Is the Self-Improvement Industry a Joke?

For the past 5 decades I have been enjoying a lifestyle provided by Self-Employment.
Some call it Self-directed INCOME.

It has been a fun Roller-Coaster existence, constantly keeping me on my feet,
and not allowing any Complacency to Set in.

I have lost the farm a couple of times, only because of my letting go of the
fundamental principle of Good Business management. I must also confess this Chosen Lifestyle has not provided the Obscene Income touted around society today, but they have been adequate.

More important, I have enjoyed my life! Raised three wonderful children and now spending more dedicated time to my wife's avocation and my gardening.
Enough personal History.

The Point of this post is that I developed this Mindset because of the opportunity to have been Directed to a group of Classic books, focusing on what is know called the
SELF-IMPROVEMENT Industry.

There are Gurus and Mentors on Every Social network Corner today, all offering
the ANSWERS to the problems that are ostensibly bothering people. Coming on-line
a few years ago I was convinced, based on chasing websites, No one Should have a Job, everyone should Fire their Boss and Spend obscene amounts of money
to find out how to do the above.

Well here are some Facts that I have applied to my Life and Definite Major Purpose and have worked well.
At age 17 I read three Books, by Wallace Wattles, Charles Haanel, and Napoleon Hill, not very exciting, but well written and Made VERY Clear COMMON SENSE TO ME.

I have based my simple Business plans, Goal setting and achievement from these three FREE books and a few others offered in our FREE Master Mind Site. And we have been Broadcasting a Live Talk Show, weekly since October 2006, engaging with people who are willing to share their Results from Following this simple Philosophy of the Power of Thought.

Here is an episode from Tuesday 02-17-2009 discussing Chapter two of the Miracle of Right Thought, by Orison Swett Marden, known as the founder of the Modern Thought Movement.

It is about one hour long, so I have included a Link

Focus Society of Overachievers Episode 189

The headline above asks the question...

Is the Self Improvement Industry a Joke?

What I feel is a Joke is the methodology and the outrageous Prices charged for
Information so readily available at No or Very Low Cost

But wait, we do offer Training assets to purchase.
this who have purchased them and APPLIED action to the
Information have Benefited quickly with Increase and
more Comfortable Lifestyle.

I feel so strong about the results available, we offer a conditional
Money back Guarantee.

Check out the Products available at the Master Key Master Mind
Whether you purchase or not, please JOIN us FREE, become an affiliate
(earn some extra Cash),
and participate in the Forum

If anyone would enjoy a Quick 1/2 hour
Business Development Evaluation, Visit

www.chuckbartok.com

Chuck Bartok
Follow Me on Twitter

Napoleon Hill, The Focus Society of Overachievers, and You...Today's Marketer

Since 1960 I have been a Fan and
disciple of Napoleon Hill's Think & Grow Rich

This affinity led me to start the Twice weekly Live Talk Show,
The Focus Society of Overachievers

Enjoy the following Video, join us Live on the Show or
Download any or all of the 110+ episodes...
The most recent centering on The Master Key, by Charles Haanel,
the Father of the Law of Attraction and a mentor to Hill.

Get your FREE Copy of Think and Grow Rich Here
and
Your FREE Copy of the Master Key Here

Old Man IF..... is he hounding You

Seem like no matter what Business a person chooses, Internet Marketing, MLM Marketing, Direct Mail, Direct Response Marketing and even Brick & Mortar Retail......
We are many times plagued by Nagging Doubt and Fear.
How to overcome these problems is addressed very well in Charles Haanel's, The Master Key
and Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich.

This just came across my box from Ginny Dye, young Lady from the Northwest, who has started a great FREE Opportunity for many to be involved in a Home Based Business. Her
MY POWER MALL has been offering many the opportunity to enter into a marketing business with No Capital

I have been following her follow up and training and it is ahead of most. I see real desire here to help others.
Here is Ginny's post to me

__________________________________________

We want to pass on something to you that has challenged us all.... Enjoy - and be challenged!

People who do not succeed have one distinguishing trait in common. They know all the reasons for failure, and have what they believe to be airtight alibis to explain away their own lack of achievement.

Some of these alibis are clever, and a few of them are justifiable by the facts. But alibis cannot be used for money. The world only wants to know one thing - have you achieved success?

