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Why the Law of Attraction Fails

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Why does the Law of Attraction Fail?

The "Law of Attraction", as widely popularized and commercialized, has been misunderstood, and even misrepresented. Manifestation without accompanying action (on someone's part) violates the ACTUAL laws of nature (something for nothing).

The Law of Attraction is not a natural law, but a man-made artifice. It has been portrayed and sold as simply a process of visualization. Visualize your desired goal and release it to the Universe whereupon it will become "manifest".

In this article we further explore why the "Law of Attraction" does work in this manner.

Visualize your goal, by all means, as strongly and as fully as you can. Utilize a Visionboard or Mind Movie.

Then take ACTION to realize your goal.

Creating our Reality

Perceptions from our senses

There is no doubt that we, each and every one of us, "creates" our own reality. Our world comes to us through our five senses, specifically, sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell. The information from our senses are then processed by our minds according to pre-existing models in our mind, the models ("paradigms") we continually develop from birth throughout life. This reliance on existing models in order to process information allows our brain to handle the immense quantity of data received at any given moment.

The following quote from the "Dancing Wu Li Masters" captures this concept, as well as the resulting feedback loop:

"Reality" is what we take to be true. What we take to be true is what we believe. What we believe is based upon our perceptions. What we perceive depends upon what we look for. What we look for depends upon what we think. What we think depends upon what we perceive. What we perceive determines what we believe. What we believe determines what we take to be true. What we take to be true is our reality.

Our perceptions, in the above quote, arise from our senses, how we perceive our surrounding environment. How our minds interpret those perceptions results in our "reality", created from our minds interpretation of the sensory data received. Hence, we "create" our own realities.

Alternate Realities

Mental Illness and Drug Addicts

If we examine those having mental illnesses, we find that their perceptions of reality are not consistent with our own, more specifically, those of the majority. We simply do not understand, nor can relate to, the perspective of a sociopath or psychopath. We may get upset or even depressed after a bad day, but we cannot understand, although we may sympathize, with the perspective of a manic depressive.

To take the thought even further, our world does not correlate with those of a drug addict. The "trip" on powerful hallucinogens makes the world seem colourless, lifeless and/or desireless. Descriptions of "hearing" colours, believing one can fly and so many other stories related by addicts do not correlate with our daily reality. The poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge describes a vision of paradise in his poem Kubla Khan, reportedly inspired by an opium-induced hallucination, or dream.

Yet, despite their vividness, or even the apparent "reality" at the time, none of these individuals are able to successfully "manifest" their respective realities. The drug addicts come down from their trips and their hallucination disappears, to be replaced by daily reality. Treatment for mental illness allows many to successfully participate in the reality of the majority, as their own is inconsistent with the reality of the majority. The addict who believes he can fly while under the influence of narcotics, sadly, discovers his mistake when he comes "down" (if he survives the attempt).

Failure to "Manifest" an Alternate Reality

Despite being fully immersed

The point I am trying to make here is that there are many individuals who have visualized alternate realities, due to mental illness or substance abuse, and yet have not "manifested" those realities. Many of their attempts are more vivid, believable and, therefore, powerful than the average Law of Attraction advocate, enabling them to immerse themselves completely in an alternate reality for a period of time. Yet that reality does not "manifest". The Law of Attraction has failed them.

Why has the Law of Attraction Failed?

Misunderstood and/or misrepresented

Why has the Law of Attraction failed? It is because it has been misunderstood, or even worse, misrepresented. The Law of Attraction is not a Natural law, but a man-made artifice. However, men and women have been successfully achieving goals since the dawn of time, when the goal was most likely simple survival. We are here today and so that initial, primitive goal was successfully realized.

Any reasonable desire or goal that anyone has can become a reality. (Note my use of reasonable. "Reasonable" in this context is a highly ambiguous term as one must define what, exactly, is reasonable and that will vary from person to person and their belief system (Please refer to my article "The Effort Required to Manifest Your Goals" for an example).

Achieving Goals

Visualization, followed by Action

To begin the process of goal realization, one must first have a goal in mind in which she wishes to achieve, or realize. Consistent with the Law of Attraction, she is strongly recommended to visualize that goal in as much detail as possible, perhaps creating a Vision Board or, even better, a Mind Movie. The more and clearer one can visualize the desired goal, the more motivated one will become to achieve that goal.

The next step, omitted by virtually all adherents to the Law of Attraction, is to initiate "ACTION" directed specifically toward realization of the desired goal. The action may not be the most direct or best suited action but it is far more important to begin taking action so as to begin moving toward your goal, than waiting and working on an ideal plan.

Why must action be taken? Why can't one simply visualize the desired goal and release it to the Universe so as to become "manifest"? Let's look at a common desire.

I want $1 million dollars!

