidly, that I am very fit. But yes, I do have some friends who are fat. Now Rick, believing in the book The Secret and what is written in them, would you explain to your fat friends they are fat because they didn't visualize themselves to be skinny enough? Most of fat friends I have are very stressed and tormented about the fact that they are fat. They try to go to the gym, eat less, and put effort to become more fit. But for some, exercise and balanced diet do not work as well. This is not because of some visualization technique, but we have different genes manifesting our physiques in different ways. But Rhonda Bryne says they are fat because they visualize themselves (secretly want) to be fat.
I don't know about you, but I have traveled many parts of the world (I am very grateful that I am privileged to travel which cost quite sum of money). Some that I went are so called the third world countries. There you see kids who are on the brink of death, just because they are too poor to buy some food. Now, when Bryne says everything people go through is what they attracted through visualization, are you saying that these kids, who are dying of hunger, visualized themselves to starve to death?
If that's what you really believe, all I want to say would be that you are nuts.
I don't know how much power and control in life you think you have, but you must know that you are not God. No matter what cultist, book, and propaganda tell you, you and all other fellow human beings are not in control of much in this universe. Just try to visualize gravity away.
But Rhonda Bryne's tries to brainwash people to think otherwise. With thoughts like "people who are fat or poor are that way because they visualized themselves to be," people become indifferent and do not see the reason to help others who do need help. They become more and more egoistic and selfish, and estrange others.
I think the fact that this book had become a best-seller for ages and sold so many show just what our societies have become.
I hope you who are not like that.
P.S. You wrote down the fact that 10% of Americans control over 90% of wealth is a good thing. I do not remember what was a cutting point for that top 10%, but I am pretty sure my household is up there. With that said, my parents do not feel "entitled" for what they have, which many of people who believe The Secret tend to. After all you visualized yourself to be like that, so you are entitled to it, right? Wrong, rather than feeling deserved and entitled, you should feel appreciative to the society. Really, what would you do if that 90% you feel like you are above will try to overthrow the social structure or something? Rather than getting more and deserving more, you should give back more.
reply | flag
message 37: by Rick (last edited May 22, 2013 01:05AM) (new)May 22, 2013 12:57AM
Rick RoysterNo problem Ryan, I do respect your views.
The reason why I say Napoleon Hill was a believer in the law of attraction is because he gave all the credit for his book to Henry Ford and Charles Haanel, who clearly uses the words "the law of attraction" in his book the master key system, which was written in 1910. Even the likes of Emerson and Carlyle use the term the law of attraction. Hill wrote a letter to Haanel thanking him and telling him his book was responsible for his success.
Now on to Rhonde Byrne, I give her credit for bringing this subject back into people's consciences, she was able to capitalize on people who would want to get rich by just thinking themselves rich for 5 minutes a day...and I think her book is just a copy(poor one at that) of earlier 20th century writers who actually had accomplished a great deal in life "before" they wrote the books.
There is also a law of vibration and others things she don't tell you about that really make these things work, but I personally believe as N. Hill did, it has to be the ultimate belief in yourself combined with desire and hard work. I've never heard one of those billionaires who believes in the law of attraction say they never failed or didn't work hard. But we do know people who bust there humps, work extremely hard, but have no real belief and never accomplish there goals because they are defeated before they start. I currently have an author friend who puts his all into his/her writing, is constantly getting better, has good books out but the belief just isn't there.
I go off and on with working out as well...2 months ago i got on a scale and was mortified that it said 257lbs. Me being 6'1, this isn't a good thing. I didn't sit in my house eating pizza wishing my self thin. I wanted fast results, so for 3 weeks with no days off I ran 4 miles a day and also hit the weights 3-4 times a week. I was down to 224lbs in less than a month. Most people will tell you its impossible to lose 32 pounds in a month, but those people don't really have a strong desire to do so. I set a goal, saw it as a reality and had a burning desire to achieve it.
As far as thinking i'm God? No. I'm not religious but I do believe in Jesus Christ. And he said "If you ask and believe then you shall receive."
