By: Danny W. Pettry II, M.Ed., LPC, NCC, CTRS-BHS, Certified Success Principle Trainer.

 

The Secret, a (2006) documentary about the Law of Attraction has impacted my life and my business.

A mentor recommend for me to view The Secret at least 20 times in a 30 day period, which I did in 2006.

The Law of Attraction consists of people attracting things in their life through their thoughts.

Many people who viewed the Secret thought a new car or a new clothes would magically manifest and appear in their garage or closest, respectively through mere thought alone.

Thought alone doesn’t do it. The secret ingredient is the word Action. It is noted that word “action” is in the word Attraction.

I picked up on the action part at about 28 minutes into the documentary. The woman wearing green, (shown in the picture below from The Secret) wants a relationship. She had just played beach volleyball with a group of people. The man in the background is now asking her to come join them after the game.

She was indecisive at first, but then she takes action. She goes for it.  

I got it too. I knew I would have to get up and act towards my goals in life.

 

 

 

 

 

My personal experiences:

My life felt like a stuggle-bus in 2006. I had earned a Master’s degree in Recreation Therapy through Indiana University.  I had a lot of student loan debt. My car was getting old and word down. I didn’t receive a raise with my master’s degree. I wanted to teach courses to undergraduates in recreation therapy degree program at Marshall University, but they closed their program at the end of 2006. A woman I had previously dated got married that year. I felt like I was in an emotional bad spot.

I viewed the Secret. I had goals. I wanted specifically to be a Licensed Professional (because Rec Therapists are not licensed in West Virginia).  I wanted a new car. I wanted a graduate degree in Mental Health Counseling. I wanted to be an author. I wanted to start a business. I wanted things, but daydreaming and visualizing didn’t make them happen. 

 

My professor, Dr. Ted Muilenburg in undergraduate school (circa spring 2002) said something similar to this:

First a Dream, then an Act, before the Dream becomes a Fact.” 

My Results with Action:

Thinking about the things I wanted helped a lot. However, taking action was the secret to obtaining these things.

• 2007: I started my business, Rec Therapy Today (formerly dannypettry.com: rec therapy ceus)
• 2007 to 2010: Advocated for getting Recreation Therapists licensed in West Virginia.  It was a long struggle, but it didn’t manifest. — so I considered getting a license in an allied profession to open opportunities for advancement.
• 2009: I wrote a book and published it.
• 2010: I wrote a second book and published it.
• 2010: I enrolled in graduate school with intentions of earning a license in an allied profession: mental health counseling.
• 2012: I graduated with a M.Ed. in Mental Health Counseling.
• 2013: I received a professional license.
• 2014: I became a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
• 2015: I bought my dream car, a mustang.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enough about me and my experiences.

 

This blog entry is really about you and inspiration for you to take action to achieve the things you want to have, do, and be in life.

A Children’s Book on Taking Action might encourage you: 

Trying is a 2020 children’s book written by Kobi Yamada with illustrations by Elise Hurst.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Action (Doing) Trying (Practicing) or whatever you want to call is needed tor manifestations to happen.

How much action is needed?

As many steps as it takes to reach the goal.

Malcom Gladwell in his best-selling book, The Tipping Point, argues that a person must put in 10,000 hours of dedicated practice in order to become world class successful in something like playing a musical instrument or ice skating.

It takes a lot of time and energy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Small goals can be manifested quickly – like making a cup of coffee.

Big goals take time, like earning a Master’s degree. I had to hold that consistent thought throughout the process of completing all of the course requirements and internship training. I had to take action. It wouldn’t be effective to think I want that one day and to think opposite the next. I had to hold one consistent thought for two years and take action on it every sing day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There will be ups and downs in the process. These will change like the weather. Some days are bad and some days are good. However, a person must persist in consistently taking action to reach their desired destination.

More Cliché  — a Journey of a thousands miles begins with the first step.

But also remember: Life’s a “journey” and not a destination. Enjoy the path. Have fun with the practice. Our time on Earth is limited and why wait until we achieve that goal to feel happy when we can choose to be happy and enjoy the complete path.

 

Here is the path:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Dory said in Finding Nemo... Just keep swimming. It’s metaphor for continuing to take action.

 

Some questions to think about:

Steven Covey suggests for people to being with the end in mind. Know your goal. Know your destination.

The Rabbit told Alice in Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland:

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there. 

Here are some questions to help you determine and decide what you want.

• What do you love?
• What is your passion?
• What makes you heart sing?
• How do you give love to this world?
• What do you think your life’s purpose is?
• What is your personal mission statement?
• What actions do I need to take to get me from where I am today to where I want t be in the future?

You can think all day about this, but you must take action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Question:

What is one action step you can take today towards your goal?

As Nike Says: Just Do It. 

 

Attention Recreation Therapists

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