Social Proof

The Secret review

Speechify is the #1 audio reader in the world. Get through books, docs, articles, PDFs, emails - anything you read - faster.

Featured In

forbes logocbs logotime magazine logonew york times logowall street logo
Listen to this article with Speechify!
Speechify

The Secret is a popular and controversial book by Rhonda Byrne. Read on to learn more about the main message behind it.

The Secret review

The Secret documentary and book by Rhonda Byrne have touched the hearts and minds of many people worldwide. This self-help book based on the film of the same name shows people that their thoughts can change their lives.

Here we’ll discuss the main themes and philosophy behind the book.

What is The Secret about?

The Secret began as a documentary. The author Rhonda Byrne faced a particularly rough period and managed to get through it thanks to “the secret.”

Interestingly, Plato, Shakespeare, Beethoven, and Einstein are said to have known and used the secret to achieve what they wanted. To share the idea with the rest of the world, Byrne made the documentary.

According to the author, it can change your life and help you get everything you want. The documentary features experts like Bob Proctor, John Assaraf, Jack Canfield, etc.

Some of these experts specialize in quantum physics and metaphysics, while others are motivational speakers or psychologists.

Due to the success of the documentary, Rhonda Byrne wrote a book covering the same subject. One of the inspirations for the book was The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles.

The Secret covers the law of attraction and states that the power of positive thinking can help you do anything you want. According to the author, positive thoughts can bring good things your way, and this bestselling book explains the secret to a joyful life.

The book was also an instant success and bestseller. The author Rhonda Byrne was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, after which the sales skyrocketed. There wasn’t a person who didn’t at least hear about the book.

After the success of her first book, Rhonda Byrne wrote five more personal development and self-help books, which form The Secret series. All the books from the series made the New York Times bestseller list, including:

  • The Power
  • The Magic
  • Hero
  • How The Secret Changed My Life
  • The Greatest Secret

The Secret was adapted into a movie named The Secret: Dare to Dream, starring Katie Holmes and Josh Lucas.

The controversy – Explaining the pros and cons of The Secret

According to Rhonda Byrne, the law of attraction (New Thought law) is the most powerful law in the universe. She states that our thoughts shape and guide our life. In other words, our life is the manifestation of our predominant thoughts, emotions, and words.

It’s up to us to choose the thoughts that directly control our life. Positive thoughts will bring good things to us. Likewise, negative thoughts can attract bad things. Besides this, Byrne emphasizes the importance of visualization and affirmative thoughts.

For example, saying “I am smart” or “I can do it” is much more enforcing and positive than saying “I will fail” or “I’m not strong enough.”

The Secret is still a popular book. Regardless, it divides opinion. Some claim that the book offers fresh insight into the human psyche and helps us embrace a new mindset, while others say it’s just a bunch of superstitious nonsense and silly quotes.

The pros of The Secret

People who like and support the book often say that it changed their life. After reading the book for the first time, they became aware of their thoughts, tried to be more positive, and enjoyed the results, whether in the professional or personal sphere.

The book made them question their thoughts and behaviors and change for the better. Some of the main advantages people experienced were motivation, empowerment, and visualizing goals.

Plus, many recognized the power of love. According to the book, love is the highest frequency one can emit and has many positive aspects.

The cons of The Secret

But is this book really the secret to a happy and fulfilled life? Many argue that it’s not.

According to critics, the book focuses on narcissism and depicting ourselves as the center of the universe, which isn’t right. It extols the virtues of entitlement and self-absorption that can only lead to one feeling worse instead of better in the long run.

Another flaw many people point out is that the book focuses on thoughts instead of actions. You can’t just think about having an expensive car, a great job, or lots of friends and think it will happen; you need to act on it.

Some critics expressed reservations regarding people who lost their lives in horrible tragedies. Did these people have such negative thoughts that they deserved to die? Were their thoughts responsible for the tragedies?

As you can see, the book has its pros and cons, and it’s no surprise it’s considered controversial. Whether you like it or not depends solely on your interpretation.

Listen to The Secret audiobook on Speechify

If you enjoy listening to self-help books, Speechify Audiobooks is ideal for you. The platform offers a wide selection of books from this genre. It also features thousands of titles belonging to other genres, allowing you to explore new worlds.

Speechify Audiobooks offers convenient options like adjusting the playback speed and setting the sleep timer. Since it automatically syncs your progress between devices, you can always pick up right where you left off.

Try Speechify Audiobooks now and enjoy its exceptional features, including your first premium audiobook for free.

FAQ

What is the main message of The Secret?

The main message is that positive thoughts can attract positive things in your life.

Is the movie The Secret a true story?

No, it’s not based on a true story.

What is the secret to success?

Depends on whom you ask. Some say it’s positive thinking; others say it’s luck, intelligence, or hard work. Ultimately, there’s no universal secret to success. If there were, we would all be successful.

How true is The Secret book?

Again, it depends on whom you ask. Some claim the book is phenomenal and offers a unique insight into the human mind, while others say it’s narcissistic and irrelevant.

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.