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The Secret by Rhonda Byrne is the latest self-help
phenomenon. The book has sold more than four
million copies, the DVD is a top seller at Amazon.com,
Oprah has interviewed the author, and even The Wall Street Journal has profiled the marketing success of
The Secret.
The concept asserts that thoughts are powerful
and what you think manifests itself in your life. This is
the same idea behind Wallace Wattles's 1910 book,
The Science of Getting Rich, Napoleon Hill’s Think
and Grow Rich (1937), and many others. The “secret”
is what Byrne calls the “law of attraction,” or like
attracts like. Everything in your life from your job to
your relationships to your material possessions—the
good, the bad, and the ugly—is there because you
attracted it. Whatever your outlook on life, whether it
is negative or positive, you will attract more of the
same.
Therefore, according to The Secret, when you
complain that you'll never get out of debt, the universe
will see to it that an unexpected expense will creep up
every time you seem close to creating wealth. Of
course, the flipside also applies: positive attracts
positive. Imagine yourself conquering debt, and you'll
find the money to do it. The Secret is all about mental
imagery: picturing yourself on the path to having the
life you want.
I believe the same thinking can be applied to
retirement planning. Many people have not taken the
time to figure out what they really want out of life.
Because they do not know their destination, they will
never reach it. To help get you there, first you must
define what you want your retirement to look like. And,
along with the positive thoughts you need positive
actions. You cannot just picture a million dollars one
morning and have it appear that afternoon—it takes
focus, practice, and the right actions to fulfill your
retirement dreams.
This is where a knowledgeable, experienced
financial professional can help. One of the most
valuable skills a financial professional brings to the
table is the ability to help you identify your goals and
apply the numbers to them. In essence, a financial
professional will help you take your dream and break
it down into a manageable process. A one-on-one
meeting is the most effective way to start putting your
dreams for the future in motion.
So call your financial professional today and start
envisioning your retirement. I believe if you never
visualize any of your goals and the material rewards
that go with them, you will get exactly what you've
wished for: nothing.
This material has been prepared using sources of information generally believed to be reliable. No representation can be made as to its
accuracy. The forecasts and opinions in this piece are not necessarily those of Van Kampen, and may not actually come to pass. Information
in this report does not pertain to any Van Kampen product and is not a solicitation for any product.
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