Home » What’s Their Secret?

What’s Their Secret?

By wmadministrator

Do you believe that your attitude influences your success?  Do you approach your career with an expectation of victory? Do you have a can-do approach to opportunities?

With the continual popularity of James Allen’s classic “As a Man Thinketh” and recent prominence of Rhonda Byrne’s “The Secret,” many business people of the commonwealth say that they have been applying these principles all along.

Jeff Peden, owner of One Great Game LLC in Radcliff, is one. “When I was in sales I developed an effective and targeted referral network. Statistics in the industry report that 3 to 5 percent of calls lead to a sale. Referrals through relationships in my network allowed me to close 50 percent of sales. Due to this effectiveness, I didn’t make a single cold call for 11 months.”

Peden attributes this prosperity to his attitude. “If I think and feel that things are going to turn out well and that I will be successful in what I attempt to do that day, then my subconscious does things behind the scenes to have me say the right things and take the actions that will lead to success.

“Many people think this philosophy is airy-fairy and weird,” Peden said. “But why use our mind in an accidental way? Why not in an intentional way?”

The belief in training our mind to bring about what we want is as old as the Appalachians foothills but has been growing in popularity in recent years. The focus is on practical applications leading to practical results. It’s not a hide-in-your-room meditation (although meditation is thought to help) but is instead an action-oriented, go-get-’em system that business men and women are applying by holding their focus on the solution rather than the problem, believing in the power of the mind, expressing gratitude and replacing anxiety with positive expectations.

“Attitude is the difference maker,” said Tommy Lanham, founder and director of The Climb in Nicholasville and a certified personal and leadership coach. Lanham says he’d hire someone with a positive attitude and expectations of success but less skill over a candidate with tremendous talent and a mediocre attitude. The good attitude guy will be motivated to increase his abilities.

“I wouldn’t be in the business I’m in if I didn’t have positive expectations,” Lanham said. “I don’t believe the Law of Attraction is magical, but I do believe that what you think you can do, you can do.”

For instance, in 2000 Lanham started a business called Upside Down Ministry where he worked with churches and church camps by leading worship services and retreats. He attributes the ministry’s success to his attitude, use of positive self-talk and visualizing the goal – principles used by his staff as well.
“The first year we had 18 events, the second, 21. By 2003 we had 60.”

Tommy’s wife, Tammy, subscribes to a similar philosophy. The founder, owner and photographer for Upwards Photo in Nicholasville, Tammy Latham says she applied these techniques long before they were popular.

“When I read the book ‘The Secret’ I kept saying to myself, ‘We do that, and that, and that.’ I used to do the nine-to-five, hate-my-job, live-for-the-weekend routine. Then about eight years ago I began following my passions. Luckily I had a husband who was a great supporter of me.”

She opened a photography business but worked at home in “the boonies” until she started focusing on having an office downtown Nicholasville.  “I kept my eyes open and asked everyone I knew if they had an available garage, store front, back bedroom. As a result of paying attention to my desires, I began to see opportunities. Then it came – a studio right on the main street! It was a win-win situation. You focus on what you want and eventually you’ll get it while others benefit as well.”

Like her husband, Tammy doesn’t believe these techniques are magical. “If I sit back and just think of the things I want, it won’t happen. But if I focus on the goal and put out feelers and think about how to make this happen, it is likely. When you focus on the goal, you begin to see the opportunities around you that you had never noticed before.”

She now wants a special camera for her work, so about once a week she envisions herself owning the camera. She updates the visualization monthly as she moves closer to its realization. “I have a picture of it posted in my office. I’ve read the manual and other literature about this model. In stores I hold it in my hand, and I’ve played with the knobs. I don’t believe God would give us talents to develop without providing the tools to use them.”

As a result of public awareness, visualization has gained in popularity in the business world. Visualizing means picturing the outcome you want as if it has already happened.   Mental health experts claim that picturing a goal vividly by using as many of the senses as possible leads to even greater success. Even more important is to allow yourself to experience the emotions that accompany the attainment of a goal: fulfillment, bliss and that feeling of “I did it!”

Tommy’s visualizations today involve the growth of The Climb, his coaching business.  He imagines achievements like having a large staff, conducting full-day seminars on topics like goal-setting and the law of attraction, and taking his business nationwide.

With his attitude, it’ll happen.