We Become What we Think: Exploring the Law of Attraction

Introduction

At one point or the other, we must have heard that we become what we think and if we are able to direct our lives, then we can direct our thoughts. This particular quotation has become very popular among motivational speakers in recent years. It was Earl Nightingale who was well known for using that particular quote in almost all his talks. Earl Nightingale insists that there is no other person to blame than ourselves for our current situation because they are products of our day to day thoughts.

The Law Of Attraction

The law of attraction states that “we attract into our lives those things that are predominant in our thoughts. We can trace the law back to Buddha who once said that “what you have become is what you have thought”. A similar quote in the book of Proverbs in the bible says; 23:7 “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he”. The law of attraction is not just a spontaneous postulation by any religious leader. It is something that shows itself in history and continues to show itself daily in our day to day activities in the society.

From what we have observed in the lives of distinguished men who lived, it is not wrong to conclude that we become what we think. In the life of Buddha mentioned above, we see that he could only achieve enlightenment by spending quality time in meditation and trying to remain focused on achieving enlightenment. This is the same thing we see in the lives of other spiritual leaders, musicians, artists and so on. Most of them spend their spare time thinking about the task they have set before themselves and these produce wonderful results in the end.

Some people do not regard the law of attraction because they think that it does not matter in their lives. Let it be noted that the law of attraction is a natural law, and man does not create natural laws, rather he discovers them. The discovery of the law of attraction which affirms that we really become what we think, should be a credit to us. Knowing that we are products of our thoughts can mean that we have the power to achieve anything and everything.

Most people tend to focus on the negative aspect of the discovery of this law and continue to complain about one unfavourable situation after another. The point is that there is no need to deny this law which we have seen its manifestation in history. The earlier we begin to accept it and organize ourselves with the knowledge of this, the earlier we begin to use it to our own advantage and develop our lives.

The law of attraction has several principles which gives us a clearer understanding of what the law implies. They are:

1. The law of manifestation
2. The law of magnetism
3. The law of harmony
4. The law of universal confluence
5. The law of right action
6. The law of delicate balance
7. The law of unwavering desire.

Application of the Law of Attraction to Different Areas of Life

Due to the importance of the law of attraction, we can apply it in different areas of our lives. It does not matter where it is applied, the results remain the same. Wherever we channel it, that area gets stronger and improves. Here are some areas where we can apply the knowledge that we are what we think:

What We Think and Personal Growth

We cannot overemphasize the need to develop oneself. One of the best ways of securing the future is to strive today and become better versions of ourselves. So many people want to grow and develop themselves, but they just have these as passive thoughts which they pay little attention and allot little time.

The decision to grow in life should be backed with a conscious thinking process that is based on the desired results that we want to achieve. A person who wants to develop the habit of reading daily should devote some time to think about what kind of books interests him or her, the number of pages he will read each day, and how to accomplish this.

In reality, the thinking in itself gets nothing done and does not guarantee the accomplishment of any particular thing. The secret is that the thoughts set a process in motion. This process is what will lead us to our desired goals.

By spending quality time ruminating on a particular task we wish to accomplish, the subconscious mind gets challenged and does not rest until it provides methods through which the individual can achieve that goal.

Although there may be other things between the thinking and the accomplishment of the task, essentially, the thoughts did the magic. This is the reason for the constant repetition of the phrase “we become what we think”.

In the case of one who wishes to cultivate the habit of reading, he or she will eventually achieve that because by thinking about his/her future reading self, it eventually takes place and he or she lands in that position.

What We Think and Spiritual Life

Many saints were known for their silence and deep meditations and reflections on God and the things of God. The emphasis on meditation shows how important it is for us to channel our thoughts to a particular point of interest in order to achieve the best result.

So many people wonder how some other people can spend hours praying and meditating. This will make more sense when we consider that we are what we think. The desires to get closer to God and have spiritual experiences should not stop at a fantasy level where we only daydream of what being spiritual will be like.

We can follow this desire by focusing on God, with whom we plan to establish a relationship. Devoting time to think about Him and how much we can do to improve our relationship with him will eventually lead us to our targets. Just as we pointed out, the subconscious mind gets to work once we have set the process in motion by channelling our thoughts to what we want to achieve.

Spiritual growth is much more than thinking, but the process begins from there and leads one into many other aspects which become clearer as one moves. Anyone who wishes to achieve spiritual growth must be ready to give up alternative thoughts that may discourage the progress experienced or the hope of achieving more.

What We Think and Financial Success

Our thought patterns also affect our financial status. Most times, our financial status is a result of our general outlook on things concerning finance. This is the reason why the rich keep getting richer while the poor continue to grow poor.

