Recently I came across Mastery of Self by Frank Channing Hadock 1853-1915

Upon closer investigation, this book is part of the "New Thought" movement, of which "the Secret" Law of Attract book/movie are based on.

I don't agree with "the Secret"'s Law of Attraction as it is currently understood:
"if you really want something and truly believe it's possible, you'll get it", but putting a lot of attention and thought onto something you don't want means you'll probably get that too."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_Attraction

"The secret" allows an easy crutch for those more fortunate to feel justified and lax about any trouble around them in the world. After all, those less fortunate probably attracted their misfortune, isn't that right? Just like the prudish times our mothers had to go through, where if a woman got raped, it must be her fault right? She wanted it didn't she?

However, the "Mastery of Self" held some treasures that might redeem the "New Thought" movement (which is actually more than a century old):
"Magnetism is practical cooperation with level-headed people who are bent on making the best of self and the world through created opportunity. For these reasons, you cannot study magnetism too deeply nor practise it too faithfully." and that "Moral Health is indispensable to Psychic Magnetism;"

Or quite succinctly described by Leo about why the law of attraction is wrong, but still works. The reason why "the Secret" works is because of the power of creative visualization.