A character analyst compiled a list of the most commonly used alibis. As you read the list, examine yourself carefully, and determine how many of these alibis, if any, are your own property.

IF I could marry the right person....
IF people weren't so dumb.....
IF my family were not so extravagant....
IF I were sure of myself.....
IF luck were not against me....
IF I had not been born under the wrong star....
IF it were not true that "what is to be will be"....
IF I did not have to work so hard.....
IF I hadn't lost my money.....
IF I lived in a different neighborhood....
IF I didn't have a past.....
IF I only had a business of my own....
IF other people would only listen to me....
IF * * * and this is the greatest of them all ....

IF I had the courage to see myself as I really am, I would find out what is
wrong with me, and correct it! Then I might have a chance to profit by my
mistakes and learn something from the experience of others, for I know there
is something wrong with me, or I would now be where I would have been if I
had spent more time analyzing my weaknes

Building alibis with which to explain away failure is a national pastime. The habit is as old as the human race and is fatal to success!

"It has always been a mystery to me," said Elbert Hubbard, "why people spend so much time deliberately fooling themselves by creating alibis to cover their weaknesses. If used differently, this same time would be sufficient to cure the weakness, and then no alibis would be needed."

Excerpt from... Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

We believe in You!
___________________________________________
We thank Ginny for sharing this. If you would FREE Copies of Think and Grow Rich and the Master Key, follow the next two links
Think and Grow Rich
The Master Key

And my friend Laurie Kristensen will appreciate you visiting My Power Mall

and become a Free Mall owner, or if you just want to shop,
check out The Mall

Today is The First Day of the Rest of Your Year...

Today is The First Day of the Rest of Your Year...

This is what I call the "moment of truth" weekend. The year is exactly half over. The question to ponder is simply this: Are you exactly where you want to be— right now—as we enter the second half of this game we call life?

If you feel you are moving in the direction of your dreams and goals... great! Keep going and keep growing.

If you are no further than you were at the start of the year... or you are working yourself to death and still no further down the line than you were 2-3 years ago... it's now your moment of truth.

Pay close attention to what the people in this email are advising you to do. These are some of the smartest, most successful people in the world.

After all, if James Allen, Foster C. McClellan, Frank Outlaw, Helen Keller, Paul Harvey, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, Reverand Robert H. Schuller, Emmitt Smith, and Muhammad Ali were sitting next to you, giving you the "wisdom of the ages", you'd listen... right?

The heart of the matter is this: You can either increase your Thinking Quotient and Emotional IQ to the point where you have the power to meet your expectations (use of Discipline), or you can choose to live your life with regrets and recriminations. Believe me, Regret weighs a LOT MORE

The Wisdom of the Ages...

Below you will find some of the best advice you will ever receive. It is timeless. It is powerful. This advice is from some of the most influential and successful people in the world.

Rest assured, you can act on this advice.

We will help you, every step of the way. Focus Society of Overachievers
"For true success ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now?" ~ James Allen

Indeed. Why not YOU?
Why not NOW?
What's holding you back?
Want some direction?
Want to live a life of all RESULTS... with no REGRETS?
Want to grow old and successful... rather than old and cynical?
Here's how...

"Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement."
~ Foster C. McClellan

By fanning the sparks of possibility into the flames of achievement, you will achieve your purpose. You will live your destiny.

How?

By making Smarter Choices, and taking Smarter Actions.

Here's the process...
"Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
When we walk to the edge of all the light we have, and take the step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for us to stand on... or we will be taught to fly."
~ Frank Outlaw

We will help you grow WINGS.
We will teach you to FLY!
Your ATTITUDE is the wind beneath your wings.

Transform your attitude from negative to positive, and you will finally realize your full potential.

"No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit."
~ Helen Keller

You already hold the keys to greatness. You must, however, use these keys to unlock the gateway to your destiny.
This takes strength, self-confidence and courage.
It takes OPTIMISM and FAITH.

Learn to put your inner-drive into over-drive, and you will transform life's problems and pitfalls into possibilities and passion.
By testing yourself against the Gold Standard of Performance Excellence, you will finally SEE the way to live up to your aspirations.

"I've never seen a monument erected for a pessimist." ~ Paul Harvey

A Quick Quiz. Right now, do you believe your attitude is holding you back from the success you desire?
How would you know if it is strong and vibrant... or weak and faded?