Thoughts precede action- action precedes reality, therefore we can assume thought is reality. I will say this about the young and poor, am I blaming them for the injustices inflicted upon them? No. Never! But its human nature to think bad, fearful, destructive thoughts. The first time I sat in silence for ten minutes and monitored my thoughts, no matter how hard I tried, they all were negative. Just like learning a language when you are young, if you are born into poverty, with bad things constantly happening to you, then unfortunately, that will probably be your world. The great ones who make it out do so because they change their thoughts first. They refuse to be poor. Even the revolutionist like Martin Luther King start with a vision or a "dream". Then they take the subsequent action.
I do believe with the right knowledge and desire any man currently with his health and freedom can make of himself whatever he wishes.
I think the Master Key system is by far the best book written on the subject, think and grow rich and the Magic of Believing are also excellent. I would equate it to building a house...yes you have to think of the perfect blueprint...but action is required, the house isn't going to build itself.
Rhonda Byrne didn't invent the law of attraction- she's just one of many people to get rich off of it. I'm going to tell you what the secret really is...if you have been conditioned to think one way for 20-30-40 years, it's virtually impossible to reprogram your thoughts(mind) after reading a book or watching a video...it takes hours upon hours of practice. Back to that hard work thing again...(practice.) "We talking bout practice." (Only some basketball fans will get that.)
reply | flag
message 38: by روح (new)Jun 03, 2013 06:45AM
روح جسدI don't believe you sorry
reply | flag
message 39: by Mongol (new) - rated it 1 starJun 09, 2013 03:21PM
MongolRick, how many people did something similar to Jim Carey - and failed? Out of millions doing this, by pure statistical chance one of them is bound to hit it big or win the lottery.
There's no such thing as LOA. You don't have total control over your life either - why people think this is beyond me. Zuckerberg happened to be in the right place at the right time, and he wasn't the only one with the idea. No one knew the world would go bonkers over Facebook at the time. Lots of luck there. Boor every idea like Facebook, there are plenty more that failed.
If having total control and LOA were true, vast legions of Rhonda-ites would have retired by now and we would ave heard about the phenom sweeping the globe. Oops - still waiting for that scenario....guess you can't really have it all after all.
This isn't to deny there's a benefit to positive thinking either. But that isn't what the book is about - it's about contacting the universe and placing your order. I bet the universe has a huge backlog....
reply | flag
message 40: by Mongol (new) - rated it 1 starJun 09, 2013 03:26PM
MongolRick, your logic is really bad...thoughts precede action which precedes reality, therefore we can assume thought is reality??? How do you draw that conclusion? It makes absolutely no sense.
1 precedes 2 which precedes 3 - so can we assume 1 = 3? No. Because it doesn't.
reply | flag
message 41: by Rick (new)Jun 10, 2013 11:18AM
Rick Royster#1 (thought) I want to go to the store. #2 (Action of making it happen) I get up and travel to the store #3(Reality) I'm at the store.
I can see your confusion...(Not really)
reply | flag
message 42: by Rick (new)Jun 10, 2013 11:31AM
Rick RoysterOk...you are right...Jesus is wrong Mark 9:23- If thou can believe, all things are possible to him that believe. Marcus Aurelius was wrong "Such as are your habitual thoughts:such will also be the character of your mind; for the soul is dyed be the color of your thoughts."
Others who are wrong and Mr. Mongol is right.
Oprah Winfrey-Will Smith- Arnold Schwarzenegger- Henry Ford- Napoleon Hill- J.P. Morgan- David Fincher- Jm Carrey- Bill Gates- Donald Trump- Jack Canfield...etc. etc. etc.
I guess all these millionaires and successful people who use the same principles who have found massive success was just lucky but give the credit to something else???
reply | flag
message 43: by Mongol (new) - rated it 1 starJun 10, 2013 04:14PM
MongolRick, #1 wanting to go to the store, is not the same as #3 being at the store. You said we can assume thought is reality. But clearly, they are two different things. It's not me who's confused. Ask your 5 year old nephew, I'm sure he gets it.
I can imagine being with, say, Angelina Jolie all I want, but it's just not the same as the real thing now is it?
reply | flag
message 44: by Mongol (new) - rated it 1 starJun 10, 2013 04:21PM
MongolOthers including those you list don't say you can just ask the universe for what you want and you'll get it. They aren't using the same principles Rick. That isn't what The Secret is about. Steve Wozniak had a vision form a computer in each house, so he read engineering manuals and the like to figure out how to get there. His vision wasn't produced by the universe, nor was Oprah's or Donald's. If it was, then yes they were just lucky to hit the universal jackpot. Is it really success if it's something the universe gives you because you sent out loving thoughts into the world? That sounds closer to luck.
