The Hidden Psychological Dangers Of Manifestation

New research shows how positive thinking can backfire, trapping you in avoidance and denial.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | November 14, 2025

Manifestation has gone from being a niche spiritual idea to becoming a cultural fixation. Today, it's quite common to hear people say they "manifested" a job, a relationship or any other unexpected opportunity. And for many, the novel The Secret by Rhonda Byrne was the gateway into this world. The promise of the text was simple: thoughts, with sincere repetition, can become your reality.

In the two decades that have passed since, the concept and practice of manifestation has penetrated all forms of media, especially social media. Platforms are flooded with creators and coaches teaching people how to achieve their desired reality through different techniques like visualization, affirmations or scripting.

It's common knowledge today that manifestation is more than just "wishful thinking." In fact, it relies heavily on ideas in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. From self-fulfilling prophecies to the effects of visualization and mindset on behavior, there are several empirically-backed techniques that help you capitalize on the power your thoughts and internal narrative have on your experience of life itself.

When applied correctly, the many practices that fall under this concept can actually be very effective tools for self-improvement. In turn, manifestation can help you regulate emotions and align your behavior with desired outcomes.

The Paradox Of Having Manifestation Beliefs

To understand what this belief really represents and what it does for those who hold it, researchers behind a 2023 study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin set out to study the psychology of manifestation.

To effectively explore this, the researchers developed the Manifestation Scale. By means of three separate studies, the scale proved to be a reliable measure that captures how strongly people believe in their ability to "attract success" through their thoughts and feelings.

Interestingly, more than one third of participants in the studies were found to have manifestation beliefs. Those who scored higher on the scale tended to see themselves as more successful, more confident and more optimistic about their future. They also aspired to achieve more and believed they could reach success faster.

However, the study revealed an interesting paradox that lies at the heart of manifestation. Believers often felt more confident, capable and comparatively more hopeful about their futures, yet these positive feelings didn't necessarily translate into measurable success.

In fact, those who strongly believed in their ability to attract success were no more likely to have higher income or educational attainment than those who didn't share these beliefs. In other words, manifestation may have a stronger impact on how people perceive their success than on how it objectively unfolds.

Manifesters also tended to believe they would achieve their goals, and often sooner than others. But this optimism wasn't always reflected in real-world outcomes. Another finding from the study was that belief in manifestation uniquely predicted overconfidence in goal attainment, beyond traits like hope or positive thinking.

Interestingly, these people were also more inclined toward financial risk-taking and more likely to invest in speculative ventures or engage in spending behaviors. The authors suggest that, most likely, this is due to the expectation that prosperity will "flow back" to them.

Overall, the findings suggest that although manifestation beliefs can enhance confidence, they may also very easily blur the line between empowered optimism and unrealistic risk-taking.

This points to the depth of this paradox. A change in perception, while powerful, can be quite ineffective if it isn't grounded in aligned action or realistic feedback from life. Confidence without calibration switches into overconfidence, which risks providing an illusion of progress rather than the real thing.

The Upside To Manifestation Beliefs

Regardless of the dark side of manifestation beliefs, they are still very valuable tools. While they may not guarantee you success, the mindset that underlies them can have powerful psychological benefits when applied with awareness and realism.

The researchers identified two main forms of manifestation belief:

• Personal power. This refers to the idea of using positive self-talk, visualization and acting "as if" one's goals are already reality.
• Cosmic collaboration. This involves believing in support from higher powers or universal forces that respond to one's mindset and energy.

Both these beliefs together were found to enhance people's sense of control and self-worth. In essence, believing in manifestation appeared to serve as a psychological resource. In this sense, it helped individuals sustain motivation and emotional resilience, even when they were faced with uncertainty or setbacks.

This mindset can certainly be a powerful asset, as it can help you shift focus from fear to possibility. Beyond this, it also begets proactive behavior by encouraging a more optimistic relationship with one's goals. In that sense, manifestation, at its best, can serve as a tool for intentional living.

Make The Shift From Magical Manifestation to Mindful Action

The idea behind manifestation beliefs mirrors how you relate to possibility. But like any powerful idea, its effectiveness depends on how it's practiced. When visualization inspires action, affirmations strengthen self-worth instead of avoiding discomfort, and optimism becomes grounded in accountability in turn. This is the process in which manifestation gives rise to transformation.

For instance, repeating affirmations about confidence or success won't instantly change your life, but it can shift how you show up for your goals. When your self-talk stops echoing doubt and starts reinforcing your capability, your actions will naturally follow suit. You may take more chances and handle setbacks with less fear since you won't be as likely to catastrophize. In turn, you'll find it easier to see the ways that you could grow from the setback instead.

The real power of manifestation lies in combining belief with behavior. Looking at manifestation with the lens of logic or realism doesn't mean moving to the other end of the spectrum of pessimism. This would be equally ineffective. When you're solely problem-focused, your mind can only see limitations and everything becomes a reflection of what's missing or what could go wrong.

But when you shift your perception of setbacks, you start seeing new opportunities instead of obstacles. That subtle change doesn't magically erase challenges; it just changes your relationship with them, as it equips you with a belief system that helps you find ways to conquer them.

Manifestation, then, becomes a means for expanding your reality. Faith, when paired with persistence and adaptability, turns into something far more grounded than wishful thinking. It becomes a mindset that helps you move toward inspired action, a self-fulfilling mechanism that aligns who you are with what you aim to create.

Curious how much you really believe in your manifesting power? Use the empirically tested tool from the study to find out: Manifestation Scale

A similar version of this article can also be found on Forbes.com, here.