The word “secret” has mystery about it. That might explain why it is so often used by authors, copywriters and advertisers. If we could only find the “secret” to health, wealth, happiness, etc., then our lives would be forever changed.
Knowledge that goes beyond the superficial usually requires some searching and study, but there aren’t many “secrets” about what we need to know in life. If there are “secrets,” they are the type often hidden in plain sight. What is often called a secret is either information not known and/or practiced by many, or something already known but attractively repackaged. Just because I’ve not heard of an idea before doesn’t qualify it as a secret.
There is a supposed type of secret that conspiracy theorists love, and that is the critical information intentionally kept hidden by those who benefit from doing so. But by and large, I don’t think there is a conspiracy to keep the common man or woman from the information they need to live a full and rewarding life.
Something that can take any of us years to discover is that the key to success in any area of life requires learning and application. Once you have a burning desire to know and understand, the information you need is almost certainly available in some form, whether in an out-of-print book, a conversation with an expert, a seminar or training program or a webpage. But even the most cleverly packaged “secret” won’t help the man or woman who chooses not to use the information.
The most potentially dangerous secrets are those that promise much in exchange for nothing. Just “knowing” the secret, as the premise goes, will magically get you what you want. There is no commitment, cost or effort required. This type of secret purports to bypass the process of cause and effect.
I’ve probably used the word “secret” loosely in my own writing from time to time, and there’s probably little harm in doing so. But in the interest of intellectual honesty, I’d prefer to focus not on “the secrets” but “the search.” The search should be for useful, factual information that we can learn and apply in our lives to live better and be of bigger service to others. That is a search worth undertaking.
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