And yes, luck does play a big role. Like I said, Zuckerberg for one. Gates and Wozniak came along at the right time too, at the dawn of personal computing. Luck in the timing there.
We can't all be rich and famous, otherwise rich and famous would no longer apply, it would just be normal.
reply | flag
message 45: by Mongol (new) - rated it 1 starJun 10, 2013 06:10PM
MongolBtw forgot Rick - you still need to address all those who have used similar principles and failed. For every one you list , there are many more who've tried and failed. But, don't hear about them. Survivorship bias at work here.
reply | flag
message 46: by Rick (new)Jun 10, 2013 08:12PM
Rick RoysterAll I can do is wish you well Mongol, if you believe you can or can't, you are right either way. I cant say what a person believes or doesn't believe, in "MY" life experiences, my success and failures have been the result of the quality of my thoughts. I'm extremely happy and successful as of now, and I'm hoping the same for you. I do think the books think and grow rich and the master key system are correct in their thinking, but that is based on "MY" personal experiences and research.
reply | flag
message 47: by Mongol (new) - rated it 1 starJun 12, 2013 07:28PM
MongolRick, it's not about what I believe. Blanket statements like that are just meaningless tripe, and wrong.
Again - what about those who have tried and failed? For every Jim Carey who wrote himself a cheque, how many others have put $1,000,000 on their refrigerator or vision board - and are still waiting?
You may have had better success congruent with the quality of your thoughts, but that does not mean better thought created your success. It may have helped create the drive and attitude, and sure a positive attitude is better and I don't think anyone disputes that. But that is not a guarantee of success in itself, and there are other factors involved, including luck. The point being there is no foolproof system or school of thought or Master Key to success.
reply | flag
message 48: by Rick (new)Jun 13, 2013 03:30AM
Rick RoysterBelief "AND" a persistent determination is a key to success... If Edison said I believed but I tried 9,999 times and the light bulb didn't work, who would be to blame? All I know is someone who says I can't be a millionaire, I can't be a professional athlete, I can't go to college...those people are 100% self fulfilling prophets. "Do as Thou wilt" my friend.
reply | flag
message 49: by Mongol (new) - rated it 1 starJun 13, 2013 04:24AM
MongolI don't think anyone disputes taking action (well, except Rhonda, for one).
Not 100% prophets. There are a lot of people who've had those thoughts and went on to do it anyway. We've all had self doubt, some more than others. Also, we're wired to think negatively, to be on the lookout for sabre-toothed tigers from prehistoric times. That is for our own survival, and we're all wired differently, some introverted and some extroverted (e.g. see Susan Cain's book Quiet for scientific references to this). Thinking negatively can be a form of protection, where if one doesn't succeed the letdown won't be as severe. Is the zebra less likely to be eaten by lions because he's on the lookout for them?
Again, blanket statements like 100% prophetic just don't hold water under scrutiny. Look at the cost of going to, say, Harvard. Not everyone can afford that or come up with the money, and intellectual strength and ability does matter. All the action and positive thinking isn't going to succeed if those things aren't in place.
reply | flag
message 50: by Rick (last edited Jun 13, 2013 10:25AM) (new)Jun 13, 2013 10:25AM
Rick RoysterThere is something faulting and fundamentally bizarre with your thinking. If Maggie said this is what changed her life, you can't dispute that. If everyone I mentioned said it changed their lives and they are in agreement, it doesn't matter if you believe, it is what they believe that counts. If i'm telling you this form of thinking changed my life, that is my experience, you can be negative all you want but it doesn't change how I feel. You can call it luck, but when I tell you when I didn't understand this, my life was the sum of the quality of my thoughts, and when I changed my thinking, "LIKE THE BOOKS I READ SUGGEST" then that is my experience.
So in my life, it has been absolutely true.
reply | flag
« previous 1 2 3 next »
back to top
Notify me when people comment
commentadd book/author (some html is ok)
===
RB
184 reviews · 148 followers
Follow
September 30, 2014
Should this book be classified as FICTION or NON-FICTION? I have no idea, but what I'm inclined to do is classfying it as DELUSIONAL...
