Manifesting and the Fantasy Realization Effect
Since I started to really put myself out there in the local community, I've noticed that I'm getting a lot of unhappy or confused manifestors at the table. They're doing the journalling, taking the masterclasses, and working hard to shift all those negative mindsets. None of it is working, of course. So let's talk about the Fantasy Realization Theory/Effect.
The fantasy realization theory comes from psychology and counseling and it explains how to turn daydreams and visualization into actionable goals. It presents the difference between aimless fantasizing and goal-oriented thinking.
The problem with the manifesting movement
When you're just daydreaming about great things happening but not allowing reality to creep in, your brain creates the warm fuzzy feeling of success. This, all the spiritual or manifesting coaches tell you, is exactly how you should feel. Like you've already won. You'll shift your energy and BOOM – manifestation victory.
The problem with walking around feeling like you already have your dream house or a million dollars or (insert manifestation dream here) is that your energy drops. It doesn't shift to a “manifesting frequency.” The urgency to act flies the f away. The longer you do these things, the less motivated you are to take real world action.
The problem with Visualization
When all you do is daydream or recite affirmations or light candles and think happy thoughts without considering the reality of your situation, your brain produces the sensation that you've already succeeded. But that's what all the manifestation coaches tell you to do, isn't it? Feel like you've got it because there's a timeline where you do have it all. That's great, but in this li’l timeline you have $28 in the bank. Because you've been visualizing and tricking your brain, the chances of you actually doing the boring or uncomfortable work involved in reaching a goal never happens.
The Solution is Mental Contrasting
The fantasy realization effect is activated through a self-regulatory strategy called mental contrasting. Here's how you do it:
- Fantasize/Visualize: See yourself fully immersed in the positive outcome.
- Immediately think about the present reality between you and the goal
Why This Works More Than Writing Things Down In A 369 Journal
When you contrast a positive future with the negative reality, your brain creates a link between the two. It may not be an immediate linking, but with consistency, you will train yourself to recognize the gap between where you are and where you want to be. This creates the necessity to act, which is the “manifestation energy” or “timeline shift” that you're hoping to trigger.
If your expectations of achieving this goal are high, doing your visualizations this way will help give you the push to go after your goal. If your expectations are actually low, this effect helps you to let go of unrealistic goals and focus on more attainable wins.
We all love three-step plans so if your manifestations aren't working, put down the 369 journal and the cinnamon, and try this for the next 4 to 6 weeks:
- Combined manifesting meditations with mental contrasting: Visualize the goal and then immediately visualize the realistic obstacles and steps needed to overcome them.
- Focus on the process, not the outcome: Visualize yourself performing the necessary and realistic tasks needed – working out, learning to do public speaking, taking creative writing classes – rather than just visualizing the end result. Use implementation actions:
- Connect your visualization to concrete action plans: “If I finish my shift at the restaurant, I can spend 30 minutes working on my novel/ business plan/ crochet pattern.” All the happy thoughts in the world don't matter if you don't get off the couch.
Consistently do these things. Celebrate small wins like finishing a chapter, completing an assignment, or increasing your weight on the leg machine. Now, even though I am a big ol’ metaphysician – I cannot stress this enough – during your 4-week consistency effort put away the cards, crystals charts and candles. If there's one thing, I've noticed the people who always need to do a reading, light a candle, pour the moonwater, etc. – they almost never leave the starting gate. They get bogged down in analysis paralysis and chase perfection. It's okay to make a mistake that requires a pivot and it's ok to revise a goal.
And that's all I've got right now folks!