"Become a Possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities—always see them, for they're always there." ~ Norman Vincent Peale

The best way to become a Possibilitarian is to free yourself from Earthly limitations, and dream the dream of greatness.

You are destined to live for eternity.

Discover your purpose and mission in life, and you will find the energy to propell yourself up towards greatness.

Give yourself PERMISSION to be consumed by life's urgencies, and you will never live what's most important to you.

This, of course, is a choice. Your choice.

"Are you disappointed, discouraged and discontented with your present level of success? Are you secretly dissatisfied with your present status? Do you want to become a better and more beautiful person than you are today? Would you like to be able to really learn how to be proud of yourself and still not lose genuine humility? Then start dreaming! It s possible! You can become the person you have always wanted to be!" ~ Robert H. Schuller

You can win the game of life. Dream and discover.

Simply recognize your God-given talents... turn them into powerful skills... and use those skills to achieve your goals.

Do this, and you will release the winner within. Don't, and you will live a life of frustration and failed hopes, dreams and expectations.

"Winning is something that builds physically and mentally every day that you train and every night that you dream." ~ Emmitt Smith

You can simply dream of a better life, or you can take action to create it. If you are willing to look at your life from a completely different perspective, we can help you. If you want to reach your aspirations... and then move them higher still... we can help you.

We can help transform you into everything you were destined to become. From your birth until now, everything has been building to this moment.
You can become the champion of your own life.

"Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them—a desire, a dream, a vision."
~ Muhammad Ali

How do we help people become champions?
By giving them a base-line assessment of their strengths and weaknesses... so they can actually SEE where they need to make important changes in their lives.


A Word of Encouragement...

You can earn more money... take your career to new heights... and achieve your dreams, goals and aspirations sooner. How?

Join us at the Focus Society of Overachievers, Live Talk Show discussing Think and Grow Rich and the The Master Key Download past episodes or JOIN US LIVE. Click on the Links above and receive your FREE Copies of these Books

http://focussociety.com

By the way much of the information above was presented by the Fine Daily Program TQR .
Click Here to have Daily Inspirations sent FREE

Have this very inspiring information sent directly to you daily.

These inspirations have been Key in helping our focus throughout the Year

Have you reached your Mid year Goals?

Good Words for a Good Friend Brian Kim.

Brian has a fabulous Website www.BrianKim.net
"Invest in Yourself and make it Happen. Pick up a Copy of his latest Book,
"The Hidden Secret in Think & Grow Rich"


He is also a frequent visitor to our Live Talk Show (www.focussociety.com) discussing Think & Grow Rich and The Master Key

This is the right time of the Year to take stock of "Goals" and bring them into perspective to enjoy the benfits of Success for the rest of the Year and beyond.
*******************************************************
From Brian Kim

“I’m going to open my own business and make a million dollars.”
“I’m going to lose 100 pounds of fat.”
“I’m going to become a famous movie star!”

Everyday, we hear these grandiose claims made by our family, friends, co-workers and neighbors. They tell us at every opportunity and we nod politely as we listen to them ramble on and on. Time goes by.

Are they any closer to achieving their goals? Did they even take a step in the direction of their goals? The answer (99.9999999% of the time) is NO.

What went wrong? Why couldn’t they achieve their goals or even start for that matter? Was it because they set their goals too high?

The answer is yes. They set their goals too high.

The

n is it wrong to think big? The answer is no.

Confused yet? Let me explain.

Thinking big is great. I encourage you to spend some time everyday and dream about your biggest goal. It’s good nourishment food for the mind.

However, the point I want to make is that thinking big by itself will not do anything for you.

In fact, by doing that alone, it can hinder you.

You must be able to think SMALL first, before you can think big.

When you are “big”, then, and only then, can you really and truly begin to “think big”.

Let’s use the first goal listed in the beginning of this article as an example.

“I’m going to open my own business and make a million dollars.”

Joe Blow decides to think big and boldly states that he will open his own business and make a million dollars. Then he sits down and tries to figure out how to do that.

*crickets chirping in the background*

Joe Blow has NO idea where to begin. He draws up a plan, but quickly dismisses it as it will not bring in a million dollars. He draws up another plan, but doesn’t put much effort in it as well. He has no idea where to start, no concrete plan of action, and as a result, gets very discouraged. He seeks help outside by going to the bookstore and starts buying books such as:

“How to make a million dollars with your own business”.
“How to make a million dollars in real estate”.
“How to become an instant millionaire”, etc.