The Law of Attraction. Whatever you send out of positive thoughts to the Universe comes back to you, ten fold at least. It's a bit like "karma" and positive thinking with a twist: You want to money comming to you? Just visualise it and it will happen. You want to be thinner? Just visualise that food has 0 calories!
Quote from the book:
Food cannot cause you to put on weight, unless you think it can.
Well, I guess that's why this person is so insanely fat; she must believe that the food she eats has many calories and fat! Someone should have explained to her that it's 0 calories and good for her!
Yes, people ARE that stupid to believe in all the stupid claims that Rhonda Byrne writes.
By all means, I'm all pro positive thinking. I'll go as far as to say that: yes, negative thinking gets you nowhere and that positive thoughts healthier for you - the glass is half full and all that.... BUT..... Jeez Luise! This book is just up there next to Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist: worst self-help fantasy BS ever written.
But what is even worse is that the "author" blames people for their own misfortune: you get AIDS: too bad, you were not thinking positive enough; you are a raped child: too bad, you were not thinking positively enough; you get hit by a bus: too bad, you were not thinking positively enough; your dying of starvation: too bad, you were not thinking positively enough. You ended up in the gas chamber in WWII: too bad, you were not thinking positively enough. You get the idea. Needless to say how incredibly condescending and trivializing this must appear to people who are enduring pain and distress in their lives (whether that be emotional, physical or professional is irrelevant). It's actually quite disgusting when you sit back and think about it! That ms. Byrne's getting away with it and earning millions on it at the same time is beyond me. She must be the most positive thinking person in the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usbNJM...
1-star are-you-kidding-me-worst-ever first-in-series
...more
337 likes
27 comments
Like
Comment
Shuaib Abu Shuaib
14 reviews
Follow
October 30, 2011
بصراحة ما دفعني لقراءة هذا الكتاب والبحث فيه هو حجم الترويج والحديث الكثير عنه، وحجم الجدل الذي دار حوله سواء في عالمنا العربي او في العالم الغربي نفسه.
قمت بقراءة النسخة العربية منه واطلعت على النسخة الانكليزية ووجدت أن فيه بعض الاشياء الجميلة والايجابية التي تدعوا للتفاؤل في الحياة، لكن فيه منطق وأفكار غريبة وخطيرة تتنافى مع سنة الكون والفطرة التي خلقنا الله عليها.
تتلخص فكرة الكتاب في الآتي:
- أن هناك شيئاً اسمه قانون الجذب، بمعنى أنك إذا أردت الحصول على شيء ما فما عليك سوى التفكير فيه، واترك الباقي على "الكون" - كما في النسخة الانكليزية - أو على "الخالق" - كما في النسخة العربية - ليقوم بتلبيته لك.
- ترسيخ مبدأ التواكل في حياة الإنسان من منطلق انك اذا اردت شيئا في الكون فما عليك سوى التفكير فيه فقط ولست بحاجة لمضاعفة عملك، او ايجاد خطة للوصول اليه.
- فكرة أن الشبيه يأتي بشبيهه سواء من خير أو شر وأن كل ما يقع لنا هو نتيجة لأفكارنا، فمثلاً الاعاصير والزلازل التي تأتينا وتقوم بتدمير المدن تأتي نتيجة لأفكارنا السلبية "منطق غريب جداً"
- ترسيخ مفهوم الأنانية، من منطلق أن لا تفكر سوى بنفسك، وأن مبدأ التضحية مبدأ فاسد
- هناك فرق وتحريف واضح بين النسختين الانكليزية والعربية، بمعنى أن الترجمة العربية فيها نوع من الأسلمة، لأن الكتاب الاصلي فيه الكثير من الإلحاد والأفكار التي لا يستطيع الشخص المسلم تقبلها، وباعتقادي أن هناك عدم أمانة في الترجمة للعربية.
