So many truths are obfuscated by interests whose agenda is doling them out piecemeal to maintain control. If you don’t accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you will never get into Heaven. Is that true or does it intermix a teaser dose of truth that we innately understand (that we have a spirit component to our existence—let’s say) with mechanisms for social control (join us or suffer the consequences)? In our conscious ignorance, we hear something that rings unconsciously true (because it is) but rather than finding that power in ourselves, we give it over to an authority. Some of us might be lucky to get an actual teacher, or defy odds and hear a divine message clearly enough to be organically self-aware.
I think intention works. I don’t believe I’ll think about wanting a bicycle today and tomorrow UPS will show up with one on my doorstep, but I think we definitely resonate our intentions. One impediment, I think, is the deluge of “belief programming” we endure from an early age—especially nowadays, I think it’s obvious to anyone who is paying attention that there’s more to our weapons of mass distraction than just reaching the pinnacle of consumerism.
There’s also probably the element of being limited to acting in harmony with your true nature and perhaps no amount of contrary intention will allow you to successfully betray your innate purpose. For example, we are so programmed to think that our purpose is to acquire money, status and power, so we might think that’s worth wishing for, when, in fact, it runs contrary to our reason for being. Rather, if we wish to become something then possibly the tools and materials needed to facilitate that process will make themselves available.
All that being said, I will say that I decided maybe seven or eight years ago that I would be more gracious about receiving gifts from other people. At the time, I meant things like compliments and being more appreciative about birthday and Christmas presents because I recognized that it allowed the giver to enjoy the giving even more so. A couple of years later, that intention (perhaps) dropped a giant gift in my lap.
The last thing I’ll say is that this isn’t the first text on this subject. Napolean Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich” is another iconic tome based on similar principles. Of course, it too is probably some form of salve for the masses (having been published in the aftermath of the Great Depression at the behest of a steel magnate), but it was around long before “The Secret”.