Why the Law of Attraction doesn't work for most people
(and what you can do to manifest abundance and your heart’s true desires)Why are most people not manifesting what they want?
If your life is not exactly as you’d love it to be and if you’ve been struggling to manifest your dreams, you are not alone. Look around. How many people do you know who have tried to use the Law of Attraction but don’t have the life they want?
How many people do what they love every day?
How many are truly happy?
Probably not many. I’ve personally spoken to hundreds of people about why the Law of Attraction is not working for them. I’ve taught thousands of people in our courses Spiritual Life Coach Certification. And I can assure you that very few people understand the deeper workings of manifestation. Even worse – most people have experienced negative side effects from attempting to make the Law of Attraction work for them. Their lives have actually become worse and they have a nagging feeling that they are not as far along the path as they should be. They are always wanting something they don’t have now and are rarely happy with their life the way it is, today.
Be warned: The traditional Law of Attraction teachings (if taken literally) can screw up your life and leave you with nightmares from shattered and distorted dreams. People who apply the Law of Attraction in the wrong way have half-dreams and nothing to show for them. Their experiences are like the movie, The Fly in which a man is teleported in a machine with a stray fly. When he is re-materialized he has become half man, half fly. If you get these techniques wrong, they are worse than having done nothing. Disappointment is a heavy burden. Without the other secrets I’m going to share with you, the Law of Attraction can be harmful.
I had to learn this the hard way myself.
In my mid-twenties, I was trying to use the Law of Attraction to create my dream life – but I was depressed, lost, confused and broke. It simply wasn’t working and the harder I tried, the worse my life got. After about 14 months of trying it, I found myself so distressed that I was laying in the middle of a field crying and hoping I’d die because my life was so miserable. In that deep pain, I realized that there must be something I was missing. And I was determined to find out what it was. I had no other choice.
Finally I discovered the secrets I’m about to share with you and my whole life changed. Within six months of applying these methods, I was living my dream life on the paradise island Kauai, Hawaii. I now live in stunning Sedona, Arizona with my wife and we have a beautiful home with amazing views, surrounded by world class trails in all directions. I spend my days doing what I love, and getting paid! My life has just gotten better and better. I now feel so deeply blessed by life, that it is my mission to serve as many people as possible to create their real dream life – and to discover the tools that really work. I now help entrepreneurs and people who want to make a positive impact, to create the life they love as they serve the world.
It is my honor and joy to connect with you! You are amazing and you have limitless possibilities inside of you!
So let’s get started with you and with creating your dreams. To begin, we need to first review the common Law of Attraction knowledge, then we’ll explore a little history of the popular Law of Attraction teachings and where things may have gone wrong. We will then focus on the things that will turn it all around for you, so you can create a life you truly love.
. . .
What are the seven traditional Laws of Attraction?
The Law of Manifestation
The Law of Manifestation is the foundation of the Law of Attraction. This law tells us that what we hold in mind tends to manifest. If we hold in mind fear and imagine terrible things, our life will literally go in that direction. If we hold in mind beautiful thoughts, feelings and visualizations, our life will begin to flourish with opportunity, love and meaning. Our minds are powerful, and the Law of Manifestation is based on the power of the mind. Like attracts like, and so, the more we are embodying thoughts and feelings of joy, wealth, service and love, the more we will create and attract opportunities that bring even more joy, wealth, service and love into our lives.
The Law of Magnetism
The Law of Magnetism states that as we are, so we attract. In a sense, we are like walking magnets. If we are living in an elevated level of consciousness and awareness, beautiful experiences, people and things will be attracted to us. Love attracts love. Hate attracts hate. Like a magnet, like is attracted to like. The law tells us that it isn’t so much a “going out and getting,” but more of a “becoming and attracting like a magnet.”
The Law of Unwavering Desire
The Law of Unwavering Desire means that we hold within our heart and mind, that which we intend to manifest – with unwavering focus. I’m going to change the word “desire” here to “pure heart’s desire”, as desire originating from the ego mind is what can trip people up, as we’ll discuss shortly. If we’re going to focus on something with unwavering attention, we want to make sure it is true, good and pure. Otherwise, focusing on it and manifesting it can be a real problem. Therefore, as we’ll discuss more shortly, we must first learn how to be in touch with our heart’s true and pure desires. We must be surrendered to the highest good for all. When you are free of doubt, fear and desperation, and in alignment with your pure heart’s desire, unwavering attention becomes natural.
