The law of attraction is total bullshit. There. I said it. I know the self-help police are on their way now to fit me for a straightjacket and make sure I never coach another living soul again.
In the past decade or so, a lot of credence has been given to the somewhat spiritual idea that if you ask for what you want and visualize it with fervor, the Universe will conspire to manifest it for you.
So by this thinking, all you have to do is put your order in at the cosmic success drive-thru, and pull up to the next window.
What a concept! Let's test it out.
Step outside of your home/office/wherever you are right now. Now visualize 100 people throwing hundred-dollar bills towards you with smiles on their faces.
Nothing yet? No?
How 'bout now? You want fries with that?
Why We Got Sucked Into This Nonsense
Now I must admit, the law of attraction is a yummy idea. I completely understand why we want it to be a thing. It would mean that our dreams are going to be much easier to achieve. It would mean that we are not alone in our responsibility for making our life better because some cosmic force has got our back. It would mean that we live in a world where there is some magic wand/pixie dust/unicorn poo/whatever that will somehow find a way to hand us what we want most on a silver platter because goshdarnit, we are good people with good intentions so we deserve to have everything we want.
Wow. Self-entitled much?
I hate to break it to you, but the universe -- or whatever you buy into -- isn't exactly on the edge of its seat to hand you whatever you want just because you asked nicely. Life doesn't work that way... nor should it. So unless you still ardently believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, it's time to let the belief in this so-called law go.
How the Law of Attraction is Hurting the Coaching Industry
In my not-so-humble opinion, the overwhelming popularity of the law of attraction is a case of groupthink gone very, very wrong. Everyone started talking about it, then everyone read or watched The Secret, and then everyone started reciting these ideas as the gospel. So what started out as a positive thinking approach to self-improvement quickly devolved into an elaborate hoax packaged and presented by countless self-anointed spiritual gurus designed to make you feel all warm and fuzzy about their ideas until you click their PayPal buttons.
Once the law of attraction became a thing, the coaching industry rallied behind it. Some of the smartest people I know became hardcore believers. Slowly but surely, it became an inescapable ideology that all coaches were expected to share. And then the coaching profession started earning a reputation as fluffy mumbojumbo, where you are coddled endlessly and given law of attraction-based platitudes that make you feel good but take you nowhere. On the flipside, if you weren't getting the results you wanted, it was your fault for not believing enough.
As a coach, this is heartbreaking.
Look. If you want to believe in this concept, believe. If you want to believe in unicorns, go right ahead. It's not my place to tell you what to believe. As your coach, my job is to listen to you. To encourage you. To support you. To push you. Not to proselytize a pseudo-spiritual belief system just because everybody else is doing it.
No More Wishin' and Hopin'
Positive thinking is plenty powerful. Every coach in the world likely employs some sort of visualizing activity in his or her coaching practice, myself included. By all means, see yourself on a stage receiving a standing ovation. See yourself rocking out your new business. See yourself with a line of people waiting to get your autograph on the inside page of your bestselling book. See yourself with everything you want.
Then, put in the legwork and make it happen.
I am on a mission to shatter the belief that life coaching has to be a spiritual, woo-woo experience based on the bogus law of attraction. We do not all feel that way. It's time we reclaim the reputation of what a coaching experience can be -- a swift kick in the ass so you realize much more potential, do extraordinary things with your time and energy, and elevate into the best damn version of yourself possible.
If you're ready to really reach your wildest, most audacious goals, then it's time to stop relying so much on this woo-woo law of attraction nonsense as your go-to strategy. Discover real, juicy, inspiring possibilities -- not just wild fantasies and hope. To see your dreams to fruition, you have to roll up your sleeves and make it happen.
What Do You Think?
So I obviously have strong opinions here and I know I'm not alone in my perspective. I also know that my take is a rather unconventional one. I want to know what you think. Please leave a comment and let's discuss.