The Law of Attraction + Pursuit of Happyness = Realizing Your Dreams

You attract into your life whatever you think about; your thoughts determine your destiny. That is the key premise of the Law of Attraction as I remember it after watching The Secret last fall. Unfortunately, it seems the results promised from relying solely on the Law of Attraction are full of hyperbole that could potentially lead people astray.

Thoughts + Action = Results
As I watched the inspiring story of Chris Gardner in the Pursuit of Happyness last weekend it made me realize that many things are possible if you just set your mind to it and follow your dreams up with action.

What is frequently missing from the teachings on the Law of Attraction is the effort that is required to make those positive thoughts become a reality. If we can combine the positive thinking from the Law of Attraction and the unfailing determined action that is illustrated in the Pursuit of Happyness we can achieve great things.

Realizing Your Dreams
I remember Jack Canfield talking in The Secret about how he wrote in a bunch of zeros after the 1 on a dollar bill and pasted it to his ceiling above his bed. What if Chris Gardner had done the same thing? Would he expect to have a million dollars come to him, or would he expect one of his fellow boarders at his shelter to swipe the dollar?

The dreams that Chris had were simple. Provide for his son. Escape homelessness. He was defeated again and again in his quest, yet he kept getting back up and fighting the fight. It seems the only thing that kept Chris going through those extremely tough times was the power of positive thought. The image of having a safe, better life for his son drove him forward.

However, Chris’s thoughts were definitely not enough to get him where he imagined. I’m sure there were many others sleeping next to him in the shelter that dreamed of having a place to live who never realized those dreams. The difference for Chris was that he acted on his dreams and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Take Action Today
Chris is now a very wealthy man that has inspired us with his story and is helping others that are in dire straits. He didn’t achieve his dreams simply by picturing his ideal outcome and waiting for it to materialize. He got to where he is today through determined action.

So go ahead, picture what you want most in life but don’t stop there. Strive to achieve your dreams with unfettered determination and enthusiasm. When you get knocked back, draw on Chris Gardner’s story for strength. Picture how he overcame the odds and obstacles and realize that you can too. Take action today!

Ben Edwards, the founder of Money Smart Life, saved up enough to buy a Nintendo back when he was 12 years old. When he used the money to buy shares of Wal-Mart stock instead, he knew he wasn't like the other kids... His addiction to personal finance has paid off for his family and now he's helping you to afford the life that you want. Check him out on the web at Google Plus, Twitter and Facebook.

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