An Example

This is the sum commonly identified as being the transition point to wealth as, by definition, one becomes a "millionaire". I found a post in which Terry H claimed that $980,000 in a briefcase would weigh 26.1 lbs, as follows:

"... currency is 6.2"x 2.6" x 0.0043" thick (233/inch) and it takes 375 bills to weigh a lb. Therefore, a briefcase 18.5"x 12.5"x 3" thick will hold $980,000 in $100 bills (two rows of seven [14 stacks] x 3" [700 bills/stack] = $980,000.

And it will weigh 26.1 lbs (375 bills/lb)".

Therefore, if we take this weight for $980,000 (not quite $1 million but let's work with it anyway), we can calculate how much energy would be required to "manifest" a 26.1 lb (11.9 kg) suitcase filled with $980,000 using simple visualization and the Law of Attraction.

Using Einstein's well known equation E = mc^2 (which defines the relationship between conversion of matter to energy or energy to matter), one can easily calculate that the energy required would be:

E = 11.9 kg (3.0 x 10 m/s)^2 = 1.07 x 10^18 Joules


This is all fine and good, but how much energy does 1.07 x 10^18 represent?

According to another web-site I found, the Empire State Building is estimated to weigh 365,000,000 kg. Therefore, using the equation

Potential Energy (P.E.) = mgh,


where m is the mass of the object in kg, g is the Earth's gravitational constant and h is height, we can calculate that it would require 1.07 x 10^18 Joules to lift the Empire State Building 2.99 x 10^5 km into space. (For reference, the distance between the centre of Earth and the centre of the Moon is 3.84 x 10^5 km).

Quantum Physics misrepresented

A matter of scale

It is for this precise reason that the concept of the Law of Attraction is so misguided and fails so many people, as commonly presented in today's media. Proponents of the Law of Attraction claim that since physics has demonstrated the appearance and disappearance of particles in a continual "Quantum Dance", then this demonstrates that we, as humans, can similarly cause our desired goals to "manifest". The problem is that we are not quantum particles, nor are the objects we desire. We are macroscopic, NOT quantum, in size. The energy available in the quantum "foam" of the Universe is sufficient to allow creation and destruction or decay of quantum particles due to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, however, this is not possible at the macroscopic scale. The energies are simply far too large to visualize energy into matter (It becomes even worse if one tries to "manifest" a mate, or car or house).

Therefore, we cannot get something for nothing through use of the "Law of Attraction", we must work for it. We can keep our awareness attuned for opportunities conducive to realization of our desired goal, but we cannot "manifest" our goals simply through visualization alone. Honest evaluation of life experience will confirm this fact. EVERY single goal, WITHOUT exception, that you have achieved and realized to this point is the result of directed action toward that goal.

With this in mind, begin planning how to achieve your next desired goal today, without delay. Visualize it, certainly ... then begin taking action toward it.

The Law of Attraction Fails?

Give us your opinion

I fully realize that the content of the above lens will be controversial and may even anger some readers. However, I believe the "Law of Attraction" has been misrepresented as:

1) A Natural law - it is a man-made artifice
2) A process of simply visualization to "manifest" goals - It requires a necessary component of Action
3) A process of something for nothing and, as such, the world's first perpetual motion machine. It requires effort.

Leave your feedback here for others to review and provide comment. I would be fascinated by your response.

Thanks for your time!

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  • Reply
    corteeze Jul 19, 2011 @ 12:27 pm | delete
    Very insightful lens! It's so true that nothing in this world happens without taking action first.
    For me, I interpret the Law of Attraction to mean I should make every effort to have positive thoughts about the future I would like to create and the life I would like to live. Being positive often "attracts" other positive thinkers, for the simple fact that people like to be around positive people more than they like to be around negative people. From this point of view, there's no downside to thinking positively.
  • Reply
    Dynamic1 Jul 21, 2011 @ 3:27 pm | delete
    If I may, I suggest people prefer to be around people of like mind. "Goths" seek out "Goths", "Jocks" seek out "Jocks", Christians seek out Christians and Positive Thinkers prefer to be with, and attract, like-minded Positive Thinkers.

    I have recently come across discussions of the "Law of Detachment", which seems to separate "Goals" from "Action" directed toward those goals. While I agree that there is a "Point of Diminishing Returns" with regard to action, I do not accept the premise of "No Action" to achieve a goal.

    Thanks for your coment!
  • Reply
    Valerie Mar 23, 2010 @ 8:55 pm | delete
    I agree with the fact that one must take action in order to reach their goal. Nothing comes to you without effort. Haanel says 'you must be the very thing you desire before you can attain it'. Every time you have a desire, it is an opportunity to for you to grow, and expand. Therefore you must first become that which you would like to attract.

