Manifesting Your Goals: Is It a Bunch of Woo Woo?
The Monday Morning Manager #35
Managers and leaders are all about goals, KPIs and getting things done.
Mostly, this is what I embrace.
Writing down objectives, deciding what success looks like, and getting on with it like the responsible worker bee I am.
Encouraging my team members to do the same.
Helping other leaders complete their performance appraisals, which is a task that every manager I have ever met, loathes with a passion.
But sometimes, I go all woo-woo and ‘throw a goal out to the universe’, hoping some goddess in the sky will notice me and grant me a wish.
She’s usually a Celtic warrior goddess with long red curly hair, a shield, and armor — a sort of Sorsha (from Willow), Boudica, Xena mash-up.
Rather than think ‘this isn’t me’, think ‘this isn’t me, yet’.
But back to woo-woo.
Generally, the goals I haphazardly throw out to the universe are more personal, like, ‘send me a boyfriend’ or ‘help me make some more money’.
I don’t recall ever throwing out, ‘please get the budget approved for the leadership course, oh mighty one’, or ‘please make the Operations Manager decide on the objectives for the course I’m designing for him’.
I’m not sure the goddess in the sky would be interested.
So does a bit of woo-woo, aka manifesting, work, or is it just a mental placebo effect?
Who knows?
Well, Mel Robbins does, and I heard all about it in one of the episodes of her podcast.
Mel Robbins
I love listening to Robbins; she is so enthusiastic, and the podcast episode about the science behind manifesting is no exception.
It’s manifesting, but not as we know it.
According to Robbins, this is a science-based manifestation and consists of four steps.
Step One: Be honest
If you are trying to manifest something (your goal), you must be honest with yourself. Do you want to be a size 6, run a multi-million-dollar company and travel?
Or would you rather do something less demanding?
“If you cannot be honest with yourself, there is not hope of being honest with anyone else.” — Leo Tolstoy
If you are not honest with yourself, the bit of your brain that makes goals happen will know, and you won’t get your desired results.
Action points:
- Be brutally honest about your goal
- Write your goal out in detail
Step Two: Visualize the Steps
According to Robbins, this is where we all go wrong.
We are encouraged to visualize the result, like running a marathon or writing a book. But such a big end goal is too much for our brains to take seriously.
Instead, visualize the steps you’ll take to achieve the goal, such as putting on your running shoes or writing 1000 words. These little victories are more believable and will keep you motivated.
It also helps to visualize the complicated & tedious things you’ll have to do to achieve your goal.
Visualize the pain, discomfort, boredom, and frustration of doing some small tasks repeatedly. Then when the negative emotions or boredom hits, you are ready for them, and they are part of the journey.
Action points:
- Break down your goal into small steps
- Include all the tedious bits
- Visualize the small steps and boring bits
Step Three: Avoid Imposter Syndrome
Say goodbye to imposter syndrome.
If you’re trying something new, don’t expect miracles.
Remember, you’re a novice for a reason — because you haven’t done it before. But don’t let that stop you.
Rather than think ‘this isn’t me’, think ‘this isn’t me, yet’.
The more you practice and visualize the small steps, the sooner the goal will be simply something you do.
Remember, if you haven’t done something before, you are supposed to make mistakes.
I was terrified of making a mistake in my twenties & thirties but now I don’t care. I embrace them.
It’s far better to be kind to yourself and embrace what you have done so far, however small.
Action points:
- Keep telling yourself you aren’t meant to be an expert yet
- Be kind to yourself
- Avoid comparing yourself to people who are experts already
Step Four: Don’t give up
Many people give up far too early, sometimes just before they are about to succeed, usually because they expect results too quickly.
Don’t buy into the illusion of overnight miracles.
Some online writers and creators I follow have taken three to five years before they start making money.
And we’ve all heard of overnight successes that have taken ten years, for example Bill Gates.
Persistence is the key.
Action points:
- Never give up
- Never give up
- Never give up
Summary
If you want to achieve your goals and fancy a bit of visualization, try manifestation.
According to science it works.
Remember the four main steps:
- Be honest with yourself about your goals and write them down in detail.
- Visualize the steps you need to take to reach your goals, focusing on small victories and the process.
- Overcome imposter syndrome by embracing that you’re a novice and that mistakes are part of the learning process.
- Don’t give up too early; persistence is key.
To listen to the Mel Robbins podcast, go to The Mel Robbins Podcast, How to Manifest Anything You Want, released on the 14th of November 2022.
Good luck with whatever you want to manifest :-)
I write about leadership & training, and I’ve designed The New Leader’s Starter Kit to help leaders better communicate with their teams. Get your free copy here — The New Leader’s Starter Kit takes you through how to run One-to-Ones and Constructive Feedback sessions & develop professional listening skills — a printable one-to-one form, feedback form and listening skills checklist included.