ربما يخرج أحدهم ويقول ان فكرة الكتاب بسيطة وتأتي تجسيدا لحديث النبي "تفاءلوا بالخير تجدوه"، وهذا برأيي غير صحيح لأن النية مقترنة بالعمل في الحياة، وكما قيل "ليس الإيمان بالتحلي ولا بالتمني، ولكنه ما وقر في القلب وصدقه العمل"
أو كما قال شوقي:
وما نيل المطالب بالتمني * * * ولكن تؤخذ الدنيا غلابا
Show more
300 likes
44 comments
Like
Comment
Katharine Grubb
335 reviews · 2 followers
Follow
August 23, 2007
I wasn't interested in reading this book. I thought from the reviews of friends that it was pretty obvious stuff. However, I listened to the audio version. I sort of laughed at first and thought, "duh". I promised to listen to the whole book on CD, and as I listened, the connections between what the author is trying to communicate, and what many world religions try to communicate is huge. I am not a religious person. I found this book inspiring because I wasn't being told that God created the universe and that if I pray to Jesus that HE will take care of me. Finally, I was getting a confirmation that if I live a positive life, and if I really attempt to understand the connection between why I am here, and why the world is here, then I can live a better life. There are even segments of the book that answered all of my cynical questions such as, "then just focus all your thoughts on getting revenge to those you hate", "I didn't give myself this disease", and "I am a victim". Many folks think the whole book is bunk because it gives an air of personal responsibility, and I can see why they would hate that. It's so much easier to blame others. There are parts that I think are simplistic. But who says life has to be all that complicated? Why not try living this secret to life for a year and see what's possible?
I highly reccommend LISTENING to this book. I think I would have a hard time reading it.
personalgrowth
230 likes
23 comments
Like
Comment
Tharindu Dissanayake
277 reviews · 462 followers
Follow
April 16, 2021
"What are you thinking now is creating your future life."
The Secret: This is completely different from what I was expecting. I had hoped this to be a regular self-help book or a philosophy book, but it never felt like belonging to either of the two. For me, it felt like a concoction of self-help, spirituality, psychology, philosophy and a little bit of business too. It was obvious from the very beginning, that this is not the kind of book that will get a lot of mid-range reviews. Most readers are going to go with either 1-star or 5-star ratings, which means you either love it or hate it, not in-between.
"Whatever you sow, you reap! Your thoughts are seeds, and the harvest you reap will depend on the seeds you plant."
Let's talk the good first. The content of the book is as simple as it could get. The author uses a perfectly simple style of writing, and nothing is complex. But what standout the most, is the enormous amount of quotes from other books and authors. It did take some getting used to, but I have no complaints about that. Everything attempts to shift one's attitude toward establishing a positive mindset, to practice the adaptation of The Secret. Byrne goes above and beyond to let the principles sink in by repeating the contents all over the book, but that is not that unusual in spirituality/ philosophy reads. If you had expected this to be a spiritual or positive thinking kind of book, you're most likely to love it. Importance of having the mind filled of positive, constructive thoughts is explained very elaborately, while delivering a meditative/ relaxing reading experience.
"Time is just an illusion. Einstein told us that."
However, the main concept: The Secret - it's where all the controversy would probably start. If you have read Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich, or Power of your subconscious mind by Murphy, or Peale's Power of Positive Thinking, and found them helpful, you'll feel right at home from the start. Byrne proceeds along the same set of principles - or a combination of them - but the emphasis on the 'unforeseeable force' is lot stronger. But if you have not read anything similar, or hated aforementioned books, this book is not for you in my opinion. The inherent limitation to The Secret is that, there's no way to logically explain the mechanism. Books like Think and Grow Rich, or Power of Your Subconscious Mind do attempt to shift the reader's pre-conceived opinions profoundly (which was the case with me) - either with logic or strong examples - but The Secret relies entirely on reader's acceptance of the principles without argument. This is going to be a deal-breaker for a lot of rational readers.
"You cannot harm another with your thoughts, you only harm you."
As for me... I didn't hate it. Hadn't I gone through Hawking's simplified explanations of quantum mechanics, or the books I've mentioned before, I probably wouldn't have found the content believable at all. I mean, the book itself did not feel capable of shifting the reader's already accepted beliefs. But, after Hawking's Grand Design and Briefer History of time, where he explained how 'thoughts' do change past and future according to quantum mechanics in a very interesting way, I find myself unwilling to disregard these concept entirely. Also, Dr. Murphy's Power of Your Subconscious Mind - one of my favorite books - approached some of the principles outlined in The Secret much more scientifically, which had shifted some of my views previously. So, for me, this was a 3.5-star read. But the end of the day - even with all this being said - if and when you pick this book, I still think you're either going to hate it or love it - nothing in-between.
