(Cont’d) … Attraction - (Ratt) = Action
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Fear.
Why is it that so many people insist on interpreting the movie The Secret as saying that action is not required to get what we want?
Fear.
We get the Law of Attraction part. “Ask… Believe… Receive” is what is often quoted as being the main message from The Secret.
We know that we have to know what we want… be happy, thankful, grateful about it… feel as if we already have it… and that will attract it to us.
But we insist on holding on to the dirty yellow-bellied ratt.
The fear.
Because holding on to the fear is easier than taking action sometimes, isn’t it?
Then if we don’t get what we want we can say, “well, the Law of Attraction doesn’t work. I thought about it, I believed really hard, I created all the emotions of having it, and it still didn’t show up.”
How do you know? Maybe it was knocking on the door the whole time you were conjuring up all those emotions, but you were too lazy… or too scared… to get up and open the door.
Misinterpretation of movies and messages is not new. We already know Cagney never said, “You dirty rat.”
Cary Grant never said, “Judy, Judy, Judy.”
Mae West never said, “Come up and see me sometime,”
Captain Kirk never said, “Beam me up, Scotty” in the TV show Star Trek.
Sgt. Friday never said, “Just the facts, ma’am” in the TV show Dragnet.
And The Secret never said you don’t have to take action.
Another time Cagney referred to a rat in a movie, without saying, “you dirty rat,” was in 1931’s “Blonde Crazy” in which he calls another character a “dirty, double-crossing rat.”
Double-crossing. Does fear double-cross you? You bet! It gets in the way of you achieving what you actually want, and keeps you asking, “if I know The Secret, why do I still not have what I want?”
Darn dirty Ratt!
Okay, let’s chase that dirty yellow-bellied Ratt out of the Attraction so we’re left with Action and can actually achieve something.
I’m not saying the Attraction is not important.
I love Attraction… I attract things all the time, and I’m grateful and happy for every single one.
But the only ones that become anything worth a hill of beans in my life are the ones I take Action on. And I have to kick out the dirty, yellow-bellied double-crossing Ratt to do it.
“Do you feel lucky, Ratt?”
Oh, sorry… a parody of yet another misquote.
Clint Eastwood’s line in Dirty Harry is often misquoted as, “Do you feel lucky, punk?” but he never said that. The actual line was, “You’ve got to ask yourself a question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, PUNK?”
Alright, let’s try this again… “So Ratt… you’ve got to ask yourself a question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, RATT?”
Ahh… go away, Ratt, ya bother me. I’ve got Action to do.
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Comments»
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Ok, I understand that the LOA starts with thinking, believing and behaving as if you already have it - but then where do you take action?
How do you know that the action you taking is not working against what the universe is trying to deliver? Isn’t taking action almost an admission of guilt… almost like having a backup plan?
What constitutes action?
Heya Tarryn,
I’ll be honest, the whole “act as if” never worked or sat well with me. I like the way Michael Losier put it best. “I am in the process of” as an affirmation. “acting as if” is all well and good to get you into the feeling of having the thing you desire but it can also be a trap keeping you from taking action.
I think a unique way of looking at it is like getting an education a tech school or something similar.
Once upon a time I wanted to be a pc repair specialist. I toyed with the idea for sometime and things started to show up in my life that would make that possible. At the time I was working 80 plus hours a week as an industrial maintenance mechanic and I just plain wanted more out of life. I knew I couldn’t attend a tech school as I didn’t have my high school diploma and my G.E.D. was lost, not to mention there was no way I could pay. To shorten the story a bit, a friend made me go take the G.E.D. again and while I was there I was informed about a new “Hope” grant that pays for everything. I went off to tech school and while I was there my “wants” changed to Network Admin so I trained for that and as I trained things just miraculously just showed up. Like high paying job offers.
Of course alot has changed in my life since then and my desires are completed new and different. That is the beauty of life “Change”
Looking back now I realize that everything I’ve wanted and took action on i.e. “Training” things somehow just showed up. So what I am saying is if you want to be wealthy take action and train for it. Wow now that’s an idea “Train to be Wealthy”. Read, learn all you can about being wealthy. Fill your life with things of wealth. Contact wealthy people, not with your “I’m poor stories” but with “I’m training to be wealthy” and would like to learn how an expert like you did it. As you can see you are in a way acting as if because you are in the process of being wealthy. Keep in mind each new ability takes time to learn and it’s all about how much of that sponge we call our minds can soak in. My advice is empty your sponge and fill it with only the things you need to know right now.
