Beyond "The Secret" --
The Five Most Common Mistakes in
Mastering the Law of Attraction
by Beth Banning and Neill Gibson

Did you love the movie The Secret? Have you been trying to practice what you learned from it? Do you experience any frustration or confusion about how to effectively manifest your dreams? If so, then read on. The tips in this article will help you bring more of the secrets behind the law of attraction out into the open.

Due to the popularity of The Secret, many new books, CDs and programs have been marketed to help people put these ideas into practice. People such as Esther Hicks (a.k.a. Abraham), Jack Canfield, Bob Doyle and many others have offered their own spin on the principles of The Secret.

Many of you may have purchased these in an attempt to master the law of attraction and bring the things you truly want into your life. In this article you'll discover solutions for the five most common mistakes made when people first begin practicing the law of attraction.

Mistake #1 - You don't practice what you know. It may sound silly, but many people who watch The Secret think it's a great idea but then continue doing exactly what they've always done.

Solution: Pick at least one idea from The Secret and practice it every day. As soon as that one starts becoming habit, pick another one.

Mistake #2 - Getting attached to one particular outcome. Many people focus on one particular thing they want to manifest in their life and lose sight of the bigger picture. They end up blind to all the other good things that are actually happening in their lives because they're only looking for that one outcome that they initially imagined.

Solution: Things don't always come in the exact form that we expect. Focus instead on the underlying importance of what you want - the essence of it - and see the bigger picture too. Be open to experiencing the variety of miracles that come as the result of your efforts.

Mistake #3 - Sending yourself mixed messages. You have probably heard how important it is to focus your attention on what it is that you want. Often, people think they're concentrating on what they want, but they're actually complaining about what they don't have. They say things like: "I want more money because I'm sick of being so broke" or "I'm going to find the person of my dreams as soon as I lose some weight." All these mixed messages make it very challenging to manifest what you truly want.

Solution: Becoming conscious of the fact that you're sending mixed messages is the first step to focusing on what you want. Write a list of all the things that you want to manifest. Make sure it is totally free of anything about what you don't want. Then make it a game to see how many times you can catch yourself mixing your messages when you speak or think about these things. Every time you catch yourself, restate what you've just said the way you wrote it on your list.

Mistake #4 - Creating expectations that you don't really believe are possible. We see it all the time: someone gets very clear about what they want, like getting an 80 foot yacht by next month. Then they start practicing the principles of the law of attraction, but they don't really believe they can get what they want. The problem is that past experiences can limit what you believe is actually possible for you, and if you don't truly believe something can happen, it's almost guaranteed not to.

Solution: Let go of any expectations that are beyond what you can allow yourself to truly be live are possible. When you do pick something, trust it will come to you at the perfect time for you to accept it. Every success you have will increase your ability to believe that greater things are possible for you.

Mistake #5 - Focusing only on future returns. Gratitude is an essential component to manifesting your dreams. Very often, people seem to plan on being grateful in the future for all the things that will manifest in their lives. The big car, the great house, the perfect partner... the list goes on and on. But it is your day-to-day experiences that capture your attention - and what you focus your attention on grows. So, unless you can find things to be grateful for right now - in your daily experience - you'll end up focusing on what you don't have instead of what you really want.

Solution: Learn to cultivate gratitude in your daily life. Survey your life each morning. Pinpoint at least 3 things you can be grateful for right now. Once you get the hang of this, it will become easer and you'll begin noticing many more things for which you are grateful.

These solutions are just some of the techniques that you can use as you develop the ability to manifest your dreams. If you'd like more tips and practical advice for creating and living the life you really want, sign up for our thought-provoking and motivational Weekly Action Tips eMail series.

Published by Beth Banning and Neill Gibson, founders of Focused Attention. Our mission is to provide very effective self help and personal development tools, and the skills to use them well. Our passion is to help you build a strong foundation for deeply satisfying relationships in all areas of your life.

Discover why over 80% of our clients say our courses are extremely effective for building self acceptance, self esteem, and self confidence. Learn how to reduce the stress of difficult conversations and problem situations, and accelerate your personal growth and ability to succeed at the same time.

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