"What quantum physicists and Einstein tell us is that everything is happening simultaneously. If you can understand that there is no time, and accept that concept, then you will see that whatever you want in the future already exists."
213 likes
12 comments
Like
Comment
Shannon
109 reviews · 18 followers
Follow
May 13, 2008
God, I am so sick of The Secret. I just can't understand why everyone is so enthralled with it. That book is at the top of every bestseller list and it's total crap. You're not going to get what you want by thinking about how much you want it. I mean, yes to positive thinking and all that, but the part they left out was that you actually have to DO something to make things happen. Jack Canfield (whose involvement should turn you off automatically) didn't really sit around staring at the ceiling waiting for a million dollars to fall out of the sky. He sat around writing nauseating stories and then got rejected by a ton of publishers before someone who likes nauseating stories bought his book. I mean, Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul? Come on, guy. Now you're just making stuff up.
Don't get me wrong, The Secret has some valid points. You should envision your dreams. You should think about your goals constantly and imagine what you would do if you ever achieved them. But you should also think about and envision the steps you need to take to get there. Then you should act. Do something! The world is not just going to hand you what you want.
Just a quick edit: I forgot to mention the absolute worst part of The Secret. It's your fault that bad things happen to you. That's right, your negative thoughts bring negativity into your life and cause horrible things to occur. Your father died in a tragic accident? Your fault. Your baby mama took off with the kids and won't let you see 'em? Your fault. Laid off and can't find work? Your fault. If you could just think positively all the time, you'd live a charmed life and trouble would never darken your doorstep.
Ugh.
reviewed the-worst
175 likes
5 comments
Like
Comment
حمزه الورفلي
4 reviews · 6 followers
Follow
March 29, 2017
فكرة الكتاب بسيطة جدا وقد قال النبي صلي الله عليه وسلم (أنا عند ظن عبدى بى فليظن بى ماشاء إن خير
فخير وإن شر فشر
113 likes
9 comments
Like
Comment
Displaying 1 - 10 of 15,017 reviews
More reviews and ratings
RB
184 reviews · 148 followers
Follow
September 30, 2014
Should this book be classified as FICTION or NON-FICTION? I have no idea, but what I'm inclined to do is classfying it as DELUSIONAL...
The Law of Attraction. Whatever you send out of positive thoughts to the Universe comes back to you, ten fold at least. It's a bit like "karma" and positive thinking with a twist: You want to money comming to you? Just visualise it and it will happen. You want to be thinner? Just visualise that food has 0 calories!
Quote from the book:
Food cannot cause you to put on weight, unless you think it can.
Well, I guess that's why this person is so insanely fat; she must believe that the food she eats has many calories and fat! Someone should have explained to her that it's 0 calories and good for her!
Yes, people ARE that stupid to believe in all the stupid claims that Rhonda Byrne writes.
By all means, I'm all pro positive thinking. I'll go as far as to say that: yes, negative thinking gets you nowhere and that positive thoughts healthier for you - the glass is half full and all that.... BUT..... Jeez Luise! This book is just up there next to Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist: worst self-help fantasy BS ever written.
But what is even worse is that the "author" blames people for their own misfortune: you get AIDS: too bad, you were not thinking positive enough; you are a raped child: too bad, you were not thinking positively enough; you get hit by a bus: too bad, you were not thinking positively enough; your dying of starvation: too bad, you were not thinking positively enough. You ended up in the gas chamber in WWII: too bad, you were not thinking positively enough. You get the idea. Needless to say how incredibly condescending and trivializing this must appear to people who are enduring pain and distress in their lives (whether that be emotional, physical or professional is irrelevant). It's actually quite disgusting when you sit back and think about it! That ms. Byrne's getting away with it and earning millions on it at the same time is beyond me. She must be the most positive thinking person in the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usbNJM...
1-star are-you-kidding-me-worst-ever first-in-series
...more
337 likes
27 comments
Like
Comment
Shuaib Abu Shuaib
14 reviews
Follow
October 30, 2011
بصراحة ما دفعني لقراءة هذا الكتاب والبحث فيه هو حجم الترويج والحديث الكثير عنه، وحجم الجدل الذي دار حوله سواء في عالمنا العربي او في العالم الغربي نفسه.
