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People tend to look at their lives in one of two ways: either things happen to them or they make things happen. Psychologists say that people who view themselves as passive players in the game of life have an external locus of control, whereas people who see themselves as influencing their life events have an internal locus of control.

Within the last year, "The Secret" has created enormous popular buzz around the world. Both a book and a DVD, "The Secret" is convincing people who have an external locus of control - those who view life events as happening "to" them - that they can take charge of their lives and create their own destinies.

Manifesting destiny isn't a new concept, but thanks to "The Secret," it has enjoyed an astonishing surge of interest. More people than ever before are beginning to believe that, anytime and anywhere, they can create positive change in their lives.

What is "The Secret"? In essence, it says that people can use the Law of Attraction to discover and realize their deepest desires, and in the process become a positive force of change in the world. The Law of Attraction can be summed up as follows: the energy you put out into the universe draws that same energy to you. Here are two concrete examples:

Financial Security - Let's say that a man named Jack has racked up enormous credit card debt. When someone asks him how he's doing, Jack's response is, "I'm just getting by." According to the Law of Attraction, Jack's response serves to reinforce his mindset and sets him up so that he continues to "just get by."

Relationships - Let's say that a woman named Lucy has had a succession of boyfriends who emotionally abuse her. She laments to anyone who listens, "I'm a magnet for losers." According to the Law of Attraction, by defining herself as a "magnet for losers," Lucy will continue to attract emotionally abusive men.

How can Jack and Lucy use Law of Attraction to change their situations? First, they must visualize what they want their lives to look like. For Jack, that means envisioning a life of prosperity, and for Lucy, it means visualizing a long-term relationship filled with mutual respect and love. They can use a variety of tools to discover their visualizations, such as writing a narrative or creating a poster board with images and words that reflect what they want to attract to their lives.

The instant Jack and Lucy understand what they want to attract to their lives, they need to change their language - both their inner dialogue and what they say to others. Instead of saying he just gets by, Jack must start telling people that he's doing wonderfully. Instead of telling people she's a "loser magnet," Lucy needs to say that she's in the process of finding a loving, respectful mate. Initially, it's not effortless, but over time changing your language gets much easier. It helps to have visualizations - such as a poster board or narrative - close at hand, since the Law of Attraction is based upon knowing exactly what you want to attract.

The last step in manifesting destiny is creating an action plan. The Law of Attraction isn't about wishing and hoping; it's about creating a concrete vision and taking proactive steps to achieve that vision. For Jack, that may mean consulting with a financial advisor and coming up with a debt consolidation plan. It may also mean finding a way to earn additional money so that he can retire his debt. Lucy's proactive steps might include no longer going to the places where she met the "losers" she attracted in the past, or saying yes when a man she wouldn't normally be attracted to asks her out on a date.

The Law of Attraction is incredibly powerful. With it, a person is taking back control over his or her life, creating a life that reflects his or her deepest desires, and manifesting destiny in the process.