How to Make Peace with the New-Agey Idea of Manifesting as a Rational Person.
And how the underlying principle can influence your work as a Scrum Master, Entrepreneur - or just someone who picks up a journaling habit.
If our bubbles overlap at all you've probably heard about Manifesting. You might be a big fan. Or too much of a rational person to actually believe in it. Or maybe you haven’t heard of it at all - so here’s what it is:
What the f* is Manifesting?
Manifesting refers to bringing your desires, goals, or intentions into reality by using your thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. It suggests that you can attract positive outcomes and experiences. Pull these things into your life. Purely by focusing on positive thoughts and emotions.
The idea behind it? Your thoughts and beliefs have a powerful effect on the world around you. You create a positive energy that attracts those outcomes.
And while I want to believe this is possible, the rational part in me is quite critical.
Maybe a part of you feels the same way?
Here’s what helped me make peace with the concept when my rational self is acting up again.
Manifesting is like a change of perception.
I started Bikepacking in February. And since then, I see Bikepackers everywhere. While I’ve never seen many before, now I’m meeting at least one per week. Pushing hard to make their loaded bikes move. Sunburned and exhausted, but happy.
It’s almost as if I pulled them into my reality. But the Bikepackers were there all along. I just didn’t notice them.
It’s like your social media bubble.
Manifesting is like your social media bubble. By following certain people, brands or hashtags you are shaping your online reality. You start seeing more of what you want to see. Even the most exotic things slowly become normal. Once you shifted your focus, you will see the object of your manifestation everywhere. Even though it was there all along.
How this can benefit your work and life.
As an entrepreneur looking for business opportunities, you will see them in every problem that you encounter. You start to manifest opportunities. Just by noticing them.
As a Scrum Team looking for small wins every day, you will start to notice them everywhere. You start to manifest your wins. Just because you highlighted and celebrated them.
As someone who picked up journaling with a gratitude practice - you start to find more things to be grateful for. You manifest these positive things in your life. Just by dedicating time to notice them.
These opportunities, wins and positive things were there all along - but through manifesting you actually started to pay attention.
Manifesting is about directing focus.
As a Scrum Master, you can manifest a productive team by directing their focus towards their wins - and the opportunities to improve. And helping them to create more of them.
As an entrepreneur, you can manifest opportunities by seeing each problem as a potential product. Or manifest customers by noticing social groups that others ignore. Your focus and not the opportunities become the limiting factor.
Or see your journal as a tool to manifest gratefulness, happiness, cultivate an abundance mindset. You name it. Change your reality by paying attention to what otherwise goes unnoticed.
Maybe Manifesting has magical powers after all?
Who knows? Maybe you can actually pull things into reality. The world is a mysterious place. But even if it is not, there’s often a good explanation to also convince the rational side of you.
Whether you’re a spiritual person or not - I think you should give manifesting a try.
And if you’d like to get some regular support to direct your focus, I’d be happy to help.
So much for my esoteric excursion. I expect next week to be more down to earth again.
Until then: Go Scrum Yourself!