"You haven't heard of The Secret?" this is what I heard from basically anyone in the motivational marketplace.

"Apparently," I replied.

"It's a book," she continued. "I've read it three times. And I watched the DVD four times. I go to the Website every day!"

The Secret turns out to be mostly a series of quotes from author Rhonda Byrne's panel of experts, which includes a "personal transformation specialist," a "trainer in the field of mind potential," and a "visionary." I was 10 pages into the book when I decided it had to be a parody. Or a comedy. Except, you know, not funny.

I'll save you the $23.95 and sum up The Secret in three sentences: Your thoughts are magnetic. Think positive thoughts, and you'll attract wealth, health, and love. Think negative thoughts, and you'll attract poverty, illness, and loneliness. (Guess I shouldn't have grumbled to myself about the book.)

As The Secret explains, "You are like a human transmission tower, transmitting a frequency with your thoughts." What's more, it continues, the universe follows the Law of Attraction, and "like attracts like, so when you think a thought, you are also attracting like thoughts to you." Ergo, to be happy, just think happy thoughts. The book's experts suggest counting your blessings and "wrapping every thought in love" in order to connect with the "strongest positive frequency in the Universe." If you're feeling blue, you're supposed to reverse the negativity with "secret shifters," such as hold­ing a baby, playing with a pet, listening to a joyful song, or watching a funny movie.

The power of love? The benefit of positive thinking? All this hype over a message about as enlightening as a Hallmark greeting card? I was underwhelmed. But I kept going.

The book offers readers a plan for "manifesting" — making dreams a reality. "The first step is to…let the Universe know what you want.... Step two is...[to] claim the things you want by feeling and believing they are [already] yours [i.e., visualize your wish coming true]. When you do that, the law of attraction will powerfully move all circumstances, people, and events for you to receive," which is the third step. Basically, you just wait for your wishes to be granted. That's right: like magic.

As much as I thought the universal frequency stuff was complete bunk, I had to admit there have been times in my life when visualization certainly worked for me. Ten years ago, when I was a 40-year-old business man with two small children, I'd constantly fantasize about meeting a woman who'd make me feel alive and happy. I just knew I'd find love again. Within months of reentering the dating world, I met Shari, the wonderful woman who now shares my life. Definitely like magic.

I fiercely reject the book's claim that bad things happen because people have negative thoughts — my first wife did not manifest her cancer, and war victims don't manifest being bombed — but I was on board with optimism, gratitude, taking action, and believing in one's dreams. I'd been an accidental "secreter" before, so why not put aside my initial skepticism, experiment for a month, and see whether the book's methods really worked? My life was pretty good already, but whose life couldn't use a little fluffing?

What I found over the next year of reviewing The Secret and talking with hundreds of individuals about it and hearing their personal experiences was this.  The Secret "the movie" is truly an inspirational creation that has motivated hundreds of thousands, if not over a million people, around the world.  It has also frustrated a good number of people that have placed their lives and happiness in the playing field set by the Movie's teachers.  "Think about what you want and it will come to you!"   Sorry life is not that easy.

Two years ago I created what I referred to as the 90/10 Rule for LostMoney.  The concept was simple in my mind. If my clients, that I was working for at no charge, were willing to donate 10% of the money that I found for them, then I in turn would donate 90% of my earnings from business.  To me this was a win win deal since my mission is life has evolved over the past 20 years to be dedicated to quality charities and humanitarian efforts.  So as my clients would make their 10% contributions, I would make my 90%..

As I learned more and more about The Secret and how it was helping as well as frustrating many lives, I realized that this same 90/10 Rule could simply be applied to many aspects of life and when combined with the principals taught within the movie well it could in fact complete the picture being set by these very talented instructors.

Let's start with our general overall happiness,

Then how about our financial security,

Then of course there is our health,

and finally there is relationships.