The Law of Delicate Balance
The Law of Delicate Balance refers to the art of balancing the pure desire you wish to manifest, and being completely content, satisfied and at peace with your life right now. The irony is, that in order to manifest that which you desire, you must actually feel that you’ve already attained everything – that you’re completely free and full. Delicate balance can also refer to the balance of holding your pure vision and intention in your mind and heart, AND also taking inspired action in the world. If you only work on the subtle level of mind, and take no action, you will not be able to bring your manifestation to life. On the other hand, if you run around all the time acting and chasing after things, without using the power of your mind’s thoughts and feelings, you will similarly come up empty handed in the things you wish to manifest.
The Law of Harmony
The Law of Harmony tells us that maintaining a peaceful and harmonious state of being, is essential. We must have a pure desire for our manifestation, and then ultimately, we must be loving and detached and completely let it go. We must reach a state of equanimity in which, it is ok if it manifests, and it’s ok if it doesn’t. Ultimately, you are surrendered to the highest good for all, and you rest in that peace. This brings the energy of harmony into your consciousness and life, and actually is a key element of manifestation.
The Law of Right Action
The Law of Right Action guides us to appreciate that not all actions are created equal. Some actions spring forth from a lower state of consciousness – wanting, chasing after, stressing. These actions are not beneficial and lead to further consequences. And then higher actions spring from a place of inspiration, joy, lightness and freedom. These actions lead us to manifesting abundance and beauty in our life. These are the actions we need to take, to achieve real beneficial results with the Law of Attraction.
The Law of Universal Influence
The Law of Universal Influence means that there is a collective field of consciousness that we are all connected to. Some may refer to this universal web of interconnection as the Universe. As we engage in manifestation, we are affecting and being affected by the greater universal influence of the collective. This is where the highest good for all comes in. When we intend for that which we attract into our lives to be in the highest good for all, we are blessing ourselves and all of life, by calling forth healing and goodness for all. This pulls us out of selfish ego-based reasons for manifestation, and brings us into a higher awareness of our connection to all of life.
Does the Law of Attraction work?
Now we come to explore, does the Law of Attraction work? So far, we’ve touched on the seven traditional Laws of Attraction. Each one is genuinely sacred and powerful when understood and applied correctly. So why do so many people get poor or negative results using the Law of Attraction? Where did we go wrong? To understand this, we must first understand the ineffective Law of Attraction teachings and where they come from.
. . .
Where do ineffective Law of Attraction teachings come from?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve either seen or heard of “The Secret,” a 2006 film produced by Prime Time Productions. While Abraham Hicks claims to be the first to create/describe the Law of Attraction teachings, The Secret film and book were where most people first heard about them.
As you know – the essence of the Law of Attraction is simple.
The basic idea is:
Everything you want may be attained by seeing, feeling & believing that you will receive the outcome, by consistently thinking about it, and by maintaining positive emotional states to “attract” it.
Or in simpler terms:
Ask — Believe — Receive.
These teachings are now so common in our community that many of us take them for granted. If you want a car, for example, you may think that you just need to imagine, feel and believe you have the car regularly – and stay happy overall – and the car will soon show up in your life for you to drive. This sounds good in theory, but let us see what is really going on with this traditional teaching of the Law of Attraction. Let’s find out what is missing. Let’s discover how you can truly create the life and experiences your heart desires – even if you haven’t had success in the past.
To begin, let’s get real and be totally honest. Nearly everyone has had some occasional experiences of success with this traditional Law of Attraction method (Ask — Believe — Receive). However, we must ask ourselves, has this method consistently worked in a way that is reliable, guaranteed and free of hidden problems? And, have we seen it work successfully for others who have tried it? In short, is this the real deal, or are there other factors at play that may actually be even more powerful?
This article shares the difference between the limited traditional methods and the deeper, more secret aspects of conscious creation that are rarely spoken of or understood.
. . .
What really happens when people apply the traditional Law of Attraction methods?
The theory sounds great. Ask — Believe — Receive. Unfortunately, many people who have tried this method in their lives have either:
1. Had inconsistent success (and not been able to rely on the method or know what they did that made it work or not work).
