Is manifesting hurting your success? Here’s 3 ways to tell

Type “manifesting” into Tiktok and you’ll get videos viewed over 34.6 billion times (May 2023). You don’t need to look far to find celebrities quoting statements like this one below and trying to convince you to buy their manifesting method:

“Remember that your thoughts are the primary cause of everything” (Rhonda Byrne:  The Secret, 2006)

With the number of people desiring success rising (Twenge et. al, 2012), one UK survey estimated that in 2022, 10% of Brits “strongly believed” in manifesting and a further 24% stated that they “somewhat believe”.. In other words manifesting is BIG business, with self help book sales alone worth $10.5 billion worldwide in 2020

Yet according to the United States Census Bureau (2015) success remains elusive for most people and despite all the hype, there is still no scientific evidence of a relationship between manifestation and income or educational achievement (Dixon et.al, 2023). What neuroscience research illustrates is that manifesting rather than getting us to success faster, may be taking us in the opposite direction through increasingly unrealistic expectations, creating false hope and hindering the achievement of our goals (Dixon et.al, 2023)

How is manifesting hurting your success?

• Overconfidence

We’ve all come across people who are overly confident about achieving high levels of success and yet fail to perform the actions needed (I posted about this in my last newsletter). “Magical thinking” or the belief in “the ability to influence events at a distance with no known physical explanation (Pronin et. al,2006, p.218) causes manifestors to remain confident even if the gap between their goals and their success is enormous (does that sound like gambling to you?). Whilst confidence does have its benefits when pursuing goals, research suggests that manifestors display riskier behaviour due to their inability to delay gratification, are more likely to take risks, have riskier investments and have been made bankrupt more often

• Creating false hope

In my work I often come across manifestors who insist on believing positive affirmations about their future financial aspirations rather than facing the financial reality they are currently living in. You’ve probably come across the advice of manifesting “experts” to “think of being rich as if it’s a reality” and write your “I’m rich and living my dream life now” statements. Yet the evidence shows that for people with lower self-worth these “positive” affirmations can make things worse not better. In other words, if you’re already feeling unlovable, telling yourself that “I’m worthy of being loved” can make you feel more unlovable, not less.

Research has also found that manifestors are more inclined to believe they can achieve extreme levels of success, hence the explosion of claims that manifesting will bring you a “7 figure income in 6 weeks”.I can’t tell you the number of horror stories I’ve been told by people who believed these manifesting claims, put large amounts of money on a credit card and are now in a worse financial position than they were before. And if I hear another celebrity telling people to invest in themselves “because you’re worth it”, by putting $50,000 on their credit card, I’ll cry.

• Hinders your goal achievement

Manifestation beliefs rely on the topic of faith and quick reward which is why research shows a strong relationship between manifestation and faith based groups. Yet faith alone isn’t likely to create that healthy bank account that you want and persistence due to faith (“I’m not manifesting because I don’t have enough belief yet”) may actually hinder your ability to take the next step to making your success happen. When faith becomes a replacement for action we can avoid making good decisions  eg. going to the doctors when you find a lump under your arm, which may have serious consequences which no amount of faith can reverse.

Manifestors' perceptions of future success are the very thing that make them more susceptible to believing the claims made by those in the success industry about the likelihood, level and timeframe of future success. The more you give your power away to “external” forces, the more vulnerable you become to negative financial outcomes. Achieving your goals isn’t a simple or quick process, it takes agency, control, self-esteem, emotional regulation, mindset and the ability to delay gratification, in other words, inner work beyond changing your thoughts.

Is manifesting hurting your success? Ask yourself these questions:

1. Am I financially hurting because I’m paying for a course or programme I’ve put on a credit card

2. Am I believing that my life will change by telling myself to feel more positive (even when it makes me feel worse)?

3. Am I relying on faith or a belief instead of taking the next action I need to take?

4. Am I focused on the end result (earning  $millions, having a beach house, marrying my ideal partner), rather than focusing on the next step in the process (finishing my budget, saving a deposit, getting clear on my values)?

5. Am I feeling defeated, disappointed or ashamed because I haven’t been able to manifest what I want in the time frame I wanted to?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions then manifesting is hurting you.

Unfortunately if you are someone who believes strongly in manifesting, you’re probably not reading this or you’ll dismiss it (it’s why the claims made by the manifesting “industry” are earning the people involved large amounts of money).

Whether you believe the science or don’t, the key is what works for you. But if manifesting makes you feel worse about yourself, is gettin you into debt or has you doubting yourself because you’re not able to get the results you’ve been promised, there may be some very real scientific reasons why that’s happening.

If you're ready to prime your brain for success, book a free 30 minute curiosity call with me and I’d love to share more tips (all based on science of course)

Carolyn Whitehouse is a Money Psychologist, Coach, Speaker and soon-to-be Author renowned for her expertise in understanding the intricate interplay between psychology and financial decision-making. With an extensive background in both psychology and trauma, Carolyn offers invaluable insights into how individuals perceive, approach, and manage money, empowering them to achieve greater financial well-being. Carolyn helps clients identify and address underlying issues that may hinder their financial success. Whether it's overcoming self-limiting beliefs about money, managing impulsive spending habits, or navigating financial conflicts within relationships. Driven by a passion for helping others achieve financial well-being, Carolyn is committed to demystifying the psychological barriers that often hinder individuals' financial success. Through her work as a Money Psychologist, she strives to empower people to cultivate healthier attitudes towards money, enabling them to lead more fulfilling and prosperous lives.