Five Ways to Have Your Fresh New Thought Ideas Heard

As a New Thought book buyer and reader, if not total follower, for decades, I realize that teachers/authors/coaches in this tradition are seeking to attract me. They pursue my time, my effort, my energy, my loyalty, my word-of-mouth ability, and last but not at all least, my money.

Over the years, the New Thought movement has grown stale. The modern period dates back around 200 years. However, since humankind began, there has probably been some form of New Thought weaving its way from one culture to another. In the last fifteen years or so, the phrase "New Thought" has been slowly giving way to another one. We now are experiencing the transition from "new thought," into "new feeling." Feeling trumps thought, in terms of manifesting our desires, so it is emphasized to us. Feeling creates reality, is the popular philosophy.

One would think that with the advent of a new phase, a new crop of motivators would burst forth as well. Yet for the past thirty years, perhaps even longer, the same names dominate the field. When they do introduce a protege, the latter of course parrots exactly what the mentor believes. Some of these motivators have become so skilled at public relations, that their ongoing books seem to write themselves -- if you were to remove the title, it would be the same text with minimal changes, from one book to the next.

Seasoned seekers (and I still will ever include myself as a seeker) however, grow jaded. Too few among this best-selling elite bother to re-examine, re-evaluate, what they have written previously and continue to teach. It's obvious, to me, that some of them realize that deeper insight is not gushing forth from within their innermost self. As I read, I sometimes catch several best-selling authors blatantly plagiarizing the text of long-dead philosophers.

In a way, this portends something positive for you, as you are scribbling your concepts, which may or may not harmonize with those of the established New Thought authors. Everyone truly is a potential messenger, radiating a message. What is yours? If you speak from your soul, you will indeed gain my attention -- and I'm exactly the type of seeker who is ideal. I pay for inspirational books, not borrow them from friends or the library, so that I may highlight words, jot notes in the margin, fold in half a memorable page, all to my heart's spiritual contentment. I selectively attend seminars, diligently do the worksheets, and embrace your philosophy fully, until instinct, common sense, and perhaps the morning papers, tell me otherwise, to move on elsewhere. There is also the risk that I may know more than you, having read, heard, experienced an array of wisdom-paths. However, I don't hold that against you, if your heart is in the right, honest place.

Seekers are starving for layered insight and workable methods. Below are five ways you may have your work noticed, and magnetize and sustain a loyal readership and participant base:

(1) Stop over-quoting. Let your text be about you, your ideas, your experiences, your vicissitudes, your insights. There are always going to be cynics. If you feel very strongly about how the Universe operates, there's very little you may do to prove that to me. My instinct either concurs with you or it doesn't. I'll either feel led to practice your technique or I won't. You might want to turn upside down an old Eastern saying into, "When the teacher is ready, the students will register." If you have something you feel compelled to share, a testimonial does little to persuade me. With a sizeable number of inspirational books blaring praise from famous authors on the book covers, this marketing technique backfires. If almost every book is pronounced "Wonderful" how am I, the interested reader, supposed to perceive that yours truly is? I must take the chance and discover for myself.

Moreover, if you insist on sprinkling quotes on your book cover, within the text, or uttering them at your conference, then respect the person you are quoting. Do not take their teaching out of context, simply to support yours. For some reason -- well, I know the reason, it's because this author/mystic/teacher emanated a certainty and a profound wisdom to many readers, including me -- there have been several New Thought authors who love to herald Joel Goldsmith, quote him liberally, but not with much integrity. Joel had spent his life weaning his students away from specific New Thought beliefs. Yet these authors either consciously or unconsciously misrepresent his ideas, to lend credibility to theirs, contrary to Joel's personal convictions. Be honest, and have courage.

(2) Understand this formula. It's worked well for me, ever since I devised it for myself after too many dead-ends: Don't be afraid to judge -- a teacher, a teacher's path, a teacher's theorems -- and prices. Some of the biggest goofballs in spiritual history were motivational teachers who lived less than pristine lives, and never practiced what they preached, and probably laughed all the way to the Swiss bank..

(3) Use a balanced approach to charging fees. There are very few seminar leaders who are so steeped in knowledge that each seminar is worth thousands of dollars to me. Their rationale is that we must immerse ourselves in thoughts of abundance and express that in action. Yes, it's true, it's good to think, feel, and see abundance all around me. And if I spend my money wisely by not tossing it away on a ridiculously priced seminar,when I can stay home and read the book, I feel even more prosperous, thank you very much. I'm weary of people who become rich merely by giving classes on getting rich. Who really matches the income of the teacher, after taking these classes? If you do decide to charge mega-money for your classes, please at least prepare for them, by the way.

Money-making schemes abound. One of the easiest is that of "the journal." A physical blank book, offered by an author, with (here we go again) quotes sporadically littering the pages, sold at a price comparable to costly travel books. Another -- certain teleconferences, where a motivator's intent is to encourage callers to talk among themselves, leaving the host with very little to do except check online the increasing balance in the PayPal account. Such slickness discredits the hard-working, sincere teachers who dedicate themselves to creating a win-win situation, for themselves and for those who come to them for help. Such teachers are always mulling over how to add more value, more benefits to the recipients, regarding whatever they produce and sell, Hopefully, you'll identify with this high standard, making you stand out and above the mercenary crowd.

(4) Learn to know when it's time to stop teaching.

There's a need for teachers/motivators who spend as much time in reflection as in doing, who take sabbaticals when they realize their inspirational flow has waned; who look within for creative insight, rather than the easier route of mimicking others; who strive to go deeper when they realize they have been superficial or wrong about spiritual laws of well-being. Be alert to the absence of Spirit as well as the presence, and conscious of your attunement or lack of it.

(5) Learn to know that it's never time to stop learning.

At some point, I trust, more and more readers/seekers/seminar attendees will turn away from hucksterism, and look for the genuine article, someone perhaps, like you.