Effective Leadership and The Secret
Several years ago, the movie “The Secret” was released and the self-help world hasn’t been the same since. Some loved the movie and the concepts it put forth; some hated it; very few were unaffected. I myself was resistant to watching the movie for the longest time, primarily because the title didn’t resonate with me. From all I had heard, it seemed like a misrepresentation — there was nothing secretive at all about the content, as far as I could tell. Packaging it as “The Secret”, however, was a brilliant marketing move. After all, who doesn’t want to be privy to a secret?
All that being said, I did eventually watch it. I’ll even admit that I bought a copy of the movie for my own periodic reference. And, having watched the movie several times, here’s something I want you to know: “The Secret” as presented is incomplete. That is what I find most frustrating about the package. A critical element has been left out, and as a result, many people are no further ahead in the manifestation and achievement of their dreams and goals. “Ask, Believe, Receive” is put forth as the general sequence required for one to bring dreams into reality; however, these three steps alone will not work without one critical piece — action.
“Asking” and “Believing”, when combined, can essentially be equated to visualization. Based on the sequence as presented in “The Secret”,once you ask and believe, receiving should come about naturally. There needs to be an element of action, however, that follows the asking and believing — simply visualizing is not enough. Dreams do not become reality as a result of staring at a picture. Period.
So, what are the implications for leadership? As a leader, you’ve got a vision, I guarantee it. There’s something you’ve got your heart set on creating, achieving, doing. Taking time each day to visualizing that thing, whatever it is — see it, imagine the details — is essential. And, equally essential is taking some action towards the achievement of that goal. The action doesn’t have to be monumental; it can in fact be small in comparison. But it does need to be taken. Examples of small, but definite actions include:
- share your dream with someone — tell people what you’re striving for
- do some research
- develop a plan (business plan, 3-year plan, building plan)
- connect with people who can support you
These are simple examples of small but concrete actions. Taking action that directly relates to whatever it is you’re striving to create is what will bring your dream to reality in the end.
Bottom-line: visualization is good. You need to visualize because you need to know what you’re striving for. So go ahead, ASK for something and BELIEVE that you’ll get it. Before you can actually RECEIVE what you’re asking for, however, you’re going to have to take some ACTION. Action always preceded the actual receiving. That, my friends, is the real secret.
From “Please” to “Thank You”
The message of gratitude is everywhere. Over the last decade, it’s as though the world has finally awoken to the fact that while there is much to long for, there is just as much (if not more) to be thankful for. Really, expressing this thanks, standing in the abundance that is here NOW, is a great way to allow whatever it is you’re longing for to show up as well.
In some ways, I’m reminded of some of my interactions with my children. The big request right now is for a dog (yep, we’ve reached the “Can’t we have a dog?” phase of childhood — actually, my son’s been here for a while, but we’ve managed to keep the idea at bay due to allergies!). Allergies and such aside, what my husband and I have explained to our twosome, truthfully, is that as parents, we’d like to see our children being appreciative of and responsible for the things they already have, before entrusting them with another pet. They’ve already got a hamster and a fish. The children each have responsibilities related to each pet. Some days these responsibilites are met; other days, those same responsiblities are neglected and if anything, there’s a barrage of sighing and grumbling about the amount of work that needs to be done. Which provides my husband and I the opportunity to say, “if you can’t be grateful and responsible for what you have, how can we responsibly give you more?”
When it comes right down to it, I’m sure the universe gives us as humans similar responses. I’m certain that, even as we get clear on what we want and start asking for that, there’s a way in which the universe says “but are you appreciative of what you’ve GOT RIGHT NOW?”
Given the limitations of our humand, fairly linear-thinking brains, I believe that there’s a story we’ve got going that says “I ask for something, I get it, then I show gratitude.”. What I want to entertain is the possibility that the process is more circular. In other words, we can start with any of the three points. And I think, starting with gratitude actually serves better. Being grateful for what’s here right now, keeps you grounded in the present. Being grateful for what’s here right now shows that you can be resonsible for more. Being grateful for what’s here right now creates the space for what you’re wanting to show up.
Bottom line: it isn’t necessarily that you must first ask, then receive, then give thanks. Instead, it can actually serve to start by giving thanks. Show your appreciation — truthfully, genuinely, in a heart-felt way. Then you can ask. And be grateful again.