    On the other hand, I believe that visualization is a crucial part in the law of attraction. It is the process, which puts you in touch with the spiritual, which is where everything originates. As you visualize a goal and believe in its manifestation, your higher self expands into that reality. Some may call this a parallel reality, others a spiritual vibration. The first step of the growing process is intuition. You are guided by your higher self (through intuition) towards the right action to take to achieve your goal. Success is more likely to happen this way because you are in alignment with what you have become.
    On the other hand, if you merely take action, without a spiritual relationship and guidance, your action may actually seem a struggle at times, probably because you might not be in the right path. I have experienced visualizing my actions before pursuing with them, and believe me; they become much easier to see through, in a lot of ways. Other times, I have jumped in, with an analytic mind, and 80percent of the time, I fail to get it all done. And seems a struggle along the way. I believe this is so, probably because I failed to see the end results before jumping in.
    In regards to visualizing while under the influence of drugs, you must remember that visualization is of value only if you are doing so ?consciously, systematically and constructively' which is not the case of someone getting high. Thus explaining why their visualization could not materialize. By the time they become conscious, they can't even remember what it is they saw, let along acting towards it J

    Visualization is a spiritual process; it is different from daydreaming. Some misunderstand how to use the law of attraction effectively. Some think they can ask for material things, which will come to them without effort, without allowing them to grow. They do little to no ACTION. Others believe they should jump in and act without first listening to the little voice inside. They are not listening to the SPIRITUAL.
    In order for the law to be effective, the two most work together, always. I Believe the Law of attraction helps us expand towards a better version of us, spiritually, hence towards a better world.

    To conclude, I don't believe in ?realistic goals'. I think our definition of ?realistic' is a misinterpretation of what our environment has imposed upon us as to what we can or cannot do, and we simply bought into it. Once we stop covering our limiting beliefs with positive affirmations, and find a way to impress what we really want in our subconscious, your Neuronet is affected and you will believe. And your true beliefs, you can achieve ? WHITOUT EXCEPTION. Your mind is the only guardian and ruler of what you can or cannot achieve. It is a powerful tool, but without knowledge, can be your worst enemy. If you go in, trying to stay realistic, you have a weak foundation based on false premises of the material world, which is merely an illusion, and you will fail.

    All the best,

    Valerie
  • Reply
    CheriSword Mar 15, 2010 @ 4:35 pm | delete
    No matter where you go in the Universe, there are no free lunches. ACIM states, you cannot give nothing and expect everything in return. Value must be given for value. If not, there is an unnatural void that occurs. An unnatural void will be filled by Natural Law to make up for the lack.
    Giving and Receiving are Natural Laws, but the understanding of giving and receiving in our world is misinterpreted,. Generally speaking, this Law is used to define according to what is believed. we can "get" by using the Law. This is how law works in our world.
    In our world, if we want our law defined, we go to a lawyer. If we want Higher or Natural Law defined, we do it according to what we have been taught to believe. Belief is based on survival, as you article points out. In order to survive, one must get a need met. In Natural Law, there is no need. The integrity of Natural Law is much higher than the standards we use to define physical law. How then can we understand and use what we have never learned? There is no Natural Law that can be used to "get" anything. All Natural Law is defined by giving.
    Is there a Natural Law of Attraction? Well, bees are still attracted to flowers. Maybe there is a Natural Law of Attraction. It has just been defined by physical belief to interpret what lies beyond belief . What lies beyond belief? The next step in evolution.
    Great article, well written, and very informative. Thanks for sharing.
  • Reply
    LeanneChesser Mar 2, 2010 @ 11:27 am | delete
    I agree with you that action is required and that, unfortunately, that's why the Law of Attraction often fails. However, I disagree that action has not been presented as part of the Law of Attraction. I think it has. I also agree with you that we don't get something for nothing . . . again, some of the Law of Attraction material addresses this (I can't remember right now if it's The Science of Getting Rich or Think and Grow Rich that clearly mentions it).
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Researching the power of the mind and, more specifically, the sub-conscious mind over the past twenty years has allowed me to discover of many gems of wisdom buried in these timeless texts, as well as more recently published texts. The recent release of "The Secret" has had the result of drawing considerable attention to the "LAW OF ATTRACTION", however, I believe the process underlying its application to one's life was missing from the movie.

Contrary to the hype attending release of "The Secret", the LAW OF ATTRACTION is not a recent discovery in metaphysics, nor has it been actively suppressed by the Church or hidden societies. It simply passed into relative obscurity through the passage of time. It has been, and remains, available to everyone who searches for it and is willing to actually apply it to their lives.

The formula is available, and is, in all likelihood, well known to most. In its simplest form, it was concisely summarized as follows:

Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives;
he who seeks finds;
and to him who knocks, the door will be opened

Matthew 7:7 (Luke (11:9) NIV

In short, visualize your desired outcome, then take the appropriate action to receive its manifestation. ACTION is an integral, necessary part of the three part formula to realize (manifest) your desired outcome.

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Dynamic1

I have been a student of personal development for over 25 years, with specific interest in the ability and latent power of the mind, particularly the subconscious.... more »

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