How to manifest anything: Turning your dreams into reality

How to manifest something

Manifestation is rooted in the law of attraction, one of 12 universal laws proposed by hermetic philosophy. The law of attraction says that positive thoughts attract positive experiences into your life, and the same goes for a negative mindset. 

The idea of 'energy' is another of the core concepts of manifestation. Quantum physics shows that everything in the universe vibrates at a certain frequency. Manifestation converts believe that to attract something into your life, whether it’s a corner office or a new car, you need to align your frequency with that of your desire.

If you're a scientifically-minded person, you may be skeptical about the validity of manifestation methods. While science is yet to confirm that it's possible to manifest something tangible with your mind, research from Dr Carol Dweck speaks to the powerful effect of strong belief in achieving your goals.¹ 

In her book The Source, neuroscientist and former psychiatrist Dr Tara Swart also explains how concepts like neuroplasticity, emotions, intuition, and logic can create the experience of manifestation.² 

Others believe that the value of manifestation lies in the placebo effect, it makes us believe we will achieve our goals, so we're subconsciously more likely to take action towards them.³

No matter where you fall on the spectrum of science and spirituality, it's hard to ignore the many stories of people who have used manifestation practices to turn their dreams into reality. 

The fact of the matter is we all have thoughts, and these play a role in the actions we take and decisions we make in our everyday lives. So, why not leverage your inner world to change your outer circumstances?

What types of things can you manifest?

It's common to hear about manifestation in relation to money, for example, you set the intention to make $500 and, the very next week, receive a tax return with that exact amount.

While this is a very tangible example of the concept in action, it's not the only thing you can manifest. In your professional life manifestation goals might include a pay rise, working remotely (ideally from a tropical island!), or simply having colleagues you get along well with. 

Beyond that, many people use manifestation to attract a healthy romantic relationship, find their dream home, or improve their physical health. The world is your oyster!

Examples of people who have manifested their career dreams

One of the most famous examples of someone who has achieved abundant success with manifestation is comedian and actor Jim Carrey.⁴ 

In 1985, 23-year-old Carrey was yet to land his big break but was a big fan of the law of attraction. He wrote himself a cheque for $10 million for 'acting services rendered', dated 10 years in the future for Thanksgiving 1985. 

He popped it in his wallet where it deteriorated over time, but shortly before Thanksgiving 1985, found out he was going to make $10 million on the film Dumb and Dumber.

Another less intentional example of manifestation in action is musical superstar Billie Eilish.⁵ Like many teenage girls, Billie had an entire wall in her bedroom dedicated to Justin Bieber and dreamed of meeting him.⁵ 

This wall acted as a vision board for her subconscious and by combining her desire with consistent action, she not only met Justin in 2019 but also collaborated with him on her remix of Bad Guy.

Katherine Zenkina, founder of the business Manifestation Babe, is another testament to the power of manifestation.⁶ She used manifestation to go from $25,000 in debt to a multimillion-dollar business owner in less than 3 years, as well as a healthy relationship, dream condo, and even a pregnancy.

How to manifest: Turning dreams into reality requires more than 'magical thinking'

Perhaps this all sounds too good to be true: you simply wish for something, and it magically turns up at your doorstep a few days, weeks, or months later. Unfortunately, if it were that easy, everyone would already have everything they want in life. 

In reality, manifestation is just like any skill that needs to be practiced and refined over time. It involves a series of processes that work together to align your thoughts, energy, and actions to achieve your goals.

Find out what you (really) want

One area where many people get stuck is attempting to manifest goals that aren't aligned with their core values. For example, you might be trying to find your dream house, because getting on the property ladder is something you feel like you're supposed to do.

But if you're someone who is driven by freedom, travel, and adventure, being tied down with a mortgage may not fit with your true values. Trying to achieve that goal may feel like trying to push a rock uphill because it's not the right goal for you at that particular time.

We all have blind spots about our deepest passions, because we assume that everyone is excited about those things.

With Fingerprint for Success (F4S), you can uncover your innermost drives and desires by simply answering a few questions about what motivates you. We measure 48 traits that influence your energy levels and motivation for certain tasks at work. 

So, whether you have a strong desire for connection and belonging or are a big picture visionary who loves to dream up new ideas, you'll get powerful insights into what lights you up.

Let go of the 'how'

While it might seem counterproductive to everything you already know about goal-setting, you don't need to know how you're going to achieve your dreams. In fact, getting too attached to a step-by-step process can hold you back from seeing other opportunities that will get you to your destination. 

For example, if you're convinced you're going to attract US$10,000 by scoring a bonus at work, you might miss an exciting business opportunity that's right in front of you.

This can be a tricky mindset shift for those who are extremely logical and methodological, but trusting the process will dramatically increase your odds of success. 

Set your intention

Once you're clear on what drives you, it's time to set your goal. It's important to not be overly prescriptive here. Remember, we're zeroing in on the 'what' but not the 'how.' What's important is to set a goal you have a strong emotional connection to. 

Consider: What emotions do you experience when you visualize yourself achieving this goal? For example, you might set the goal 'build a team of incredible go-getters', which makes you feel excited and inspired by the possibilities. 

