About fifteen years ago, when Neptune entered Pisces, the New Age manifestation phenomenon surged and has continued to attract followers. It’s a powerful idea, and I understand why people want to embrace it. Just focus on what you want, and the Universe will bring it to you. It’s even a Universal Law—the Law of Attraction.
The Law of Attraction is a concept popularized by books like “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne. It suggests that your thoughts and feelings act as magnets: positive ones draw positive experiences, while negative ones attract misfortune. Visualization, affirmations, and beliefs are believed to “manifest” reality.
I watched “The Secret” video back when it was really popular, and a friend encouraged me to see it. I dismissed it as New Age nonsense, and I still don’t buy it, but many others do. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of self-help books discussing the power of positive thinking, but is it truly effective?
The Law of Attraction depends on mental alignment and vibrational energy to draw opportunities, or similar things. It minimizes the role of hard work in favor of relaxed faith, warning that struggle causes resistance. Instead of seeing failure as a lesson learned, it views failure as a sign of misaligned thoughts. Your negative thoughts attracted the failure to you.
Fairy Tale
And that’s where it gets interesting because it actually makes things worse for these believers as they constantly try to force or resist the unfolding of their lives. As they avoid challenges or force positive thoughts, their internal resistance tends to perpetuate the experience they’re trying to prevent from happening. The truth is, challenges aren’t consequences for negative thoughts—they’re just challenges, that’s how life works.
I’ll put my faith in discipline and action, not wishes. The Law of Attraction is a fairy tale for the lazy, dressed up in New Age fluff. Sure, positive thinking has its place and helps you stay focused, but sitting on the couch visualizing a Ferrari won’t put one in the garage. That’s delusion, not destiny. Real success, the kind that fuels a fun, happy life, comes from action—disciplined, consistent action.
Effort is crucial, as it transforms intentions into real results through consistency. Daily practice and habit formation create opportunities. Happiness isn’t some cosmic gift; it’s the result of pushing boundaries, failing, and coming back stronger. You must be a doer, not a dreamer; set goals, follow through, and quickly adapt to failures. There are no shortcuts, no magic—just sweat and attitude.
The idea that thoughts have a direct causal link to external events lacks substantial evidence and is not well-supported. While visualization and affirmations can help foster a positive mindset and motivate action, they are not replacements for hard work and good habits. Forget the pseudoscience. It’s action, not attraction, that truly makes a difference. The universe doesn’t choreograph your life; your energy and effort create it.