قمت بقراءة النسخة العربية منه واطلعت على النسخة الانكليزية ووجدت أن فيه بعض الاشياء الجميلة والايجابية التي تدعوا للتفاؤل في الحياة، لكن فيه منطق وأفكار غريبة وخطيرة تتنافى مع سنة الكون والفطرة التي خلقنا الله عليها.
تتلخص فكرة الكتاب في الآتي:
- أن هناك شيئاً اسمه قانون الجذب، بمعنى أنك إذا أردت الحصول على شيء ما فما عليك سوى التفكير فيه، واترك الباقي على "الكون" - كما في النسخة الانكليزية - أو على "الخالق" - كما في النسخة العربية - ليقوم بتلبيته لك.
- ترسيخ مبدأ التواكل في حياة الإنسان من منطلق انك اذا اردت شيئا في الكون فما عليك سوى التفكير فيه فقط ولست بحاجة لمضاعفة عملك، او ايجاد خطة للوصول اليه.
- فكرة أن الشبيه يأتي بشبيهه سواء من خير أو شر وأن كل ما يقع لنا هو نتيجة لأفكارنا، فمثلاً الاعاصير والزلازل التي تأتينا وتقوم بتدمير المدن تأتي نتيجة لأفكارنا السلبية "منطق غريب جداً"
- ترسيخ مفهوم الأنانية، من منطلق أن لا تفكر سوى بنفسك، وأن مبدأ التضحية مبدأ فاسد
- هناك فرق وتحريف واضح بين النسختين الانكليزية والعربية، بمعنى أن الترجمة العربية فيها نوع من الأسلمة، لأن الكتاب الاصلي فيه الكثير من الإلحاد والأفكار التي لا يستطيع الشخص المسلم تقبلها، وباعتقادي أن هناك عدم أمانة في الترجمة للعربية.
ربما يخرج أحدهم ويقول ان فكرة الكتاب بسيطة وتأتي تجسيدا لحديث النبي "تفاءلوا بالخير تجدوه"، وهذا برأيي غير صحيح لأن النية مقترنة بالعمل في الحياة، وكما قيل "ليس الإيمان بالتحلي ولا بالتمني، ولكنه ما وقر في القلب وصدقه العمل"
أو كما قال شوقي:
وما نيل المطالب بالتمني * * * ولكن تؤخذ الدنيا غلابا
Show more
300 likes
44 comments
Like
Comment
Katharine Grubb
335 reviews · 2 followers
Follow
August 23, 2007
I wasn't interested in reading this book. I thought from the reviews of friends that it was pretty obvious stuff. However, I listened to the audio version. I sort of laughed at first and thought, "duh". I promised to listen to the whole book on CD, and as I listened, the connections between what the author is trying to communicate, and what many world religions try to communicate is huge. I am not a religious person. I found this book inspiring because I wasn't being told that God created the universe and that if I pray to Jesus that HE will take care of me. Finally, I was getting a confirmation that if I live a positive life, and if I really attempt to understand the connection between why I am here, and why the world is here, then I can live a better life. There are even segments of the book that answered all of my cynical questions such as, "then just focus all your thoughts on getting revenge to those you hate", "I didn't give myself this disease", and "I am a victim". Many folks think the whole book is bunk because it gives an air of personal responsibility, and I can see why they would hate that. It's so much easier to blame others. There are parts that I think are simplistic. But who says life has to be all that complicated? Why not try living this secret to life for a year and see what's possible?
I highly reccommend LISTENING to this book. I think I would have a hard time reading it.
personalgrowth
230 likes
23 comments
Like
Comment
Tharindu Dissanayake
277 reviews · 462 followers
Follow
April 16, 2021
"What are you thinking now is creating your future life."
The Secret: This is completely different from what I was expecting. I had hoped this to be a regular self-help book or a philosophy book, but it never felt like belonging to either of the two. For me, it felt like a concoction of self-help, spirituality, psychology, philosophy and a little bit of business too. It was obvious from the very beginning, that this is not the kind of book that will get a lot of mid-range reviews. Most readers are going to go with either 1-star or 5-star ratings, which means you either love it or hate it, not in-between.
"Whatever you sow, you reap! Your thoughts are seeds, and the harvest you reap will depend on the seeds you plant."
