The movie-documentary, "The Secret," skillfully promoted the Law of Attraction and the idea that thoughts become things.

The more you pay attention to things, the more they are encouraged to manifest.

Almost as an afterthought, near the end of "The Secret," it is mentioned that - oh, by the way - you also have to work hard in order to make the grandest of dreams come true.

Much of the focus of "The Secret" is on financial abundance, which is one part of the complete principle of abundance.

Abundance, in its natural, unrestricted state of flow, applies to everything in your life. Abundance in love, laughter, health, joy and material comfort is perfectly natural and desirable. If a person is financially poor when they could choose abundance, then they probably have some issue inside that is blocking the natural flow.

My own secret of material abundance recognizes that work is necessary, but it makes the work easy. Here it my secret:

If you spend your time doing work that you love, you will find such work absorbing. When you are absorbed by work that you love, it seems like no effort at all. As time passes, because your attention is absorbed by your work, you naturally become highly skilled, even adept, at what you do. Then, you become valuable to employers or, in business, to your own customers.

You then, by default, become highly paid or highly rewarded.

"Follow your inner joy" may sound like an overused cliche, but it is actually the key to abundance. It all starts with this key question:

Ask yourself, "What is the most exciting thing that I could possibly be doing right now to enhance my long-term, inner joy?"

The state of regular, conscious thinking often contains self-limiting filters like skepticism, fears, or a lack of self-esteem. So, for the most inspired and imaginative results, ask that key question near the end of a deep, 20-minute meditation session. That way, your inner possibilities can come forward into your consciousness without being filtered.

Then, find a way to do that most exciting possibility. And, when you have finished doing that, ask yourself the same question again. Usually, the answer will be something in the same direction as your first act, although not always.

Inner joy is your barometer of natural flow. Use it to determine what action is the most important in developing your experience of life. Find ways to dissolve self-limiting barriers so that you can act upon that inner joy.

To follow your inner joy is to live holistically because you are acting with more of your complete self. It lightens up your spirit, allowing you to function at a higher frequency of consciousness.

If you are considering a career change, practical considerations do need to be considered. Will pursuing your inner joy earn you an adequate living? If you need to learn an entirely new skill, often the learning phase has to be a part-time endeavor while you earn a living using your existing skills.

The great thing about doing work you love is that everyone can sense the living joy within you. If you are employed, other employers want you to come and work for them. If you are self-employed, customers seek you out, based upon word of mouth recommendations.

Abundance flows because you are in the flow - the natural flow of giving service to help others through your favorite field of work.