The Secret Behind

… and Why It

20 | SPEAKER | March 2009

 BY JASON CAMPBELL

the Secret
Doesn’t Work
Achieve health, wealth and
happiness through visualization,
determination and hard work.

You probably have seen the popular movie, “The Secret,”

a remake of an Earl Nightingale recording from 1965
called “The Strangest Secret.” Its message is that you
become what you think about and attract what you focus
on. This is a very old teaching, which holds much truth.
The movie’s message, however, errs because it does
not explain that success also takes strategic planning and
hard work; for example, a garden will not grow if you just
“think” of a beautiful garden. It needs fertilizer and water,
and you’ll also have to get down on your knees and get

lise gagne/istockphoto March 2009 | SPEAKER | 21

 There is a big difference
between “picturing” money and
“asking” for money, and a savvy
entrepreneur does both daily.

your hands dirty to pull some weeds.

By the same token, you can’t simply
imagine being a successful speaker
without expending the time, energy,
skill and frequent flier miles to get
there.
The movie inspired many of my
clients, but they did not receive their
desired results when they tried to apply
the teachings to their business. To illus-
trate, Tanya, who owns a yoga studio
in New Jersey, applied for one of my
mentoring programs. She would visu-
alize full classes, and could even “feel”
abundance flowing through her during
her morning training and meditation/
visualization routine. The bottom line:
Her studio was losing money. “But I
thought if I picture it (success), feel it
and believe it, it will happen,” Tanya
lamented. She is only half correct.
It takes more than happy thoughts
to run a professional program. In addi-
tion to harnessing the universal laws of
attraction, Tanya needed to create and
implement a lead generation system,
design and post a capture page on her
Web site, write and distribute phone Mastering the Total Picture
scripts among her employees, design a sales system for What is the complete picture of true success?
new members, create an ascension ladder to promote Entrepreneurs often have a misunderstanding of how
higher level programs, establish a system for filling the to create total success and personal mastery beyond
room for events, and devise a marketing plan for enroll- visualization.
ing students in her certification programs. There are five elements of personal mastery: men-
The new program took about one year to fully tal, physical, emotional, spiritual and financial. This is
develop and implement, but Tanya started getting results based on the Taoist 5-Element Chi Gong system. Once
the first week simply by having daily revenue goals. The you clearly understand the teachings of the 5-Elements,
fact is that when you’re in business for yourself, any you can see patterns in nature, relationships and human
day you don’t ask for money is a day you’re not truly events. Wisdom comes from clearly seeing patterns, and
working. There is a big difference between “picturing” then making correct decisions based on “what’s coming
money and “asking” for money, and a savvy entrepre- next.” The wise man or woman is the one who can see
neur does both daily. what’s coming over the hill before everyone else.

22 | SPEAKER | March 2009 lise gagne/istockphoto

 Mental
You already know that you have to keep your
mind sharp and active. There is an overlooked
technique of not-thinking. Most people have a
constant “voice in the head” that judges every-
thing, clings to things, events and people and
wastes energy wishing that things were different
than they actually are.
While you are reading this article, you are hav-
ing a conversation with yourself. If so, see if you
can stop it. It can be difficult to turn off your inner
dialog. When you learn this, you free up a tre-
mendous amount of physical energy that can be
focused on things that will serve you much better.
ence. This is done by not attaching your “story” to the
vibration. What happens is that we have an event (story)
that creates a vibration (emotion). We then think they are
the same thing. They are not. See if you can experience
an emotion without labeling it. If you can, you will feel it
more deeply and it will flow through you more rapidly.
Financial
Financial alchemy is turning time and energy into
money, which symbolizes energy. Being wise with money
is seeing its impermanence. Within time, Donald Trump,
Bill Gates, and you and I will have the same bank
account balance: zero.

Physical
Physical vitality is based on energy level and organ
strength. You need the right combination of move-
ment, breathing, foods and herbs to maintain physi-
cal vitality. Notice how I did not say go to the gym!
There is nothing wrong with going to the gym, but
history has not yet proven it is a good idea for vital-
ity and longevity. The Taoist 5-Element Chi Gong
system has 4,000 years of proof!

Spiritual
Think of the spiritual element as “presence” or
“Zen.” Presence occurs when you can turn off
your “thinking mind” (or “monkey mind,” as the
Chinese call it) and be completely immersed in the
moment. You drop all attachments, judgments and
resistance to the “is” of this moment. When you
do this, your mind and senses becomes clear and
sharp, and you feel a deep sense of inner peace.
Emotional
Emotion is just a temporary vibration that resides mostly
in the chest area, but will travel throughout your entire
body. Allow both good and not-so-good emotions to
“flow through you” and you will not be subject to the
daily emotional ups and downs that most people experi-
Think of money as something that flows through
you, yet you never really own. When you combine this
playful non-attachment to money and material things
with a focused, deliberate business plan that includes
daily revenue goals, then abundance will flow through
you. You learn to give with the same joy as you receive,
because giving and receiving are just opposite poles of
the same process.
Don’t ask yourself: “How much can I make?” Instead,
ask: “How much can I contribute?” By doing so, you
can truly add value to a person, company or situation. It
gives you the “right” to ask for something in exchange.
Nature tends to eliminate that which does not contribute
to it. Always give more than you take so you can prosper
as a professional speaker and in your daily life.

Jason Campbell owns Zen Yoga, Kung Fu and Zen Wellness centers in Phoenix, Ariz. A 6th Degree Black Belt,
he is known as the “Zen Master of Business.” He has consulted over 200 studio owners and entrepreneurs,
teaching them how to apply modern, cutting-edge business systems that get real, measurable results, while
staying true to their art and lineage. He can be reached at (623) 535-5517 or sifucampbell@zenwellness.com,
or visit www.ZenBusinessBootcamp.com and www.ZenYoga.com.

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