2. Not manifested the things they wanted (and often ended up feeling disempowered, disappointed, depressed or in debt from what was meant to be an empowering process).
3. Manifested the things they wanted, only to realize they didn’t really want them! (and faced a whole array of unforeseen problems that actually made their life considerably worse than before).
4. Not been able to apply the methods because their mind was all over the place (and they have not been able to stay in a positive state).
In this article, you will discover the missing secrets in The Secret. You will learn what you can do to truly manifest abundance and your heart’s desires – consistently, with maturity, and with deep understanding.
My aim is to supply you with all you will ever need to attain your heart’s true desires. This is for you to never again wonder what you are doing wrong and if your manifestation process is working or not. Once you uncover these eternal truths and master yourself, you can sit on the seat of a master creator. You will have the ability to command the power of the Universe to yield to you whatever is pure and true in your heart. I have personally used these methods to manifest a profoundly beautiful, loving, abundant life in both Hawaii and Sedona, where I now write to you. Not only have I created physical wealth and its expressions, but more importantly, I have experienced spiritual wealth, loving relationships, health, energy, joy and the ability to make a significant contribution to the world. I owe my success in life to the application of these 3 secrets I’m about to share with you, and it is my joy to reveal them so you can go ahead and be all you were born to be.
. . .
How to use the Law of Attraction (and the three Missing Secrets)
To begin, I want to acknowledge that the traditional Law of Attraction teachings are not wrong, they are just incomplete – and when used with the understanding of these three secrets, you will be able to create whatever you truly desire in life. The traditional methods are about 50% of the conscious creation puzzle. This article will give you the remaining 50% you were not told about, so you can apply it properly in your life.
These secrets are eager to be revealed. They are available for all who are willing to see. I call them secrets because they are rarely disclosed by those who teach the Law of Attraction. You deserve to know what they are. So, if you are tired of not experiencing the life you want, let’s get to it and start filling in the gaps.
. . .
Missing Secret 1:
Not all desires are the same…
This first secret was alluded to in the title of this article. In the traditional Law of Attraction teachings, it is stated that whatever you want you can have if you focus on having it enough, feel good about having it and generally stay in positive emotions. Unfortunately, the alarming problem with this teaching is the word “want.” Why? Because not everything we “want” is truly what we really, deeply and honestly desire on a soul level. In fact, most of the things we think we want will never bring us any real happiness and fulfillment at all. Worse still, even if we do manifest our lower desires, they will materialize along with a disturbing progeny of unexpected complications, suffering, frustrations, depression and even bankruptcy in some cases.
There is an enormous difference between your ego/mind-based set of limited desires – and your heart’s pure, true desires. Your heart’s desires come from your soul and are divinely ordained. They are in alignment with the highest good for all, naturally. The energy between these two kinds of desires couldn’t be further apart – and most Law of Attraction teachings do not make any distinction between them. People may be blindly led to create lives that they end up hating, and they have experiences or relationships that they would be happier without. Not all desires are made equal! Be careful what you ask for!
What happens when you try to manifest your mind/ego desires?
First, if you try to manifest limited desires of your mind, you will probably easily give up as soon as you encounter a problem or obstacle. You find yourself giving up because weak, superficial desires lack power and true motivation to withstand the challenges of life. Many people fail and end up feeling disempowered because in their heart of hearts they didn’t want these ego desires deeply enough to pursue them in all situations. Sadly, after abandoning the new car, new house or whatever their superficial desire was, most people just go away feeling weaker than before. They never take the time to get clear on what they truly desire. They remain stuck, and they feel even more lost than they were before.
The second common outcome, if you let the ego drive the car of your life, and if you are trying to manifest from your mind, is that upon arriving at your destination, you find yourself fraught with endless problems and dramas. Relationship issues, health problems, depression, addiction, financial problems – you name it. It is ironic that many of those involved in the movie The Secret ended up in nasty legal squabbling – rather than being in joy, bliss and abundance that the film claims to be about. Additionally, consider the many sad stories of those who win the lottery. Suddenly, they have all of this money, and there is the psychological overwhelm and ego temptations of what to do with it. Statistics tell us that within seven years of winning the lottery, 70% of people are broke and worse off than before.
Warning!
