The Secret: Not a secret anymore...

I watched The Secret twice: first online (with several interruptions) following a recommendation by a marketing coach, then at a conference (where I fell asleep halfway through). My feelings about the Law of Attraction: I believe if you can crystallize a goal, your subconscious mind goes to work and you get drawn to new ways to achieve your goal. Many of my clients spend lots of consulting time discussing what's wrong with their careers (and sometimes their lives, but that's way beyond my scope). We make progress when we turn to projecting the future. Christina Merkley (www.shift-it-coaching.com) has a good combination of attraction marketing and common sense. When I talked to her, she agreed we could translate some concepts into down-to-earth terms. For instance, "vibrating" really is about "mood." And lots of research shows that mood influences all sorts of outcomes. Doctors who are in a good mood will approach clinical decision-making differently, according to research by Professor Alice Isen (of Cornell University last time I checked). But other research shows that defensive pessimism -- expecting the worst -- can be productive for many people. I've talked to clients who jumped in to new cities and houses with great optimism but with no Plan B. They counted on the income from a job to make the mortgage payments. Or they counted on keeping a job within easy commuting distance of their dream homes. Sometimes they can find ways to hold on to what they love. We can talk about starting businesses, e-businesses, telecommuting and more. These options work well for some clients. Jumping in with both feet is just fine, if you do research. Recently I saw an article about holding back from a goal of becoming a teacher for fear of "living on a teacher's salary." There's no easy answer. Some people feel liberated in their new world, so they stretch their new incomes to meet their needs, happily. Others feel like they've inadvertently entered a prison of their own making. They resent the lower income so much they can't enjoy the career. And some find the dream career has hidden traps they never expected. Being a teacher means you get to work with children...but you also can't leave your classroom to make a quick phone call. One third grade teacher told me she's evaluated on her bulletin boards as much as her teaching. And don't get me started on standardized tests. Got a dream? My rule of thumb is, "Jump into the research. Learn everything you can. But move slowly on commitment."