So take action you can always change your course if you need to, believe me the universe will most defiantly let you know if you are not taking action towards your desires… and eventually if you don’t see the warning signs about the brick wall ahead then you will have no choice but to change your direction once you get to it.
Harmonically Yours,
Jody
Jody,
That is a wonderful way of looking at the future. Its realistic, and mangeable. Thank you for your advice, I will use it from this day forward…. I am Training to be successful in my own business!
Thank you
Great insight…I do believe “action” must be part of the “ask, believe, receive”. The Universe will let you know if the action was right…believe me. I am a work in progress…been there/done that! Actually, it’s not so bad IF you go with the flow.
Thank you for your words of wisdom.
Thanks–that was an entertaining and creative blog post! Good job on the illustrating and keeping it “light”
Heather ; )
Dr. Marie, you are so right… The Universe WILL let you know if you’ve taken the wrong action, but as long as you’re taking action you can switch gears.
Remember Newton’s law… a body in motion stays in motion, a body at rest stays at rest. So the action… getting into motion… keeps the momentum going when the right opportunity for the right action does go along. But if you haven’t done anything, just sat and waited, it could take a lot of effort to get going and you might miss that opportunity.
Of course, action could be as simple as answering the door when opportunity knocks.
Tarryn… no, it’s not an admission of guilt. The Law of Attraction only, by definition, attracts things to you. If you don’t take advantage of those things you attract — in other words, take action on them — then really, what’s the point?
cheers
Heather
Great posts, folks!
Zen DeBrucke (featured within this website under “Watching Your Mind Stories”) talks about the ‘Internal Guidance System’ - and, while this information/process/knowledge is new to me, it has really helped when it comes to taking action.
In a nutshell… it’s exactly what it’s called - An internal guidance system that essentially let’s us know (through a very intense sensation) if we’re heading in the right direction or not… If the action we’re taking (or about to take) is in-line with our being/spirit. Like all things - it begins and ends with thought.
As I said, it speaks to us as a very strong sensation. We either receive an “opening” feeling (typically between your neck and waiste) or a “closing” feeling (typically in and around your gut) to a specific thought.
If your thought/idea/direction gives you a “closing” sensation (to me, it’s like a feeling of worry, or doubt, or fear) then this is to tell you that the idea or thought or direction is NOT right for your being. Or stated differently, it is not in harmony with your being.
On the flip the side, if you receive an “opening” sensation, this tells us that this thought/idea/thing is indeed right for us. That we are in harmony with that thought/direction/idea. This opening feeling (to me) occurs in my chest area, and it feels like positive butterflies… a very pleasing sensation… Happy on STERIODS!!!!!
Sometimes you may not get a sensation… nada
The trick (for me) is to keep re-phrasing whatever it is you want until you get that opening feeling… This will become your ultimate affirmation/s - and bring you in the exact right direction!
As I’ve said, this technique is new to me, but has helped immensely in manifesting what I truly want. I sincerely hope this info helps you as well.
I would highly suggest checking out Zen (either on this site or do a google video search) for some great (free) info.
While I’m here, I’d like to thank Barry and Heather for this VERY informative site. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!!
Some of (if not the) best info I’ve come across on the web, and I hope they are handsomly rewarded for all they continue to give.
Peace & Love,
Chuck from NH
When it’s the right action, you won’t be able to _not_ do it
Hi Chuck,
I just wrote another article that will be coming your way soon which also addresses what you’ve said here… very true.
Zen took hundreds of us on a live call through the IGS process, and all of those who spoke experienced the same thing. Definitely it works! The trick is to determine the FIRST feeling before your mind takes over and starts to think too much or second guess what’s happening (and that could be within a second).
She says those times you feel nothing are sometimes signs that you are not supposed to know the answer at that time. Normally the ego protects us (or tries to) but in those cases I think it’s actually the higher self protecting you.
cheers
Heather
Thanks for the reply, Heather!
Well said on that FIRST feeling, because the mind will try it’s best to take over. It’s truly amazing when you identify that first thought, hold it, and watch it (quickly) become realityI
I also LOVE that thought on nothing feelings… wow.
