Mention the movie, “The Secret,” and you get one of three responses:

• “Oh, that was the most powerful movie I’ve ever seen. It changed my life.”
• “That was a lot of malarkey. The law of attraction doesn’t work.”
• What’s “The Secret?”

When the movie “The Secret” first appeared, everyone urged me to see it. I already believed in the Law of Attraction and the power of believing is the key to getting what you want. So I enjoyed the movie as a reminder of what I already knew to be true.

But while there were many who were inspired by it, a lot of people believe “The Secret”  is bogus, drivel, and downright useless.

Rhonda Byrne, the television producer who is the author of the book and creator of the DVD, must surely have cried all the way to the bank over all the negative responses.

After all, this 90-minute movie was a huge success not just because millions of people viewed it, but because it  took the nontraditional route. It was never shown in movie theaters, but it was so popularized by word of mouth (better known as viral marketing) that it caught Oprah’s attention.

Why are some folks unimpressed with “The Secret?”

1. Makes manifesting good sound magical and doesn’t admit that success takes hard work

I don’t recall that the movie indicated that there would be no work involved in going after your dreams, but that’s the message some received. This view is likely that of a very literal person who prefers step-by-step directions.

I certainly had much research to do and had to pay the contractor to do the kitchen remodel I had done a few years ago. But before any of that started, I visualized and deeply felt how my new kitchen would look and how wonderful it would feel cooking and entertaining there. I especially had to believe I would get the loan to pay for it or perhaps I wouldn’t have even applied for it.

2. Promotes idea that success means accumulating wealth and things

It certainly may seem that way since the examples focused a lot on material possessions. But in our world the only way some people can visualize success is through possessions.

The truth is that we want what possessions provide, not the possessions themselves.

Owning a car enables me to get where I’m going faster than walking, and at times that is important to keeping appointments. It’s the convenience that the car provides that’s important.

While I’m attracting that car, however, why not make it a model and color I like?

3. Doesn’t go far enough to explain feelings and emotions that are behind our thoughts

I agree that the movie didn’t tell us about the energy that we create when we dwell on something in our minds and how our feelings and emotions generate that energy.

But every movie or piece of literature can be found guilty of assuming certain knowledge.

4. Disregards the random events, disasters and other things outside of us that affect our lives

My take on this was that the movie stressed that it is our reactions to the outside events that determines our reality. I don’t think it was disregarding that these things occur.

5. What was so secret about that movie? It was just rehashed stuff we’ve heard before.

Every movie, song, or story is based on something that went before. It’s the particular mix or extension of what already exists that makes the difference. Besides, we need to hear things many times before we get it.

There are many paths to getting the life you want. For some this movie tapped into one of them. How about you? What’s your take on “The Secret.”