How Manifestation Can Help You Unlock Your Full Potential

Article by: Vincent van Vliet

Last update: March 24, 2025

You may have noticed that manifestation is present in your life, even if you didn’t invite it. Even 10 years ago, we barely heard this word, and today every second blogger is talking about it from your phone screen. Why has this topic become so popular recently? There are several reasons for this, and one of them is that manifestation works and can change your reality.

What Psychics Think About Manifestation

Psychics and mystics have been talking about it for centuries. They just didn’t call it “manifestation.” They called it spellwork, intention-setting, or energy manipulation. To any psychic reader, the idea that thoughts shape reality isn’t some hot new self-help revelation. The belief that the energy you put out affects what you attract, is a basic universal law in their world.

But where it gets interesting is how different types of psychics explain why manifestation works. Some say it’s because you’re aligning your energy with what you desire, making it easier for the universe to deliver. Others claim you’re communicating with a higher power or spirit guides who decide if your request is valid. Then there are psychics who believe that manifestation is another word for magic—except we’ve stripped it of its candles, incantations, and moonlit rituals.

However, all psychics who help people learn their destiny (check here how exactly: https://asknebula.com/charts/life-path-calculator) agree on one thing: If you keep saying, “I’ll never be successful,” the universe will respond, “Alright then.” It’s better to be mindful of your thoughts.

What Psychology Says

Although it is impossible to prove the power of manifestation in a laboratory setting, the science of psychology does have some very interesting things to say about the power of belief and focus.

The Pygmalion Effect: You Get What You Believe In

The theory is simple: if you believe something is going to happen, your thoughts and actions subconsciously shift to make it a reality. Back in 1968, this theory was tested in schools by Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson. They told teachers that certain students were “intellectual bloomers” who would show extraordinary academic growth.

Although the students were not performing well before this experiment, suddenly something changed. Those kids did perform better—not because they were secretly geniuses, but because their teachers expected them to be, and therefore treated them in ways that helped them succeed. This is scientific proof that if you believe in someone (including yourself), they’re more likely to rise to the occasion.

The Placebo Effect: Your Brain is a Liar, but It’s Your Liar

The placebo effect is one of science’s most mysterious yet well-documented quirks. Studies show that patients who believe they’re receiving medicine (even if it’s just a tic-tac) can experience real improvements. Their brain convinces their body to heal because it expects to get better.

Your brain is powerful enough to trick itself into healing. If we apply this to manifestation, imagine what your brain could do with confidence, success, and financial abundance.

Mental Rehearsal: Your Brain Thinks Visualization = Reality

Neuroscientists have found that visualizing an action activates the same brain regions as actually doing it. In one study by Dr. Biasiotto from the University of Chicago, basketball players who only imagined practicing free throws improved almost as much as those who physically trained.

This is a key part of manifestation—if you see your success in your mind, your brain starts acting like it’s already happening. It makes you more likely to behave in ways that bring your dream to life.

So, What Even Is Manifestation?

In fact, the approximate meaning of the term manifestation has been familiar to us since childhood. As Jiminy Cricket famously sings in Pinocchio (1940), “When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are. Anything your heart desires will come to you.”

It’s a lovely sentiment, but things work differently when you’re an adult. While wishing alone won’t make your dreams come true, manifestation isn’t about wishing only. It’s about something much more powerful: the way your thoughts shape your reality. Manifestation is the practice of focusing your thoughts, emotions, and actions toward a specific goal, with the belief that doing so will increase the likelihood of it happening.

How to Manifest Your Success

Now that we’ve told you why you should try it, you should learn how. Here’s a practical guide to manifesting:

1. Get clear on what you want. Saying, “I want to be rich,” is about as useful as yelling, “I’m hungry,” at an empty fridge. You need to be specific. Explain how exactly you want to become rich. Instead of “I want more money,” repeat: “I will earn $10,000 a month through my business.” Instead of “I want to be successful,” try: “I am confidently leading a creative team at a company I love.” Your brain works better with specifics. Give it something to actually focus on.

2. Visualize it like you’re already living it. Remember the basketball study we discussed a minute ago? Your brain doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined experiences, so make your visualization as detailed as possible. See it. Picture yourself getting the job or signing the book deal. What does it sound like when people congratulate you? How does success feel in your body? Excitement? Confidence? Relief? Visualize this event and your emotions daily.

3. Align your actions with your words. Manifestation is not just about thinking happy thoughts and waiting for the universe to deliver. You also have to brace yourself. Manifestation helps you feel like a weapon in the hands of your dream. Want to be a writer? Start writing. When your thoughts and actions are in sync, the results come faster.

4. Say “thank you” more. You should thank the Universe for your success not because the universe is playing favorites but because gratitude shifts your focus. Instead of obsessing over what’s missing, you start seeing what’s already working. And when you see what’s already working, you get inspired to build on it. Studies show that gratitude rewires your brain to notice opportunities instead of obstacles. Your mind starts filtering reality differently.

How Fear Blocks Manifestation (And What to Do About It)

Both Disney cartoons and psychology manuals can remind you of the main enemy of success. Fear has destroyed many heroes. And fear is the absolute enemy of manifestation. But if you learn to fight it, you will not become one of them.

Manifestation is connected to energy. What you put out is what you get back. Fear is a distress signal. It tells the universe, “I don’t believe I can have this,” or, worse, “I’m terrified I’ll fail, so let’s just not even try.”

The psychology behind this is brutal. Studies show that when you focus on avoiding failure instead of pursuing success, your brain shuts down creative problem-solving. Fear puts you in survival mode, and survival mode doesn’t have time for big dreams—it’s too busy making sure you don’t get eaten alive.

So, how do you stop fear from blocking your manifestations? Acknowledge it. Recognize it, say, “I see you, but I’m doing this anyway,” and move on.

Reframe the fear. Instead of “What if I fail?”, try “What if this works?” Trick your brain into excitement instead of terror.

And then, take action. Fear thrives on inaction. Do one small thing toward your goal, and suddenly, you’ll see how fear loses its grip.

Manifestation is much more than thinking positive thoughts—it’s about believing in them enough to push past fear and do something. So, the next time fear tries to scare you, telling you that your plans won’t work, smile and reply, “Watch me.”

Conclusion: Magic, Science, or a Really Good Mindset?

For many people, manifestation does actually work. The science-backed power of belief, focus, and aligned action makes dreams real. However, as you may have noticed, it’s not just about sincerely wanting something but more about training your brain to see and seize opportunities, reprogramming your beliefs, and showing up for yourself in ways that change your reality.

Psychology, psychics, and perhaps your own experience will show you that when you believe something is possible, you start behaving like it’s possible. Is there something mystical about it? Plenty of psychics and spiritual leaders swear that manifestation is proof of a deeper universal force. So, sure, maybe the universe is responding to our thoughts. Maybe there is an invisible cosmic force nodding along every time you visualize your dream life.

So, whether you think of manifestation as a spiritual practice, a psychological strategy, or just a glorified rebranding of “working toward your goals,” the outcome remains the same:

If you believe in your success, you’re more likely to take the actions needed to achieve it.
If you expect failure, you’ll unknowingly make choices that lead to that.
If you allow fear to dictate your decisions, you’ll stay stuck.
If you act like the person you want to become, you’ll slowly become them.

Train your brain to work for you, not against you. Go forth, visualize your wildly successful future, take one bold step toward it today, and manifest something extraordinary.

Article by:

Vincent van Vliet

Vincent van Vliet is co-founder and responsible for the content and release management. Together with the team Vincent sets the strategy and manages the content planning, go-to-market, customer experience and corporate development aspects of the company.