It is essential that you only consciously ask and focus your attention on your heart’s pure desires or you will end up disempowered, fraught with unexpected problems, or both. Until you are clear about your pure desires, stay happy, relaxed and keep asking for guidance on what is the highest good for all. By having the inner intention, “I am surrendered to the highest good for all,” you will naturally bring into your awareness your heart’s pure desires. When your intent is pure and genuine, the knowing will come.
How do you know if your desire is pure? It will sit well with your whole being. You will feel relaxed and peaceful about it. Your mind, heart and body will feel at peace with the pure desire, and you, the soul, will be at ease.
On the contrary, if the desire is not pure and originating from ego, your conscience will bite you. It will not sit well in your mind and heart, and you may find yourself second guessing yourself a lot, and questioning your desire.
You know it’s pure when you can desire it, let it go completely and feel totally at peace.
What happens when you manifest your heart’s pure, true desires?
When you align with your true self, you naturally align with your heart’s pure desires. Manifestation from this place is more effortless, and the results of manifestation are like “icing on the cake” of an already overflowing state of peace and joy that you experience as your inner nature.
You are an eternal being of love, peace, purity, power and bliss. You already have everything right now. The purpose of spiritual evolution is simply to remove the blocks to that which you already are and to serve others from your heart. When you do so, manifestation becomes natural, as higher states of consciousness attract beautiful experiences and manifest abundance.
As you open yourself to the truth about your eternal nature and meaning of life, and as you take time to be in silence, contemplation and meditation, you will connect with your heart’s true desires easily.
Let’s do a little exercise to help you get in touch with this now.
Questions to discover your heart’s true desires:
Imagine you are in your highest state of consciousness.
What would be the highest physical manifestation of your inner nature?
What is “the highest good for all” in terms of your life path?
At the end of your life, what would you love to be known for?
Which life situations would bring you joy, again and again and again?
What is the greatest level of heart-felt service you could do?
If you had never watched TV, or been exposed to any advertising and social brainwashing, what would you truly desire?
Write down whatever comes to you. And keep asking these questions until your heart feels fully engaged, warm and excited. When you smile from your soul and your heart is ablaze with love, you know you’ve discovered your heart’s true desires. Note: your heart’s true desires will always be related to sharing your gifts, serving others and making a difference. Money, abundance and love come as a consequence of you living your heart’s true desires. You can’t chase money and love! They are an automatic consequence of you connecting with your deeper, heart-felt desires and of your service to others.
Until you get to the level of inspiration I just described, keep asking these questions. Don’t bother trying to manifest things that are from your ego. It is a waste of time and energy. Have patience and you will hear your heart. And, keep focused on the other secrets you are learning here, and that I am about to share.
. . .
Missing Secret 2:
What is your level of consciousness?
It’s myth-busting time! A huge myth in the new age movement is that everyone has a similar capacity to manifest things if they simply apply the traditional methods. If you look around, you can clearly see this is not true. Some people manifest seemingly effortlessly and others, despite all their hard work, never seem to manifest or change anything.
The reason behind this discrepancy is that each individual has a distinct level of consciousness. According to Dr. David Hawkins, each of us is born with a calibratable level of consciousness. Dr. Hawkins created a log-rhythmic map of consciousness from 0 to 1000. The higher your level of consciousness = the more power you have. What this means for you is that the more power you have, the easier it is to attract and manifest things. This is the real secret to manifestation. It is not a technique but an existing state of being.
For example, someone whose level of consciousness is 50 (the level of apathy) simply does not have the power to feel good, to think positively and to attract new things. They simply are not able to apply the Law of Attraction fully even if they wanted to—no matter how easy it may sound to someone else.
On the other side of the scale, someone with a level of consciousness 575 (level of ecstasy and siddhis) is living in a completely different world with entirely different possibilities. On this level, Hawkins teaches, it is as if there is a constant and endless flow of profound manifestations far greater and more amazing than anything mentioned in The Secret and other Law of Attraction teachings. On this level of consciousness, one is in touch with their deeper, true self, and already experiencing a state of inner peace and fullness. This level is a state before Enlightenment. And at this level of consciousness, life is nothing short of a series of constant miracles and synchronicities that happen spontaneously and automatically.