There is a mindset that is required for one to succeed financially. We cannot develop this mindset by doubting our capabilities. We must accustom the mindset to the act of using and spending money. It should be ready to bear burdens and responsibilities which are typical of anyone who achieves financial success.

To achieve financial success through our thoughts, it is necessary to take time, just as in other situations, to think of being rich and how to live like a rich person. It is necessary to state clearly the reason for seeking financial success. It is also necessary to identify some of the major things you would use the money to accomplish once it begins to flow.

Through the mental processes of taking yourself into and out of the future, it is then possible to develop the maturity and discipline necessary to achieve financial success. The struggle to survive should not be the case, especially, if you have other reasons for seeking wealth which goes beyond yourself and extends to other people.

So many people conceive in their minds that it is difficult to make money. They think of making money as a rigorous process which they cannot undergo. This keeps them in their financial state and kills any hopes of moving forward and getting better. The funny part is that these people will never stop fantasizing about what it will be like to be rich. They form oppositions within themselves because their doubts cannot allow them to take steps bold steps towards financial success.

Difference Between Thinking and Fantasizing

Thinking is a rational process in man that is associated with reasoning. In the context of this article, it is important to note that thinking means the conscious mental effort of focusing on a particular issue in order to arrive at solutions. It is planned and usually part of a strategy developed for growth.

Fantasizing means to dwell on things that exist only in the head in order to gain momentary pleasure and run away from present tasks that are before us. In fantasizing, the subject just wants to receive some happiness by thinking about the desired future. Sometimes, what goes on in our heads when we are fantasizing, may be obvious impossibilities that we know, and nonetheless, allow ourselves to dwell on them and spend so much valuable time on them.

Thinking and fantasizing (most importantly, in the context of this article) are different when dealing with the idea that we are what we think. Thinking- which is systematic and targeted – leads to the achievement of goals set in different areas of life. Fantasizing only leads to time wasting and distraction from reality and set goals.

What We Think and Time Management

In the aspect of time management, our thoughts about time affect us immensely. This is an area that affects almost everyone in one way or the other. This is because everyone works with time and values time. The time each person has in a day is equal and does not differ from person to person.

However, the quality of things achieved with the time available depends on the mindset of the individual involved. We know many people who complain of the lack of time which they hold unto as the cause of their incomplete projects and life goals.

Time is sacred and should be treated as something sacred. A realization that there is equal time available for our use and that there is always the possibility of creating time for what we consider important will always make us consider time as something sacred. In history, there are people who achieved great things even though they lived short lives.

At times, people begin to wonder how they were able to achieve such great things within a short time. The answer lies in the mindset. These individuals who succeed in achieving much within a short period were conscious of the time which they had. This enabled them to make each day count.

With a positive attitude towards time, we can achieve so much more than we are already achieving in the present. When we consider our daily activities, we find out that we always give room for one or more activities that are not beneficial to us. There are things which we do and we consider these as ‘wasting time’. The aim should be the identification of all these and then minimizing them drastically or putting a total stop to them.

If we are able to utilize every minute of our lives and make each day count, then we shall achieve so much within a short time in our life. Through this means, we can take up and accomplish multiple goals. All these depend on the mindset of the individual. How do we see time? And how do we think about time? A positive outlook will certainly yield a positive result while a negative outlook will yield a negative result too.

A person who always says “there is no time for this and that…” will eventually lead himself into believing that there is no time to do anything. This will eventually make him incapable of taking up goals and achieving them. He becomes dependent on the achievements of others as he makes little or no progress in his own goals.

Conclusion

We are what we think in different areas of life (even those not mentioned above). The law of attraction is not limited to the examples provided above. The fear of the unknown (the not yet) is one that drives man to different acts. For the fact that man does not know what the outcome of his actions will be, makes him strive to act better in order to get better results.

With the knowledge of the power in our thoughts and the fact that we become what we think, it appears there is no need to worry about what tomorrow will bring because there is certainty through engineered thought patterns aimed at a particular good. We can then predict accurately what the outcome of each action will be because we have an upper hand to those events through our thought patterns.

Just as we mentioned at the beginning of this writeup, knowing that we become what we think can be an advantage or a disadvantage to us, depending on what we make of the information. The current emphasis on this is to help us all to grow and become better versions of ourselves without struggling to achieve our life goals and projects. If we occupy our minds with positive thoughts, we attract positivity and become positive. If we occupy our minds with negative thoughts, we attract negativity and become negative ourselves.