This positive mindset will be essential for bringing your manifestation to life. You can set your goal in the Fingerprint for Success dashboard. While you can set as many as you'd like, we recommend you stick to just 1 or 2 so you can stay laser-focused on your desires.

Keep your goal visible

Keeping your goals visible is essential for staying aligned with your desires, no matter how busy the rest of your life gets. We've all heard the expression 'out of sight, out of mind', but the opposite is also true!

There are plenty of other ways to keep your goal in mind, whether it's writing it on a post-it note and sticking it on your desk or fridge, or setting it as the screensaver on your phone. 

You might also choose to create an inspiring vision board (either with paper and magazine cut-outs or by using a design tool such as Canva) with visual reminders of all your wildest dreams. 

Over time, you'll likely find that the visual reminder of your goal fades into the background and that you don't notice it. That's fine, as the idea is that it becomes coded into your subconscious mind, guiding how you show up in the world every day.

Hold the belief

The most important step in manifestation is to hold a strong belief that your desires are already on their way to you. This is more challenging than it seems! When many of us first start working towards our goals, which usually corresponds with a 'fresh start' like New Years or a birthday, we have that initial spark of optimism to spur us on. 

However, life inevitably puts obstacles in our path. These are called 'tests' in manifestation, and they exist to confirm whether you're ready to receive your desires.

This is the point where many of us give up, taking the resistance to mean that our dreams are too big or unrealistic. However, this is the exact moment that separates an abundance mindset (believing that there are plenty of opportunities to go around) from a scarcity mindset (believing you're never going to get what you want).⁷

This is where working with a coach can prove invaluable. A coach helps you continue taking consistent action, even when things get tough. 

Our AI coach Marlee tailors a coaching program to your specific goals, which is delivered in bite-size 5 to 7 minute sessions anytime and anywhere you want. 

You can work with Marlee to develop skills like reflection, patience, and intuition, which will set you up for manifestation success. 

Act 'as if'

What would your life look like if you had already achieved your goal? How would you act, what would you wear, and what kind of decisions would you make? These questions are key to reverse engineering your success. 

By showing up as the person who already has your desires, you slowly begin to embody that identity over time. Essentially, you're faking it until you make it!

Spiritual types argue that this works because, by fast-forwarding to the successful version of yourself, you can collapse time and vibrate at the same positive energy as your desires. 

In the self-development world, this looks more like the 'be, do, have' model used by Anthony Robbins and Steven Covey: Deciding what kind of person you must be, to do the things you need to and have what you want.⁸ 

Working with a coach like Marlee can help you take this aligned action towards your lofty goals.

Get grateful

One of the common misconceptions about manifestation is that it's about demanding 'more' from the universe. In reality, the concept of gratitude is important for aligning with your goals. 

Just like in the dating world, when you emanate a sense of desperation, it can drive away your desires. On the flip side, when you are already happy and content with what you have, it tends to attract more positivity into your life. 

Reflecting on the things you are grateful for helps to connect you with that future, abundant version of you who already has everything they could possibly desire. 

Inside the Fingerprint for Success dashboard, you'll find a journal where you can keep your gratitude reflections and affirmations. You can also set a reminder to journal daily, weekly, or monthly.

Remember, manifestation isn't a 'one and done' process. It involves daily intentional practices to connect with your desires. For more information on these manifestation techniques, check out our article How to manifest your desires without burning out.

The benefits of positive thinking

If you take one thing away from the manifestation process, it should be the power of becoming a master of your own thoughts.

Look at any successful person, and you'll likely find that their positive mindset is the internal compass that drives them to achieve their goals.

Need more convincing? Here are some of the science-backed benefits of a positive mindset:

• Positive people are luckier: 

You know that person who always seems to win competitions or have opportunities land in their lap? Chances are, they're an optimistic thinker. Research shows optimists tend to follow their intuition and leap at opportunities.⁹

• Positive people are more productive: 

'Glass half full people' tend to approach challenges with optimism and resilience, fostering creativity and problem-solving.¹⁰ Their mindset makes them more likely to persevere with tasks and habits even when things feel difficult, leading to greater output and performance overall.

• Positive people live longer: 

If you ever needed a strong motivator to cultivate happy thoughts, this is it! Optimistic people tend to have longer lifespans. This has to do with its protective impact on mental health and associated factors like healthy habits and strong social connectedness.¹¹

Manifest anything you desire

If you've been doing all the right things but your biggest career goals still feel out of reach, manifestation might just be the missing piece of the puzzle. 

By clarifying your desires keeping them in your subconscious and aligning your mindset and energy, you can become a magnet to the things you want out of life. 

However, remember that even the most seasoned manifestors can't sit back and wait for their desires to materialize. Like all good collaborations, manifestation is about co-designing your future with the universe. 

This means staying open to opportunities and taking consistent action in the direction of your goals. 

Putting data-driven self-reflection, coaching, journaling, and more at your fingertips, F4S acts as the perfect companion throughout your manifestation journey. 

By combining science, technology, and a little bit of magic, you'll feel more empowered than ever to step into the exciting next phase of your life and career.