He devours the books but nothing happens.

What’s going on with Joe Blow? Why can’t he get any traction?

It’s because he’s trying to learn how to make a million dollars with his own business when he hasn’t even learned how to make $1.00 yet.

Seriously. Think how hard it is for you to earn $1.00 of profit with your own business. Don’t be quick to dismiss it and think it’s easy. Really try to do it. Aside from your job, do you think you can make $1.00 of profit?

The book that Joe Blow should’ve bought is:

“How to make your first dollar of profit from your own business and then learn from that and reinvest that money to make two dollars in profit and learn from your experiences to make four dollars of profit and then start to make 8 dollars as you slowly build confidence and momentum to make twenty dollars in profit so you can just keep building upon lesson after lesson, experience after experience, and to keep on learning and building momentum because you know what works and by focusing on setting small measurable goals till you make enough money to think big and leverage your resources to accomplish the big goals you set now that you have the means to do so.”

Michael Dell employed the route of thinking small before thinking big. He started by selling personal computers from his dorm room. Steve Jobs started Apple in his parent’s garage.

If you continue to read the biographies of successful people, you will realize two common themes among them.

1. They just got started. They didn’t wait till conditions were perfect. They just got started.


2. They went through a necessary process of growth to get to where they are today.

The reason why they were able to just get started was because they thought small first, rather than big. If you set a goal of earning a million dollars compared to setting a goal of earning $1 dollar in profit, imagine which goal will propel you to take action more easily.

Once they got started, they were able to go through a necessary process of growth that enabled them to achieve their big goals.

This process of growth is what most people nowadays fear and detest most. Most people want results NOW. We live in a generation of instant gratification. We get radio, TV, video, information at the click of a mouse. We can reach anybody in the world by hitting 10 buttons on a phone. We have the world at our fingertips. We are a spoiled generation not wanting to go through the slow process of growth.

However, you must realize that this process of growth should not be feared or detested.

The process of growth should be EMBRACED.

Why?

Because going through this process of growth will teach you the necessary lessons and skills to achieve the big goal you’ve set.

Focus on thinking small in order to experience the necessary process of growth to achieve your big goal. Then, when you get “big”, you can leverage all your knowledge and resources to accomplish the results of your thinking big.

If you look at the biographies of famous actors/actresses, you will realize that they too just got started and went through a process of growth to get to where they are today. Many just got started by doing embarrassing commercials and TV shows, but that was all part of the process of growth.

Now they are huge mega blockbuster stars. Because they are “big” now, they can truly “think big” and accomplish it easily. If they choose to write an autobiography, it’ll probably become an instant #1 bestseller on the NY Times. If they choose to promote a certain charity, they can easily enlist the help of many people to throw a charity event in one week. They can use their “big” celebrity power to bring attention to issues that are ignored, etc.

The point is, they could’ve only done that when they were “big”, and the only way to become big is to think small and to grow.

I will end this article with a personal story of mine that ties well in with this article.

When I graduated from high school, I was a skinny twig. I probably weighed around 120 pounds soaking wet. I wanted to gain weight and set a lofty goal of 170 pounds. I spent time and money reading and buying products, looking for that magic shake or supplement that would help me gain 50 pounds. None of it worked and I became so discouraged, I quit.

A year later, I picked up the goal of gaining weight again but this time, set a small goal. Gain 5 pounds. Become 125 pounds. This was all it took. This took me out of the mindset of the “quick fix” and propelled me to go through the slow process of growth and to learn.

By having this mindset, I began to find myself reading quality information on bodybuilding. I learned all about proper nutrition, post and pre-workout meals and shakes, proper weight lifting form, the proper number of sets and reps to do, the importance of protein and calories in your diet, etc.

With all that knowledge and the small goal I set, it wasn’t long till I hit 125. Now to you, it may not seem like such a big deal. Whoop de doo. You went from 120 to 125. You want a medal? Why yes, by all means thank you very much!

When I saw the scale climb slowly from 120 to 121 to 122 to 123 to 124 to 125 over a period of weeks, I was thrilled and excited because I knew if I could go from 120 to 125, I could go from 125 to 130, then from 130 to 135, then from 135 to 140, etc.

