Manifestation as a concept has infiltrated our daily conversations over the last few years. A good thing happens to you? Chances are someone will suggest that you manifested it.

The concept itself draws on the “law of attraction”, a philosophy initially explored in groundbreaking documentary film The Secret, where philosophers and academics discuss how to lead a successful and happy life. Essentially, it suggests that our own positive thoughts can attract positive things into our lives.

Unsurprisingly, Google searches for manifestation are higher than usual in the bleak weeks at the beginning of the year – people are visualising what they want out of their year, their future, their life. At time of writing, the #manifesting hashtag as had 10.8 billion views on TikTok and the #manifestation has been used in over 10 million posts on Instagram. It’s a term we use to talk about our hopes and dreams, and how we think they might come to be.

With the enduring popularity of vision boards – the digital versions of which are popular on platforms like Pinterest – it’s clear that we feel motivated by visualising what we want to happen, or experience, or gain before it happens in real time.

And it seems that this translates into the working and business world. According to  a recent study, 24% of business owners credit manifestation for their success. 

So why is this? Why are entrepreneurs using this method to get what they want out of the world of work, and how can it be used in the workplace to achieve our work goals? 

According to manifestation coach Kira Matthews, manifestation is all about “marrying belief and action together” and when it comes to navigating the workplace and other areas of your life, it “provides a framework to build your internal resources of confidence, commitment and self belief”. It can be used to clarify elements of your mindset, so you are as focused as you can be on your ultimate career goals.

“Manifestation encourages self-reflection and goal-setting,” life coach Bayu Prihandito adds. “It helps in identifying what you truly want, setting a clear path forward, and maintaining your focus on these goals despite all the distractions and struggles you'll encounter on the way.”

Having a clear idea of where you’re headed in your career – and ensuring you get there – starts with ensuring there is a strong connection between your internal work (your mental visualisation of a promotion, pay rise, or partnership with a professional mentor you admire, for example) and your external work (the actions you take to achieve your goals). Bayu adds that your internal work is all about “building your mindset, mental strength and emotional readiness”, with the external work including “networking and developing your skills”, with both elements being crucial to “creating opportunities and being ready to seize them”. 

Often, manifestation can be confused with the psychological term “magical thinking”, and it’s important to distinguish between the two when considering manifestation as a means of pushing towards success.  

“Magical thinking is hoping things will change just because you think about them. Whereas manifestation is acknowledging that belief and action have to be hand in hand in order to get things done,” Kira explains. By understanding this difference and applying action to your visualised work goals, Bayu advises that your aims will then be “grounded in reality, and will materialise with appropriate actions and effort on your side”. 

Psychologist Dr Jo Perkins points out that many businesspeople use manifestation “without even realising that is what they are doing”. “If you can articulate, visualise, feel emotionally engaged with your goals, and believe that you can achieve them, this is manifestation,” she explains, adding that manifestation “primes our brain, so our goals become part of our identity”. 

It can be an excellent way to combat imposter syndrome, or any form of insecurities around what you can achieve in your career. As well as boosting self confidence and feelings of worthiness and belonging, it helps you to locate the actions needed to reach the place or position you’d like to be in your career.

Kira adds that manifestation can be used to broaden your mind, opening up your consciousness to possibilities you hadn’t entertained before and thus leading you towards success. “Sometimes when we don't think we can achieve much, we don't spend any time dreaming about how good things can be,” she says. “Exploring manifestation opens you up to what could be possible for your life and career.”

That said, while manifestation has proved a useful tool to business owners, entrepreneurs and workers (and to many individuals within their personal life), there are a few caveats and elements of the conversation surrounding it to be mindful of.

First of all, there has been an uptick in reports of manifestation coaches that have left customers feeling duped, taking large sums of money and offering little to no guidance when it comes to the practice itself. Here, it’s crucial to be specific about what you’re getting out of any paid service and to work out whether any actionable advice is worth the sum they are asking for – whether it’s set to help your business or your personal life. 

It’s also important to not lose sight of the importance of action. When it comes to ensuring you’re still actively participating in carrying out your career goals, and not just thinking about them as part of your manifestation process, Bayu says “balance is key”.

“Use manifestation to set clear intentions and maintain a positive outlook,” he advises. “I'd also suggest mixing it with actionable steps such as setting specific, measurable goals, creating a plan of action, mentoring, training, or networking; to make sure that your aspirations are not just dreams but are grounded in practical efforts.”

There’s also a danger of practical obstacles like financial circumstances and privilege being ignored or not fully considered when manifesting. It’s important to set realistic goals based on your situation. However, while Bayu concedes that “manifestation alone cannot override systemic issues and isn’t a magic solution, it can truly empower individuals to challenge these barriers and personal beliefs to find creative ways to navigate and potentially change these systems”.

Kira argues that she used manifestation to navigate a working world that was centred around privilege that she didn’t possess. “When I was first entering the workforce I was highly aware of my lack of privilege,” she recalls. “I didn't have skills, connections or parents paying my rent, however I did know how to use manifestation to create self-belief and determination. “I think that there's a huge opportunity missed when people assume that manifestation is for highly privileged people. Manifestation is simply the process of aligning your thoughts and beliefs to your actions.” Dr Perkins recommends incorporating manifestation into your daily routine, whether that’s a positive affirmation practice in the morning or reviewing the day and using your thoughts to manifest for the following day. However you decide to bring it into your working life, when used mindfully and correctly, manifestation can be invaluable when setting your mind to making your business or career a success. Above all, because it reminds us of our worth and what we are capable of. According to Kira, this is particularly true for women. “We might find themselves in workplaces with little diversity, essentially as if we don't take the time to recognise our value, no one else will,” she says. “Rather than leaving it up to management who may not always have your best interest at heart, when you create an intentional practice to manifest, you take ownership for your own career advancement.” 

Kira Matthews will be joining the AllBright Step Forward summit as a speaker. To hear more from Kira and the power of manifestation get your ticket here: (insert link)