For those of who may not have been on the receiving end of the chatter, The Secret is no longer a secret. The brain child of Rhonda Byrne, The Secret is manifest in a feature-length movie and now a bestselling book. It is dubbed by many as the secret to everything, happiness, health and wealth. Famous authors, philosophers and scientists have weighed in and collaborated on the penning of this new theology.
If it were not for the instant recognition of its identity and meaning–I would not be calling The Secret a brand. Some marketers claim just about everything and everyone are a brand; but, I do not share this belief. A brand has mercantility or it is not a brand. Although The Secret is an ideology, it indeed has tremendous revenue power in its first iterations alone: talk circuit, sequels, merchandise, events. Right now The Secret’s propulsion is word-of-mouth helped by a hearty endorsement from Oprah on her television show.
The Secret at its core is inspiration for all. It is all about “the law of attraction”, you get out of life what you visualize and believe in. If only you would believe–aye there’s the rub. Rhonda Byrne has found this shared belief among history’s greats including Plato, Shakspeare and Beethoven. They are not accessible for comment but insofar as they have achieved a great deal I accept this notion. Current notables sharing their names as co-authors include Dr. John Gray (of Venus-Mars fame), Michael Bernard Beckwith and Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul).
Where I begin to have difficulty is when I start hearing and reading phrases such as, “[your thoughts are frequencies that go into the universe and come back to you]“. It is a little on the new age fringe for me. Auras, energies join my mental model about this. But…do listen to the first 20 minutes of the movie and decide for yourself.
Perhaps I have alway lived The Secret. For those who know me, I work outside of my comfort zone and think big, far bigger than most will allow themselves to believe. And unlike many individuals, I do not have an inner voice that says, “you can’t do this” or “you will fail”. Nevertheless, the voices within The Secret gave me an “atta girl” pat on the back. It inspired me to believe even more in myself. And it has an equal effect at this moment on millions from all walks of life, with many transformations as testimony. This is why The Secret is my Brand of The Week indeed.
