Note: My “confessions of the day” are part of an ongoing theme on my entertainment blog, but this one seems more appropriate over here.
Confession of the day:
I used to be more of a “positive thinking person”.
I fell victim to the repeated message of “The Secret” as much as anyone.
“Just believe in yourself! Know what you want is possible. The universe will bend to your will and deliver it. You just have to believe it to see it. Law of Attraction, baby!”
And while the main message is primarily a good one, it isn’t complete. It leads people to think that if all they do is surround themselves with vision boards or want something badly enough, they’ll get it.
A million or more starving children in the world would indicate otherwise. Wishing for food or wealth or good health doesn’t deliver it.
“I’m sorry kid, but you don’t get to eat today because you didn’t want food badly enough.”
Now I’m more of a “positive doing person”.
If you truly want something, you have to take action and work for it. Making a vision board isn’t the kind of work I’m talking about.
Wishful thinking doesn’t make things happen nearly as well as working for those things does.
Yes, stay positive. Believe in yourself. Know what you want. Believe you can get it.
But above all, take action and work for it.
—
“But The Secret and vision boards and vividly imagining what you want works. You just don’t believe it enough. That’s why it doesn’t work for you.”
Playing the lottery also “works” for some people sometimes, too.
And taking your life savings and betting it all on black at the Roulette table has even better odds than that.
People sometimes get what they want and then assume the wrong reasons why they got it.
You can rely on chance and wishful thinking if you want. And it may appear to work for you.
But correlation does not imply causation.
In the end, it’s still the people who work for what they want that are more likely to get it than those who sit back and fantasize about it their entire lives.
Yes, make vision boards. Vividly imagine what you want. Surround yourself with positivity.
But also have a strategy, take action, and work for what you desire.
Don’t just dream about it.
Please see this comic. It perfectly illustrates what I’m saying:
“Shonda Rhimes, A Screenwriter’s Advice” by Zen Pencils.
See also:
Related:
- The results of your actions speak louder than words
- “I have no opportunities.”
- “Someday”
- What you do in your free time determines what you’ll be doing when you don’t have a choice.
- Self-imposed limitations: A tough pill to swallow