Thanks again for all your great work, and I’ll keep an eye open for that article!
Best,
Chuck
Well, it is amazing, but i actually did understand what you meant by the “spiritual celibacy”, “get off the couch & explore the world”.
I want to thank you for pointing this out, for i had forgotten what had happen to me about ten years or so ago. I was having a problem at that time getting a particular job i was undertaking going in the right direction. I was met with a lot of negative comments of “oh your wasting time”, “what do you want to do that for”. I got so frustrated by it all, that i just dropped everything and went out with my camera and started taking pictures of the countryside, lakes, rivers, trees and flowers in bloom. I even went out and helped my dad combining the wheat.
About two months later i was refreshed, not a care in the world. I was still low in loot, but it was not bothering me like it was before. But somehow the money seemed to come in various ways—a $500.00 refund on a gas bill, and actually $1,200.00 won in lottery.
—and those negative people just didn’t seem to come around anymore.
But then i got back into my old habits of doubting—should i do such and such, and then worrying about what people would think. Then things started to fall apart again.
Yep, its time to get back and smell the roses again and enjoy. Thank heavens i have wife who is always smiling. I read somewhere, “smile, and the world will smile at you”.
Ok
i don’t know, i tried to unsubscribe as suggested in your letter, you can’t the page is blank - i don’t like the way you are being rude about people who disagree with you, i watched the video entitled rev handles stupid and asinine questioning, i didn’t think it was stupid or asinine questioning, i thought they were questions a lot of people would have, why do you have to be so negative about your detractors, i wonder? in peace, ps please fix your site so you can unsubscribe
I like the way Barry and Heather talk straight. I have been applying the whole science over 10 years. I have had it all , lost it all, had it all, and I am getting it back baby. The Science of Getting Rich clearly states action is required. Inspired action comes with purpose. I like what I do-but my intent is to find something I LOVE to do-its not work to me, but rather an excitement. Ah, I am working on it. Keep it up!!!!!
Rachel,
Congratulations. You are another one of the non-sheep daring to question, and you have been vilified and slandered for it. It amazes me that the Universal Laws would include one that says that you have to be snide, nasty, and resort to name calling (I believe the terms used in today’s e-mail were “asinine”, “numb-skulls”, “off-the-wall” and “wacky”) if anyone dares to question the masters and their OPINIONS.
I received a snide, condescending reply to my opinion yesterday (4/10/07). I had made up my mind to just let it pass and not respond, but after I saw further similar answers to other questioners, I felt I had to at least reply to you and let you know that you are not alone in your outlook, and I, too, will be unsubscribing. Yes, I voluntarily clicked on to an advertisement to entice me to come here in my “search”, but so far what I have seen, heard, and read just don’t pass my “Internal Guidance System” as referred to above.
Boy, I almost hate to unsubscribe because I’ll miss all the mud-slinging I’ll probably receive for this “asinine”, “wacky”, “numbskullish”, “off-the-wall” negative- question/criticize-the-masters tirade.
Like attracts like. I read all of it I really did not see any wacky stuff.
Hi Jody,
Thanks for the response and I understand what you mean but please forgive my retard state - “I still don’t get it”. If we saying that we have to take action (like the training you took) and still detach is the only way for LOA to work? If thats the case, how do you take steps towards with a complete attitude of detachment and trusting that the Universe will deliver what you want??
Im getting stuck with the kind of action bit - for instance, one of the things I would like to manifest is luxurious lifestyle, does that mean I must “behave as though I have it” by doing the things that I would if I had that type of lifestyle - spend money that I don’t currently have in the belief that the Universe will somehow manifest the resources?
I’m really trying to integrate the teachings but am finding that it just hasn’t “clicked” yet - not sufficiently that I feel complete conviction. This is where I can definately see the value in Barry’s advice of energetic exchange through conversation - where do I find these people? I know I should somehow be attracting them into my life - Im stuck and I hate it because it has me in limbo?!
Hey Tarryn,
Taking action is not synonymous with “acting as if”… that seems to be your main stumbling block.
“Acting as if” is a tool that some mentors advocate and others don’t, which allows you to get into the FEELING of what it would be like to have what you want to attract. Jody said it doesn’t work for him, others find it works nicely. Depends what resonates with you.