Even Abraham Hicks, one of the main proponents of the Law of Attraction teachings, stated: “That which is like unto itself is drawn”. These words make sense in the context of the levels of consciousness.
In essence, another way to redefine the Law of Attraction is to say that whatever state we have become is what we will attract.
What this effectively means, is that it isn’t so much “the method” we apply to manifest that is important. Rather, we attract that which we have actually become as conscious beings.
To know that the Law of Attraction methods simply don’t work for everyone may come as a bit of a shock to some people – because we’ve been taught to believe that these methods will work for us all. The sobering truth is that the real secret to the Law of Attraction is the level of consciousness of the person doing it. The higher your level of consciousness, the more power you have to manifest your heart’s desires.
How can you ascend in your level of consciousness?
There are three main elements that will support you in increasing your level of consciousness.
1. Be Humble
Realize that your ego is limited. It doesn’t know everything, and it isn’t always right. Once you accept that you are a student of life, and that being loving and kind is more important than being right or holding on to limiting beliefs, you open yourself to a higher awareness which raises your level of consciousness.
2. Surrender to God/The Divine
It’s important not to get caught up in words here as we talk about God. There is an energy that is infinitely powerful and pure, that has the power to burn through the clouds that shield us from our true power and liberate us from all our suffering, confusion and anxiety. This Being is here to remove the clouds in our life. As you humbly choose to let go, to surrender the limited ego side of you to the Divine, to release old ideas, to forsake old resentments, negative habits and being right, you begin to open up to an enormous power. This power purifies your soul and raises your level of consciousness. Simply be humble and be aligned with this energy. And watch as your life naturally improves. For guided meditations on connecting with the Divine, visit our meditation page.
3. Be loving to all of life
The ego-self is selfish and greedy. As your consciousness ascends and as you come into your power, your life becomes aligned with service and loving others. Transcending the ego’s wants and fulfilling your heart’s true desires will bring you more than the momentary joy of attaining. In fact, as you serve others from your heart, all of your own human needs and desires for love, wealth, and health will be fulfilled (even without wishing for or focusing on those specific outcomes).
. . .
Missing Secret 3:
It’s the opposite of what you’d expect
We have arrived at the final hidden secret.
This secret is subtle and even counter-intuitive.
Recall the basic Law of Attraction teaching, which guides you to Ask — Believe — Receive or suggests that you can manifest whatever you think about most and believe you can have.
From my own experience, the magic moment when things appear in my reality, is after I do the opposite of trying to think about what I want, and instead try to believe that I already have it. Ironically, every time amazing things show up in my life, it is after I have done the following:
1. Gotten clear on my heart’s true desires.
2. Surrendered to the Divine and felt so full inside of myself that I honestly don’t need anything.
3. Let go of any desire to have the things I want completely.
At the point where I truly no longer want the thing I was thinking about, where I deeply, honestly and proudly feel complete and satisfied, it is at that moment that magic happens. Most often within one second to 24 hours, amazing things show up. This always comes as a strange surprise because I had just given up wanting it completely and had no interest in it.
I have received large sums of money, amazing opportunities, business partners, cars, and a very beautiful, sweet relationship with my now wife, who I wasn’t sure would even exist.
So, the secret is again not about the wanting and trying, it is about the letting go, surrendering, and feeling truly full without having the desired attained. It is one thing to imagine you have a nice car and feel good because you are day-dreaming about the car – and quite another thing to honestly feel content, happy and full with your life now regardless of any objects, people or experiences. The secret is to feel the feelings of contentment and lightness for their own sake. You can surrender to God, to the Divine – for its own sake, not to get anything. This is a deep and profound secret that ironically will create more magic than you can imagine – but you can’t do it if your motivation is to get stuff. Do it for its own sake. Really go deep and feel the power.
How to surrender and let go?
Once you’ve experienced yourself having attained whatever it is that your heart truly desires, imagine it in a bubble. Surrender that whole vision and possibility to the Divine. Allow it to float away and then let it go, totally and completely. Really let it go as if it doesn’t matter at all to you if it happens or not. Feel that if it is destined to happen, it will. If not, it won’t – and either way you have surrendered to the best possibility ever. It is all good. You are free. As you let go, feel how blessed you are already. Feel how your life is about service, and that whatever you can do to serve more, is great. You are surrendered to the highest good for all and aligned with the Divine. You are a humble servant of life and life itself is a wonderful gift. See and feel life as a cosmic entertainment. As you do this, you will feel a lightness and peace come over you. Breathe deep and allow yourself to relax. Be thankful for all of life and how rich you already are. You have already attained everything. Truly. You need nothing. You are complete. Smile on your world.
