I'm about a quarter of the way through a book called Excuse Me, Your Job is Waiting, which carries the subtitle Attract the Work You Want. I'm making no judgments about the book as a whole so far, but the early part of the book is dedicated to convincing the reader that their positive/negative energy and positive/negative attitude are keys to getting a positive/negative job.

In general, the thesis here is that you'll get what you think about, i.e., positive energy attracts positive outcomes and negative energy attracts negative outcomes. In other words, think about wanting a thrilling job that brings you respect, wealth and a listing in the Movers & Shakers column in your local newspaper, and that's what you'll get. Think about desperately needing a job, any job, and you'll get just any job, or maybe no job at all.

But then, take this to its logical extension---Think about winning the lottery, win it. Think about helping Angelina Jolie adopt babies and making Brad Pitt a lowly manservant, it will happen. I spent a large part of my growing up years thinking about Cheryl Ladd, and even today the Charlie's Angel has still not come my way even once. Cheryl, I'm thinking about a visit to your wine country retreat. E-mail me: j.mchenry@indexcreditcards.com.

I don't mean to be a jerk. (It just happens.) I appreciate that a positive attitude helps in many respects and people are more inclined to be around and help those who are positive. It's annoying to be around someone whose favorite phrase is "it'll never work." But at the same time, I don't believe that if I think about my airplane crashing every time I'm on one (which I do) that it will therefore happen (it has not, although I'm probably cursing myself by writing this).

Not sure where I'm going with this, other than to say that getting a good job or getting rich or getting Angelina Jolie is not just about having the right energy. It's about doing things that prepare you for what you want in the first place. Training for a career you want, starting a business or moving up the ladder in an existing corporation, getting massive plastic surgery, etc.

Think positive, but do something, too.