And that’s exactly what happened. Each small goal when achieved, propelled me to go forward with even more confidence, fuel, determination, and motivation and I continuously picked up more and more information along the journey that made growth faster. In two years, I hit 170.

The point I want to make is:

Think Big -> THEN Think Small -> Grow -> Become “Big” -> Then Accomplish Big Things

Invest in yourself and make it happen.

One of the greatest things to Invest In is YOUR Awareness. I would like to Point you to and Very exciting set of CDs produced by the Master of Declaring Yourself and Making it Happen, Joe Schroeder.

Own this powerful collection and enjoy the re-sale, earning $100 per set.
Visit: The Magic, the Legend, the Prestige

Thanks for the Visit
Your Good news Merchnat
Chuck Bartok

How Much Money Do You Need to Live Your Dreams?

WOW, Memorial Day done and Gone...

Summer around the Corner.

How have your 2007 Plans been materializing?
Here are some very Good Words form a successful Young marketer, Dave Issacs.
We thank him for the insight.

Dave Issacs 2007

If you’re stuck in a rut and finding it hard to generate
some additional income.

If you’re finding it difficult to take control of your life
so you can begin freeing yourself from the rat race…

…here’s a little method I use that you may find useful:

The first thing you need to realize is that it’s time to
wake up and understand that the time to live is NOW!

Waiting until you retire or when you’re too old to do
anything about it is too late. You need to find a way to
start living the life you want to live TODAY - not tomorrow!

You need to figure out what it is you really want to do.
You need to work out and visualize what your dream
lifestyle really is and how it is you want to live your
life?

To help you do this, grab yourself some paper and a pen
and write down the answer to this question…

If you had 100 million in the bank and there were no
restrictions placed on you, what would you do with your
life?

If you could do anything you ever wanted, what would you
do? How would you spend each day?

Be honest!

Listen. It’s no good just saying that you hate your life
or you hate your job. Saying it never changes anything.

For this to work, you need to invoke passion. You need to
be absolutely clear about what it is you want to do
and then write it down to make everything else fall into
place.

If you don’t do this, nothing after this point will make
any difference. Nothing will change!

Once you’ve got your list of things you want to do and how
you’re going to live your life, work out how much you will
need to do all these things.

This includes all the things that involve your family or
loved ones. If you want to travel you will need to take them
with you, so factor this into your calculations.

I figured I needed at least $3,000 a week to live my
dreams. You may need more, you may need less. The amount is
not important. What is important is that you sit down and
work out what you need, then break it down into smaller
monthly or weekly amounts.

And it’s important to make sure you have enough left over
each week or month to save or invest for your future!

Once you’ve done this, the next step is to believe that
you can actually achieve your goals. This is the biggest
stumbling block facing most people.

It’s one thing saying how you want to live your life, but
it’s a completely different matter believing in yourself that you can actually do it. So you need to be total
positive mental attitude to convince yourself that you CAN
do it.

And don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t!

Family and friends only want what is best for you, but
sometimes without meaning it they can be a negative influence on you and restrict your personal growth.

So visualize what you want to do, and then mentally block
out any negative influences that will stop you achieving
your goals. This includes thinking that you simply can’t
generate the income you need to live your dream lifestyle.

Nothing - and I mean nothing - is impossible if you mix passion with belief!

Ok. Now that you’re clear on how you would like to live your
life and how much money you need each week/month to do
this, it’s time to get off your butt and take action to
make it happen.

Sit down and develop a plan to get started with your
online business. Your plan doesn’t need to be all that
detailed to start with. You just need to do something to
get the ball rolling!

It doesn’t matter what you sell, how you sell it or how
much you make in your first month. The key is to do
something!

It doesn't matter if you feel a little hesitant in getting
started. It’s only natural to be apprehensive when you
venture outside your comfort zone. In time you will adjust.

And don’t worry about making mistakes along the way. You
can fix them. Learn as you go.

You may not make a profit in your second or third month or
fourth month. Don’t give up. Be patient and have faith
in your own abilities. If you want it badly enough, you
will succeed!

Keep thinking positive thoughts and keep visualizing how
you’re going to soon be living the life of your dreams. But
most of all, take the first step to make your dreams come
true.

