11 Common Law of Attraction Mistakes That Stop You Manifesting

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Understanding the law of attraction is fundamental to manifesting your biggest dreams and desires.


When done right, manifesting can feel effortless and you can get in a state of flow bringing your goals into reality.


But, let’s be honest, this is a rarity if you’re just starting out and, as a newbie, it’s likely that you’ll make some common Law of Attraction mistakes that will hold you back from real manifesting success.


I know because I’ve been there! When I first learned about the Law of Attraction there was still so much that I didn’t know.


As with any other practice, there is always new knowledge to be gained and practice makes perfect.


So if you haven’t been seeing results then don’t give up! Instead, look to see if you’re making some of these common Law of Attraction mistakes and then work through them! 


What is the Law of Attraction, anyway?


The Law of Attraction is one of the laws of the universe that states that “like attracts like” when it comes to energy.


This means that whatever frequency we vibrate at with our thoughts, feelings and behaviors is what we will attract in the material world with physical items and experiences.


If you want to learn a bit more about how this works before we delve into common Law of Attraction mistakes then check out this post.


11 common law of attraction mistakes


Whether you’re just starting out with learning how to consciously manifest or you’ve been working at manifesting for a while, having an awareness of these Law of Attraction mistakes and how to work through them can transform your ability to manifest!


1. You don't know what you want


This might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised about just how many of us are not really sure what we want.


But if you’re not sure what you want, how can you expect the Universe to provide you with what you want? It has to start with you.


And this is particularly true if you’re jumping about from one thing to the next, trying to manifest things left, right and center without stopping to focus on one singular desire.


This gives the impression that you’re not particularly dedicated to any one thing, and without this level of focus and dedication you’re not going to manifest.


When you don’t have your full heart in something then this is going to be picked up on energetically. Vibes don’t lie - trust me!


The solution:


Take some time to explore what it is that you want and why you want it.


It’s important that you narrow down on a desire that you truly connect with, rather than picking something for the sake of it.


And then, when you’ve found your desire, make this your sole focus in your Law of Attraction practice.


Sure, you might have several desires, but they can wait! Show your dedication by focusing your energy on this one desire for the foreseeable, before moving onto the next.


2. You’re starting too big


I’m all for dreaming big - dreaming big is great.


However, dreaming big at the expense of your dreams feeling realistic is not so great.


This doesn’t for a second mean that big dreams are unattainable (quite the opposite in fact).


However, when you’re just starting with the Law of Attraction you haven’t had time to build trust in yourself and the Universe just yet.


Picking dreams that are too big can create unconscious resistance because deep down you might think that you’re not capable of making these dreams happen. 


The solution:


Start small!


Explore your manifesting powers by gradually increasing the “size” of your desire.


Doing so can help you to build up belief while you work at strengthening your practices and understanding the Law of Attraction.

big dreams graffiti


3. You’re dissatisfied with your current reality


I know what you might be thinking - of course I’m dissatisfied with my current reality, why else would I be trying to manifest new things?


And I get it, I do.


But (and this is a big but), for manifestation to work your desires shouldn’t be rooted in current dissatisfaction, but should instead be rooted in current contentment yet striving for more.


This might feel a little paradoxical at first, but this is why gratitude is so important to make peace with your current circumstances.


Any form of dissatisfaction will show up energetically and you’ll only attract more of the same experiences.


The solution:


Every time you wish to manifest a desire, evaluate your “why”. If the desire is rooted in dissatisfaction, then understand that there is some mindset work you need to do.


Start a gratitude journal to shift your mindset around your current circumstances. 


Find the positives in your life and understand that you don’t need to change anything about your life because happiness comes from within.


Yet also accept the paradox that there is nothing wrong in striving for more! You can have anything you want, but your intentions must be pure. 


4. You have a victim mentality


Let’s face it, most of us have some kind of mindset work that we need to do, and if you’ve experienced multiple hardships in life then a victim mentality might be one of them.


This victim mentality might have you thinking things such as…


“Nothing good ever happens to me”


“I’m not as lucky as other people”


Or “People like me don’t achieve things like that”


Having these thoughts makes total sense from a psychological perspective.


If you have been unfortunate enough to encounter several traumas or setbacks then these thoughts serve to prepare you for the future disappointment that you think is inevitable.


However, it is not inevitable and this is one of the biggest Law of Attraction mistakes you can make.


And this mindset is actually hindering you from transforming your life and attracting the things that you want. 


If you believe that good things don’t happen to people like you, then good things won’t happen to you.


The solution:


One of the biggest mindset breakthroughs I have ever had is when I came across the advice to shift the mindset of “why is this happening to me?” to “what is this teaching me?”


Once I became conscious of my own victim mentality and made this alteration I felt more empowered to step into my light and seek opportunities to better myself.


Instead of being the victim of the Universe, I was now the student.


When you look at life through this lens, challenges are no longer there to punish you, but instead to teach you and help you grow through life.


This subtle mindset change can shift your whole outlook on life and your vibration to start attracting better!


5. You’re not using affirmations the right way


A common Law of Attraction mistake that a lot of us make when starting out is not only over emphasizing the importance of affirmations (this is more important), but using affirmations in the wrong way. 


When used in the wrong way, you’re actually not putting out the vibes that you want to put out at all.


