The Practicality of Manifestation: How Behavioural Science Supports the Magic

By Allie Manzi

Manifestation is the concept that we can turn our thoughts into their physical equivalent through visualisation and affirmation techniques. It says that if you believe the said desire already exists and belongs to your future, this energy is enough to create its presence in your life. 

Think it seems too good to be true?

We have yet to really measure or ‘prove’ manifestation, so I understand why many people have their doubts. However, in my studies as a Cognitive Behaviour Specialist, I’ve seen how this practice has an inherent power separate from the so-called ‘magic’. The best news? It’s not necessary to believe it or understand it to reap major benefits from it. Sceptics, pragmatics and logical thinkers, start making that wish list – you may be a Manifestation wiz by daybreak.

So, how does it work? Well, the practise of visualising the goal makes it clearer. If we don’t know what we’re after, it's harder to create systems and make the right choices to get there. Forcing ourselves to imagine the full end product or ideal scenario helps us with specificity. As a result, we take more intentional action.

Embodying the vision (imagining your ideal outcome and noticing how it feels in your body) makes it easier to discern which choices in life are more aligned with the end goal, because they will feel similar. Believe it or not, choices become a lot less complicated when we act on feeling instead of logic. Our brains can argue anything; they can draw a perfect tie and keep you spinning for days trying to find the objectively ‘correct’ answer. But there isn’t one! There’s only what’s best for you. That’s where aligning with the desired energy comes in handy.

Acknowledging that the goal is possible (claiming and believing) sets you up for more confident choices and saying yes to potential opportunities. This, in actuality, is a huge part of what gets us closer to what we want. When you’re showing up with optimistic energy, it positively impacts how we interact with our network and what kind of impression we make. We might get chosen for an opportunity over our competitor simply because of our ‘good impression’. It happens more than you think!

We have a different relationship to obstacles when we believe that the goal or outcome is possible. This is key to perseverance, which is one of the strongest indicators for success. If we don’t believe in the outcome, we may perceive an obstacle as a sign that whatever it is we want is not meant to be and cease to continue. However, if we believe that we are going to end up at the goal no matter what, then it's simply a matter of clearing these small hiccups so that we can get back to our mission. Simply put: if we’re less likely to quit, we’re more likely to succeed. 

If we are certain about what we will achieve, we’ll likely feel safer investing in the process. We’ll also be more likely to take favourable risks in order to incite change, an often vital part of reaching a big dream. It feels like a low stake bet with a high reward if we assume it's already ours and a sure win. The more resources, energy and intention we invest in supporting the process, the more likely the outcome is to materialise.

Big goals require big action and big faith. We have to know what we want, what it will look like and feel like when we get there and decide that the outcome is not up for question. Instead, it is a cold hard fact. The stories we tell ourselves and the relationship we have to the process can be the difference between living the dream or letting the dream die. So, if we consider these tools as a part of our mindset makeover, we’ll be able to persevere beyond fear, obstacles and distractions to claim the life we want. 

Now that is what I call magic.