Take action and continue to learn. The rest will fall into
place!

Thank you Dave and if anyone wants to really feel the impact of Dave's words,
grab a FREE copy of Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich

Don't READ IT, devour it, digest it and commit the principle to you memory.

Also join us LIVE or Download from the Right hand Box, Past Episodes of the Focus Society of Overachievers.

www.focussociety.com

Thanks for stoping by, leave a comment
Chuck Bartok

What a Fantastic Controversy!!!

Friends of Team Health2Wealth.

The following is a letter from a good friend

Tony Michalski of Kaillisti Pubplishing.

Tony is an active Participant in our Live Talk Show discussing Think and Grow Rich and I heartily endorse his positive stand on the Drivel presented in The Secret.

Visit and download past episodes here

www.focussociety.com

If you want to Lanquish in quiet Desperation, follow the Stupid Mantra.

If your have a Burning Desire to Succeed, read Hill & Haanel and

PUT YOUR PLAN INTO MASSIVE ACTION

Dear Chuck,

I guess it was bound to happen.

I had to open my mouth

about The Secret and it presentation of the Law of Attraction.

I made a podcast of it, which if you aren'talready a subscriber, you can download here -http://snipurl.com/1bwsb

In this seemingly innocent yet highly controversial episode, I talk with DAVID PORTNEY, a collegue you may remember from my Master Key to Love and RelationshipsTele-Seminar.

David wrote a report about The Secreten titled "The 5 Biggest Lies About the Law of Attraction",which can be downloaded here -http://www.DavidPortney.com

Now, before you start hitting me with hate emails, letme give you some back story.

When What the Bleep? was released, I saw it and I reallydid not like it.

It was basically an infomercial for the Ramtha School of Enlightenment.

If you're someone who is into channeling and getting messages from spiritualbeings, then go for it.

I am not.

What really bugged me about that movie, though, was its ludicrous use of quantum theory to "support" many of its outlandish claims.

If it weren't bad enough that the claims and their"proofs" were silly, it cast true personal development in a bad light.

Nonetheless, the movie was quite popular amongst the New Age crowd and my voiced dislike of the infomercial was met with some derision as well as a few applauds.

When I heard rumours of The Secret and that it seemed to be based on Haanel and The Master Key System, I was quite excited.

Perhaps here would be a movie that would present this philosophy in a cogent and reasoned fashion! Perhaps we'd get a movie that talked about Universal Laws without losing touch with reality.

Then I saw the trailer for the movie - and my hopes dropped.

What I saw was a trailer that talked about a "secret" hiddenfrom the masses, coveted by business men to keep the workers in line, kept in covert circles ...

In other words, while it was a dramatic trailer, it really wasn't factual. Remember, I posted quite a few blog entries debunking all of the rumours surrounding The Master Key System (that it was hidden, thatit was banned by the Church, that Bill Gates had read it -and yes all are false).

Seeing the trailer made me uncomfortable because I saw that they were selling it on thebasis that this "secret" was only now being revealed -and they were making like it was some sort of Da Vinci Codetype conspiracy.

But, I was somewhat OK with that. I realize that sometimes in marketing you have to spice it up a bit.

You know, sell the sizzle so to speak.

Thus, I awaited the film whilst joining insome conversations online about it.When it was released I received a copy in the mail. I watched it. And then I kept my mouth shut.

People seemed to REALLY enjoy it.

Alas, I did not.

Here was an infomercial that claimed that the "secret" -to life, the Universe, and Everything, no doubt - was merely the Law of Attraction.

Using every piece of New Age pablum(intentions, gratitude, manifesting), it then used (a la What the bleep?) quantum physics to "prove" that indeed one's mind can surely alter physical objective reality.

All one need to do is Ask - Believe - Receive. (Balderdash, Effort required!! CB)

The past teachers of the "secret" were claimed to be Einstein, Beethoven, Edison, and other luminaries.

The "new teachers,"the talking heads in the infomercial who spoke in soundbites, were a cavalcade beaming smiles all averring that the Universe is a catalogue waiting for you to flip through the pages so that it could deliver to you what youwanted whenever it struck your fancy.

Nice message - if it weren't presented as scientific fact,which is where, once again, quantum physics made its entrance to prove that all of this was true.