This primarily happens when you focus on what you don’t want, rather than what you do want.


For example, affirmations like “I won’t be in debt any more” or “X won’t break up with me” are actually affirmations that place far too much energetic focus on the very thing that you don’t want.


Not only this, but they’re also written in the future tense. This isn’t necessarily detrimental, but it definitely isn’t the most powerful way to frame our affirmations.


The solution:


Always focus on what you do want, rather than what you don’t, and aim to write your affirmations in the present tense.


For example, “I won’t be in debt any more” might become “I have paid off all my debts and my bank balance is growing every day”. 


Similarly, “X won’t break up with me” might become “X and I have a healthy, happy and strong relationship.”


Do you see how much that shifts the energy behind the affirmations?


If you’re still unsure about what makes a powerful affirmation then check out this article on how to make affirmations work faster!


6. You’re not taking action


A big Law of Attraction mistake that many newbies make is thinking that it is just some magical law that doesn’t require any effort on your part.


While working with the Law of Attraction can feel effortless at times, this doesn’t mean that you don’t have to take any action to get to where you want to be!


Successful manifestation comes from finding the balance between effort and ease, and taking action is a necessary part of showing that we’re dedicated to making our dreams happen.


The solution:


Create an action plan.


Work out what it is that you need to do both physically and energetically to align yourself with your desires, and do it!

person leaping


7. You’re not being consistent


Equally as important as taking action is taking consistent action.


It isn’t enough to dip in and out of your practice half heartedly, or to have a period where you’re fully committed followed by a period where you’re not committed at all.


In order to get in energetic alignment with our desires, we have to show up consistently every day and make choices that contribute to this alignment.


I get that it’s difficult to show up always, and I have off days too, believe me!


But as long as in general you remain conscious and dedicated to your desires then this is going to make the world of difference.


The solution:


Keep a habit tracker to hold yourself accountable and make positive choices every day that move you closer to your desire.


Don’t allow bad days to throw you off track completely. Instead, take each day as it comes and return to your intention when you notice it slipping!


8. Your desire isn’t in alignment with your higher purpose


If you’re choosing to manifest desires that aren’t aligned with your higher purpose then the unfortunate reality is that you’re unlikely to manifest these desires.


In order to manifest, you need to take time to get to know your purpose and what is in alignment with this. 


Doing so will allow you to shift from manifesting meaningless things to things that actually light up your soul and make you feel fulfilled.


The solution:


This can be a tricky mistake to work through, since it requires a considerable level of self awareness and intuition building to get to know what your purpose is.


This post can help you to explore the signs that you’re not living in alignment with your purpose as well as how to explore what your purpose actually is.


9. You’re not practicing self awareness


I always say that self awareness is the no.1 most important factor involved in personal growth, and your Law of Attraction practice is no different!


If you go about your life with a lack of awareness about your thoughts, feelings and behaviors, then you will be unable to acknowledge when you’re living out of alignment and what you can do to rectify that.


Once you get to know yourself on a deeper level, you can begin to live more consciously and manifest more effortlessly as a result. 


The solution:


Focus on exploring your inner workings and doing shadow work, even when it feels uncomfortable.


Journaling is a tool that I recommend most for developing self awareness. Writing freely about your thoughts and feelings can help you to get to know and understand yourself on a deeper level.


Try using journal prompts for self discovery to help you explore these deeper parts of yourself!


10. You reject change and new opportunities


One of the biggest Law of Attraction mistakes you can make is being resistant to change and new opportunities.


This doesn’t just apply to your manifestation either. You might think you’re ready to welcome in your manifestation, while not realizing that you’re creating resistance by resisting other changes in your life.


To welcome in change is to grow and to move closer towards your desires. You never know what opportunities are going to be stepping stones on the way to your manifestation.


By declining new opportunities, you are limiting your potential.


The solution:


Practice saying “yes” more often and welcoming in new opportunities, even when they’re not exactly what you asked for.


Be more open to living in the now and surrender to the flow of life.


Try to adopt a sense of curiosity about where the Universe is leading you, and explore new opportunities with eagerness to learn and grow!

something needs to change sign


11. You’re obsessing over the outcome


In my mind, this is the biggest Law of Attraction mistake that almost all of us are or have been prone to on our manifesting journeys.


When you want to work on manifesting something, it can be incredibly hard to detach from it.


This means that we often end up obsessing over the outcome, rather than enjoying the process of getting there.


When we obsess over the outcome in this way, we create feelings of desperation and unknowingly create resistance to manifesting our desire.


If we want to manifest successfully, we have to work at letting go.


The solution:


Practice detachment and letting go of your manifestation, rather than needlessly obsessing over it.


This is probably the trickiest part of the Law of Attraction, I must admit!


Learning to consciously manifest takes practice and you’re bound to make one or two of these Law of Attraction mistakes along the way.


Don’t beat yourself up about it if this is the case! Instead, acknowledge where you might be struggling and take the necessary steps to work through these obstacles.


Once you identify and work through the mistakes and blocks you’re facing, you will start to live a more aligned life and manifesting will start to fall into place with ease!


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law of attraction mistakes

About Esther

Esther is the founder of Through the Phases.  Her mission is to guide others to grow to their full potential and create their dream life using spiritual and personal growth practices. Read more about her story here!

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