. . .
The “Obvious” Bonus Secret
This article would not be complete without this bonus tip! One of the biggest complaints against the traditional Law of Attraction teachings is that you can simply sit on a chair all day, imagine you have a million dollars and the million dollars will show up in the mail. I think we all can tell how naive this approach is. It may be great for selling gimmicks, but useless in practice. Along with all the deeper and more subtle secrets we’ve shared – the final (and obvious) secret is:
TAKE MASSIVE ACTION!
ACT NOW! Make it happen! The Law of Attraction simply will not work if you just sit on a chair and imagine things.
You actually have to DO stuff! Once you’ve done all the inner work, you will start to have ideas, guidance, and opportunities arising. This is a sign that things are working. However, the next thing you need to do is ACT ON THE INSPIRATIONS you have received.
Make the phone call. Meet the person. Book the flight. Buy that website domain name. Post that article. Send the package. Whatever it is, just do it! And do it NOW, DO IT NOW, DO IT NOW!!!
Be aligned on all levels – spiritually, mentally, emotionally AND physically. Act now and make it happen. Your action is an essential part of the process.
If you add this last step, you now have all the tools you could ever need to create a truly happy, loving, remarkable, fulfilled and beautiful life. All of these steps combined have allowed me to create the life I love, doing what I love and serving the world.
May your days be full of inner peace, smiles and laughter as you become who you were born to be. Bless the world with your life. Surrender to the highest good for all and live the miracle.
CALL TO AWAKENING
Free Advanced Law of Attraction Meditation
(+ 2 Surprise Bonus Meditations)
What people are saying about this meditation
Wow what a powerful meditation! I was able to see everything that I have manifested all in one space. Thank you for this incredible meditation, namaste – Mallory
I really loved this, it really sparked my joy and I feel its exactly the type of meditation I was looking for. Thank you – Liz
Calm voice, wonderful process, great imagery and affirmations. I definitely felt a shift. I was able to follow along with fewer distracting thoughts. I will do this meditation for 40 days as suggested. – Michelle
Intense waves of energy and tears of joy were brought to me through this meditation. I have permission to be happy. Thank you. – Alex
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RECAP
1. Ask yourself the questions in this article to discover your heart’s true desires (so you avoid attracting things that cause you problems and make sure you’re attracting only your heart’s true, pure desires).
2. Focus most of your energy on ascending in your level of consciousness. Sign up above for your Advanced Manifestation Meditation (plus two surprise bonus meditations).
3. Apply the traditional Law of Attraction method of experiencing yourself in the now having attained your heart’s true desires. See it and feel it. Fully immerse yourself in the desired outcome. It is a done deal and you have already attained this for a long time and it is normal. Get to this level of familiarity with your visions.
4. Let go of all attachment to your desires, goals and visions. Surrender to the Divine. Be aligned with whatever is in the highest good for all. Be free.
5. Whenever you get ideas related to your heart’s true desires – act! Don’t just sit around waiting. If you have ideas, make them happen!
7. Repeat the process with higher levels of humility and surrender to the Divine.
8. Invest time, money and energy in your awakening and freedom. Seek to raise your level of consciousness. The more you invest in yourself, the more you’ll get back. Make sure your whole life is aligned with your values, so that you bring all of your power on board and really ground in your heart’s true desires.
You are amazing. You are powerful. You can create the life you love.
Have the best day ever.
With love,
Michael Mackintosh
Kauai, Hawaii and Sedona, Arizona
p.s. As each of us manifests our highest good, we create a beautiful world. As you raise your own level of consciousness, all of life is uplifted.
Share this Article + Gifts
As the Law of Attraction goes, the more you share and give with a pure heart and intention, so you receive 10+ fold.
As you help another soul manifest their pure desires, you automatically receive the blessing of easeful manifestation and brilliant good fortune.
Thank you, I have struggled with the Law of Attraction. It really never worked for me. I will give this a shot!