I kept my mouth shut, only voicing my disagreementto friends and close colleagues.

Then I began receiving the emails and phone calls."How can I manifest this?" "I want to manifest a milliondollars." "I've been working on getting my intentionsin alignment..." Ad nauseum.

The final straw was the Oprah show, which was the lowestof the banal.

Once again, we had a cavalcade of the "bestand brightest" espousing not a philosophy, not a way to improve or succeed, but rather a new religion of sorts.

It was at this point that I knew I had to say something.I've been saying for many years now that this mind stuff -The Master Key System, Think and Grow Rich, etc. - comprise a philosophy, a way of thinking that is open and malleable.

It is not a dogmatic religion, which is how it is currently being presented.

Replace the "Universe" with "God" and the"Law of Attraction" with "prayer" ... I think you can seewhat I mean.

In other words, I saw something that wasn't REALLY going to enrich anybody - except those writing, producing,and teaching this drivel.

So, I wrote a few blog entries.

Ranted in an email or two.

Enter David Portney.

We've been colleagues for a few years now. We talk on the phone weekly and enjoy a good businessrelationship at times - developing projects, brain stormingideas, offering support. He emailed me asking me to readsomething he had written.

It was "The 5 Biggest Lies of The Law of Attraction." In it,he wrote about what the title implies - how the LOA is being misrepresented in modern self-help, specifically in "The Secret."

He discussed how these movies take a person away fromrational thinking, which is the cornerstone of good self-help,and replace it with "magical thinking."

I read it and I agreed.

We had discussed this many times.In "print" on screen, it looked damning.As I stated, I was receiving phone calls and emails (I still do!)about The Secret and how to do what they said they could do.I felt that people were being mislead.

Of course, a certain portion were what I termed the wealth-without-work crowd - those people who look for the get-rich-quickschemes and generally don't want to earn anything; they merely want the rewards and trappings of success.

It was the honest and hopeful for whom I felt.

David would say that the ideas in the Secret are dangerous.

Sometimes, listening to a person with dashed hopes, I would agree.

This was becoming a slippery slope.

I made a few more blog entries and then I called David."David,"

I said. "Call into the teleconference line. Let's use the recording feature and just have a conversationabout The Secret and your report.

"Name the time," David replied.We set the time. We called into the service. We recorded the call.

We pretty much bashed The Secret and the new age philosophy it espouses.

That is the podcast that is available here -http://snipurl.com/1bwsb

We both think that people will accuse us of being negative.I don't think we are.

I think it is very positive. I thinkpeople being deluded (through no real fault of their own)is negative. Of course, our opinions may differ.

Now, you may agree (I AGREE, CB) or you may disagree with what we said.

Of course, that is life!

What I'd like to repeat is thatI believe that this is a philosophy. I admit that everything I say or think can be 100% wrong and that whatis propounded in these infomercials is 100% right. There isalways that chance.

What gets my goat is that the makers of these infomercialspropose their views as cosmic truth. As I said, with that frame of mind, we've moved from philosophy that we candiscuss and debate and learn to religion, which becomesdogmatic - believe what I believe or else!(Just so you know, I have nothing against religion. I findthe faiths very lovely and have as a whole contributedmore good to humanity than bad, as opposed to what many wouldhave you believe.)

I think that as a philosophy, everything can be discussed.It is not a semantic difference - it is a real and actualdifference.

One fosters debate and learning; the other close-mindedness. So, whether you agree or disagree, make your view known.

I created a thread on the Free Master Key Message Boardso that you can post your views.http://thefreemasterkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=378

To post on the message board, you need to become amember.

I have to approve new members because I like to keep spammers out.

So, when you sign up, please send an email to me telling me your screen name. That wayI can approve you quickly and you can post your views.If anything a debate is always fun. With intelligent peoplelike you, I know I will learn something. To me, that's thepoint of life.So, enjoy! And as usual, get for yourself the BEST of EVERYTHING!Have fun...

Tony M.PS - I've been pointing people towards

The Complete Master Key Course

because it fills in the gaps left by The Secret.Check it out! :-)--

Anthony R. MichalskiPublisher & Master Key Coach

Kallisti Publishing

To all of our friends. Tony is a fantastic Young man with the right Idea

Chuck & Shirley Bartok

Team Health2Wealth

www.chuckbartok.com