Tuesday, January 30, 2007


"Let Go and Let...HUH?"

Ok, so if you read my REAL MEN'S GUIDE TO OPRAH blog, then you know that I wrote about this woman who has been trying to get pregnant, and who is FREAKING OUT about it not working.

I happened to catch the "after the show" episode, and it all centered around her, and her need to "Let Go and Let God".

I dunno if I buy that one Oprah.

Here are my thoughts on it:

We are all taught that persistence, prayer, and whatever else you can do to get something you want should be done or else it is YOUR FAULT if you don't get it.

I firmly believe that our lives are in our own hands, and I think every other success person feels that way. However, when something DOESN'T work out, you hear:

"It wasn't part of God's plan"

Was it not part of "God's Plan" when Edison failed 1,000 times before inventing the electric light?
Or rather- 10,000 times??

What about after Lincoln failed at EVERYTHING he tried, but then became one of the best presidents of the United States?

Why wasn't it just "part of God's plan" to have him fail? Wasn't he going AGAINST the "signals from God" when he persisted?

So, I was taking a lot of issue between being persistent, and "letting go".
To me, it sounded like "Letting go" was kinda just "hoping", and basically giving up.

But then Oprah said "It's not giving up- it's using MORE POWER"

Oooh- what the hell does THAT mean?

Well, she meant using "God's Power"- but what the hell is THAT?

It was very frustrating for the woman trying to get pregnant, and for me, as I like things to be explained WELL, or not explained at all.

However, as I sat there, and listened very carefully, and also discussed things with my ever-patient wife, and thought back on all of the success books I have read, I think I got it.

Between many platitudes:

"God helps those who help themselves"
"When you prey, move your feet"
"Do what you can, and let God do the rest"

I think I understood something that I had read before:

It's ok to want something, but it's the being too attached to it that drives it away.

So, she WANTS to get pregnant, but she is SO PETRIFIED that she won't, she gives more energy to the fearful future than to her being pregnant.

It's like when I am HYPER-FOCUSED on making money, it's really out of a fear of NOT having any, so even when I DO make a bunch, I get so scared of losing it all- and I do exactly that.

(I SHOULD edit that last sentence to be all in the past, but I'm going to let it go for now!)

So, I have heard that it's the "Attachment" to your dreams that can trip you up- the vigorous NEED for a CERTAIN, PERFECT result that is really a fear that it won't work out EXACTLY that way.

Joe Vitale mentions that you should end every prayer or visualization or whatever with the words "This, or something better", just to allow for the Universe to add to your dream, and maybe even surpass yours.

Oprah always says that God has a bigger dream for you than you can imagine.

So, I have taken this away: As I am working towards my future stardom and wealth- I am doing what I am doing, and staying focused and all that, but it's the FREAKING OUT that can mess it all up.

Now I'm gonna try not to FREAK OUT about not freaking out!!!!