Let's talk the good first. The content of the book is as simple as it could get. The author uses a perfectly simple style of writing, and nothing is complex. But what standout the most, is the enormous amount of quotes from other books and authors. It did take some getting used to, but I have no complaints about that. Everything attempts to shift one's attitude toward establishing a positive mindset, to practice the adaptation of The Secret. Byrne goes above and beyond to let the principles sink in by repeating the contents all over the book, but that is not that unusual in spirituality/ philosophy reads. If you had expected this to be a spiritual or positive thinking kind of book, you're most likely to love it. Importance of having the mind filled of positive, constructive thoughts is explained very elaborately, while delivering a meditative/ relaxing reading experience.
"Time is just an illusion. Einstein told us that."
However, the main concept: The Secret - it's where all the controversy would probably start. If you have read Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich, or Power of your subconscious mind by Murphy, or Peale's Power of Positive Thinking, and found them helpful, you'll feel right at home from the start. Byrne proceeds along the same set of principles - or a combination of them - but the emphasis on the 'unforeseeable force' is lot stronger. But if you have not read anything similar, or hated aforementioned books, this book is not for you in my opinion. The inherent limitation to The Secret is that, there's no way to logically explain the mechanism. Books like Think and Grow Rich, or Power of Your Subconscious Mind do attempt to shift the reader's pre-conceived opinions profoundly (which was the case with me) - either with logic or strong examples - but The Secret relies entirely on reader's acceptance of the principles without argument. This is going to be a deal-breaker for a lot of rational readers.
"You cannot harm another with your thoughts, you only harm you."
As for me... I didn't hate it. Hadn't I gone through Hawking's simplified explanations of quantum mechanics, or the books I've mentioned before, I probably wouldn't have found the content believable at all. I mean, the book itself did not feel capable of shifting the reader's already accepted beliefs. But, after Hawking's Grand Design and Briefer History of time, where he explained how 'thoughts' do change past and future according to quantum mechanics in a very interesting way, I find myself unwilling to disregard these concept entirely. Also, Dr. Murphy's Power of Your Subconscious Mind - one of my favorite books - approached some of the principles outlined in The Secret much more scientifically, which had shifted some of my views previously. So, for me, this was a 3.5-star read. But the end of the day - even with all this being said - if and when you pick this book, I still think you're either going to hate it or love it - nothing in-between.
"What quantum physicists and Einstein tell us is that everything is happening simultaneously. If you can understand that there is no time, and accept that concept, then you will see that whatever you want in the future already exists."
213 likes
12 comments
Like
Comment
Shannon
109 reviews · 18 followers
Follow
May 13, 2008
God, I am so sick of The Secret. I just can't understand why everyone is so enthralled with it. That book is at the top of every bestseller list and it's total crap. You're not going to get what you want by thinking about how much you want it. I mean, yes to positive thinking and all that, but the part they left out was that you actually have to DO something to make things happen. Jack Canfield (whose involvement should turn you off automatically) didn't really sit around staring at the ceiling waiting for a million dollars to fall out of the sky. He sat around writing nauseating stories and then got rejected by a ton of publishers before someone who likes nauseating stories bought his book. I mean, Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul? Come on, guy. Now you're just making stuff up.
Don't get me wrong, The Secret has some valid points. You should envision your dreams. You should think about your goals constantly and imagine what you would do if you ever achieved them. But you should also think about and envision the steps you need to take to get there. Then you should act. Do something! The world is not just going to hand you what you want.
Just a quick edit: I forgot to mention the absolute worst part of The Secret. It's your fault that bad things happen to you. That's right, your negative thoughts bring negativity into your life and cause horrible things to occur. Your father died in a tragic accident? Your fault. Your baby mama took off with the kids and won't let you see 'em? Your fault. Laid off and can't find work? Your fault. If you could just think positively all the time, you'd live a charmed life and trouble would never darken your doorstep.
Ugh.
reviewed the-worst
175 likes
5 comments
Like
Comment
حمزه الورفلي
4 reviews · 6 followers
Follow
March 29, 2017
فكرة الكتاب بسيطة جدا وقد قال النبي صلي الله عليه وسلم (أنا عند ظن عبدى بى فليظن بى ماشاء إن خير
فخير وإن شر فشر
113 likes
9 comments
Like
Comment
Displaying 1 - 10 of 15,017 reviews
More reviews and ratings