For instance, Mike Dooley used to drive to a boating supply store so he could walk around feeling as if he had a boat already.
Is that taking action toward getting a boat? No. The store did not sell boats, only boating supplies. It was merely a tool to feel like he was “boat-worthy”. To get that boat he was attracting, he would have had to check the classified ads, go to a store, take out a loan, sign a lease or whatever.
Manifesting a boat does not mean “poof” it shows up at your house… it means you attract opportunities to get it, like receiving a letter for a pre-approved loan, or noticing a special deal in the paper. Taking action on those opportunities, however, is required to actually get the boat.
Action is also not synonymous with being attached. Looking at ads does not have to have that, “Oh my god, I HAVE to have this” desperation associated with it. That desperation is being attached; action is simply action.
And as for the active conversations… the ones we had with Mike Dooley and the others in the package are a great place to start because you get to listen in on what was said, totally unscripted and in the moment. That’s where you hear stories like the boat story, that just might bring that a-ha moment: “Oh! I SO get it now!”
cheers
Heather
Thanks Heather.
You right - I was confusing taking action with acting “as if”. let’s hope it can stick this time.
Thanks.
Hi Heather and All,
I believe you will get much inspiration and clarity and a new perspective about this idea of “action” vs. “inspired action” by reading my (free) personal story “A True (Entrepreneurial) Tale of Synchronicity and Guidance” on my forum. It chonicles my two-decade journey using these Universal laws to create (from nothing) a renowned business that attracted the world’s largest corporations - and I never advertised or looked for a client in those 20 years. They always came to me. My business was my “schoolhouse” to learn the laws and prosperity principles to overcome a severe lack consciousness and accomplish in the business world.
The story is free just for now. I didn’t not write it with the intention to be a book - the Universe had a different idea and an agent saw it and is selling it to a major publishing house. So just for a short time, it’s free for you to read on the forum while the manuscript is put in final form. It’s attracted thousands of views and hundreds of letters of appreciation.
Please accept the story as my gift of inspiration to you. I promise you will be inspired and look at your life and business and understand the subtleties of these Universal laws from a whole new perspective.
~ Marilyn
HI Marilyn,
Could you share the link for your forum, where we could read your story?
Thanks!
Karen
This has been the most fun I’ve had all winter here in Canada! There are so many different views in our world today, how fasinating that one would even consider to not hear them all!
Thanks for the insights. I’ll be sure to stay tuned!!
Hey Darla,
I’m in Canada too… and this IS fun stuff, but you’ll have everyone thinking we live in igloos with no fun in the winter!
You’re right though, it’s fascinating to hear the different views, and that’s why we went with a multiple-mentor approach instead of saying, “this is how it is.”
Actually they’re all saying a lot of the same things but voicing it differently, and those differences will resonate differently with people.
For confused and searching… I really don’t think the “numb-skull” reference had anything to do with whether you agree with the masters or not.
The “numb-skulls” were the ones who misinterpreted what Barry had said, and skewed what they heard in a similar way to the media skewing the message of The Secret and saying it’s an update to “The Power of Positive Thinking” or that you don’t have to take action. Both of those conclusions are totally opposite to what the movie said, and the replies Barry was referencing were slamming him for saying the opposite of what he said too.
For the record, I told him not to say “numb-skull”… you’ll have to talk to him about his insistence on using a term he heard often in the military, but he felt it was effective then and is still effective now.
cheers
Heather
Hi Tarryn,
Just a note to let you know you obviously ARE attracting an energetic exchange through conversation… you pulled ME in here! * big grin * I NEVER read these things, as I don’t have the time, but I found something in my email box from Barry and Heather on ‘How Deep Are You Willing to Go?’ and I somehow ended up here! YOUR post is the one that stood out and ‘resonated’ with me while I was reading through.
