Manifestation has become more than a trend. It’s a language people turn to when life feels stuck. Workshops promise clarity, abundance, and change that feels immediate and personal. For many, that feeling alone is powerful. It offers relief, especially when traditional advice feels cold, rigid, or out of reach.
“Manifestation speaks to people emotionally. It offers hope without immediately demanding discomfort,” says Dr Chandni Tugnait, psychotherapist and founder of Gateway of Healing. And that’s exactly why it works so well.
Why manifestation feels so convincing
At its core, manifestation creates a sense of control. Vision boards, affirmations, and visualisation techniques allow people to imagine a different version of their life, one where things have already worked out. It feels warm. Encouraging. Almost effortless. But there’s a catch.“It often allows people to stay in the comfort of possibility without engaging with the discomfort of change,” Dr Tugnait explains.
When visualising success reduces motivation
This is where things begin to shift. Research suggests that vividly imagining achieving a goal can sometimes trick the brain into feeling as though progress has already been made. The emotional reward comes early.
And when that happens, the urgency to act quietly drops. “The high people experience in these spaces is real, but it doesn’t always translate into sustained effort,” says Dr Tugnait. So while manifestation feels productive, it can sometimes replace action instead of supporting it.
What actually creates change
If manifestation is only the starting point, what comes next matters more. A concept known as mental contrasting offers a more grounded approach. Instead of just focusing on the desired outcome, it asks you to hold that vision alongside an honest look at what’s standing in your way.
Not external obstacles. Internal ones. “Patterns, fears, avoidance behaviours, these are often the real barriers, and they require conscious engagement,” Dr Tugnait notes. It’s less comfortable. But it’s far more effective.
Why this approach feels harder
Because it removes the illusion. Manifestation allows you to stay in a hopeful future. Mental contrasting brings you back to the present, to habits, resistance, and the work required to bridge the gap. It demands honesty. And that’s where most people disengage.
The real gap
Wanting a different life is not unrealistic. It’s necessary. But clarity is only the beginning. “Manifestation is not the problem. Stopping at manifestation is,” Dr Tugnait explains. The real shift happens after the workshop ends. When the vision has to meet routine. Effort. Consistency. And the parts of yourself that don’t change easily.
Manifestation can open the door. But it doesn’t walk you through it. The difference between intention and transformation lies in what happens next, in the uncomfortable, often unglamorous work of following through.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is based on religious beliefs and popular traditions. There is no scientific evidence to support it. India TV does not vouch for the accuracy of any of the information
