If I claimed that jumping off of a tall building landed you in heaven, which is the fucking best place ever, would you test it?
I think you can do real harm by ignoring certain teachings and expanding others to grotesque proportions.
I am absolutely NOT suggesting you intentionally deprive yourself of material things, enduring fasting and the like, I'm suggesting what some refer to as the 'middle way'. One that doesn't feed and develop ego, but one that simply lets ego be and lives. One that observes the mundane and the special with a discerning mind, seeing things as they are and not getting caught up in the turbulence of emotions and experiences.
I'll offer one of the books of power

, but the deep irony is that once you've achieved the power (been delivered from suffering, attained enlightenment, whatever) you might wonder at the fact that it doesn't seem so powerful anymore , and yet you cannot imagine a world without this insight. maybe thats too cryptic, but I'm trying to poke at something ineffable while simultaneously whetting your appetite.
Many of the books are actually meditation manuals, as is (i suspect) 'the secret', in its own way. Instead of sitting down and focusing on power wealth and glory, these manuals will turn your attention to the world as is.
you might try 'mastering the core teachings of the buddha' if you wanna skip right to the hardcore stuff.
A path with heart by jack kornfield seems like a book you might get something out of (even with the corny title)