Florence Schovel Shinn said, in one of her books, that first and foremost, you must BELIEVE that what you ask for is already yours. The Universe will do the work to find the best way for you to receive it. Yet, since ‘faith without works is dead,’ it IS necessary for you to ‘dig your ditches’ in preparation for the good you are about to receive. In other words, you aren’t really ‘acting’ as though you HAVE the thing you’ve asked for, rather, you are showing you genuinely BELIEVE it is on it’s way by simple preparations on your part. Clean out your closets and drawers, throw away old things you no longer need or want, give things away to others who will appreciate them more than you, and perhaps clean your house ’squeaky clean’ to show you appreciate what you already have. (A form of Wealth Consciousness.) I’m sure there are lots of other ways to ‘dig your ditches,’ so loosen up, have fun with the little kid inside of you and use your imagination! Just simply find that place of Gratitude and Well Being within.
I am new at this information and I find it all very fascinating! I have been manifesting all my life through writing poetry and drawing pictures, but didn’t realize I had been doing it (many times to my own detriment) until recently. It has opened up a whole new world to me!
I have been needing a new car for a long time. When my old Ford Escort was on it’s last leg, my boyfriend took me car shopping. He said it was good to ‘look around’ and see what’s out there. I didn’t see the point, because at the time the company I worked for had just closed their doors and I was out of a job. I am single with four kids, two in college!
But he insisted, so off we went! I have always loved VW Jettas, so that’s what we looked at. I went along with him just for the fun of it and even drove a few. We did this for about three weeks before my birthday.
On my birthday we went by a dealership and there was the most beautiful, Brand New, Midnight Blue, 2.8 Turbo Jetta sitting out in the parking lot. Even the wheels were gorgeous! So we drove in and my boyfriend insisted I ‘test drive’ it! I honestly felt a bit silly and tried to back down, but finally gave in.
I had never driven anything so nice in my LIFE! It felt like I was ‘gliding on air’ and it was heavenly! When the VW salesman and I got back into the car dealership, he invited us inside, and, long story short, my boyfriend paid CASH for it right there on the spot and PRESENTED it to me for my birthday!!! His family was in complete SHOCK! He has a history of being very tight with his money and he has NEVER done anything spontaneous with money like this before! His mother, brother and sister have a newfound respect for me! They are in AWE!
His ex-wife (who divorced him) was FURIOUS and declared her hatred for me over it, (drama) even though I have always behaved kindly and graciously toward her. (I must add, he supplies her with a more than generous amount of money in child support every month… far more than the court ordered… and he even carries health insurance on his kids, though the court ordered ‘her’ to carry it. He’s a great guy!) The point being, though, they had been married for twenty years and he had never before done anything like this, which is why I believe she was so angry and shows just how SHOCKED everyone was! Perhaps, if she will ‘dig her ditches’ and find gratitude in her heart for all that he DOES do for her, she will get her ‘VW,’ too!
So don’t get discouraged or give up, Tarryn, because I of all people know the LOA works, first hand! And without even TRYING! Now that I am learning about and beginning to understand these principals, I am looking forward to applying them ‘on purpose’ to see what happens…
Warm Wishes Wrap Around You,
Lora
PS: Play around with it and see what works for YOU! Every person is passionate in different areas. Do what makes YOU HAPPY. I believe that finding that place of happiness, excitement and wonder is what opens everything up for us. THINGS don’t make us happy. WE make us happy. Then the ‘things’ will come! Please excuse me while I follow my own advice and go clean my house! lol : )
I don’t believe in hard work (ye olde protestant work ethic)..I believe in HEART WORK that I do with my Heart & Soul…which of course doesn’t feel like work at all ..:)
Thank you Lora for your wonderfully inspiring post. I think all the deadly seriousness that people including myself have had surrounding the Law of Attraction has had the tendency to destroy the spontaneousness & block manifestation…too much yang (grasping ,fixated,obsessive,left brain) not enough yin (allowing,accepting, intuitive,trusting,right brain).
There has to be a balance for synchronicity to occur,I speak out of my own experience, so it’s very refreshing to read your post.Either you’ll take action or something will be given to you or both that’s the beauty of it..and/and (abundance) instead of either /or. In any case I think it’s important to not judge yourself & have fun with it whatever happens !
Imho from everything I’ve seen over the past year in blogs forums & websites on LOA & prosperity it’s a case of “different strokes for different folks”; I’ve observed with avid interest how everyone seems to find their own unique solutions, often quite independently of what the so-called gurus have said (although the fundamental principles still apply).. you have to find out what resonates with you personally. I think that’s really the law in action, let’s say it’s the “Law of Individual Uniqueness”..lol……;)