4 Steps To Manifesting Success In Business, Even If You're Skeptical

Forbes

09-06-2025

4 steps to manifesting success in business, even if you're skeptical
You're pushing hard in business. Content, calls, operations. Every deal feels like pulling teeth. Maybe you're wondering if success has to be this difficult.
What if it doesn't? What if you could put in the work and let opportunities flow to you? Whether you believe in manifesting or think it's complete nonsense, getting intentional about what you want can only help.
I used to be the person grinding 12-hour days, running my agency thinking hustle was the only path to success. Then one day I wrote myself a pretend check, from 'the perfect buyer' for 'one social media agency.' When I exited for the exact amount I wrote on the check, I wanted to understand what had happened. I researched manifestation and started experimenting with different approaches to business. Some worked, some didn't. But the mindset shifts that came from getting clear on what I actually wanted changed everything.
Over a third of people already use some form of manifestation, according to recent academic studies. The numbers are growing: from just 2% believing in the Law of Attraction in the 1990s to 73% globally in 2022. On TikTok alone, manifestation videos have racked up 34.6 billion views. People who practice it tend to perceive themselves as more successful, stay confident about their future goals, and take bigger risks in business and investing.
You don't need crystals or vision boards. You need a system that works whether you're a believer or a skeptic. Amy Westmoreland, a manifesting expert with 120,000 YouTube subscribers, has broken down exactly how to attract what you want using her 4-step method. "I want what I want and I get what I want," she says. No apologies, no compromises.
The first step is clarifying your desire and focusing on already having it. You don't need to believe it yet. Just imagine it. If you want warm chocolate chip cookies, close your eyes and imagine holding one. Feel the warmth, taste the chocolate. Be specific. "You have to imagine having exactly what you want with all of the specific details," Westmoreland explains. Then acknowledge it: "Oh my god, I got exactly what I wanted."
Step two is belief, but here's the twist: you don't need to believe it will happen, just that it could happen. There's a difference. Can you get a warm chocolate chip cookie? Of course you can. That's enough belief to work with.
Step three tackles resistance. Maybe you think you can't get exactly what you want. Fine. "I can have that thought and still get exactly what I want," Westmoreland suggests.
Test this with your next business goal. Write down one specific outcome you want this month. Ask yourself: is it possible? Not guaranteed, not likely, just possible. If yes, you have enough belief to work with. Accept any doubts that exist, then move past them. Your thoughts don't control your outcomes unless you let them.
The fourth step is where most people fail: detachment. "I want it, I would love it, but I don't need it," is how Westmoreland frames it. You still care about it. You're just not gripping so tightly that you strangle the possibility. Try this with something small first. A parking spot, a specific coffee order, a particular outcome in a minor negotiation.
Practice the feeling of wanting without needing. Notice how you normally approach goals with desperation or force. Then consciously relax your grip. Watch how differently things flow when you're not desperately attached to one outcome. Business works the same way. Do the work, stay open to opportunities, and let solutions come to you.
Sometimes you walk into a situation with no idea what you're looking for, but you know it when you see it. Westmoreland discovered this firsthand in Puerto Rico. She'd never been, had no expectations, and fell completely in love with the place. "I didn't know that I wanted this, but now that I'm here, this is exactly what I wanted," she realized.
For these situations, skip the clarity step. Close your eyes and imagine the feeling of getting exactly what you want, without the details. Picture yourself saying, "I didn't know this existed, but it's perfect." Focus on the emotion, not the specifics. Let your subconscious fill in the blanks. This works for finding business partners, discovering new markets, or recognizing opportunities you didn't know you were looking for.
You don't need to believe in energy or the universe. Think of this as strategic focus. When you clarify what you want and imagine having it, you're programming your brain to notice opportunities. When you release resistance, you're getting out of your own way. When you detach, you're creating space for creative solutions.
The UK data backs this up: 60% of adults reported "speaking their goals into existence" for 2022. Among them, those who believed most strongly also showed more optimism about achieving ambitious goals and shorter expected timeframes for success. Set your revenue goal, visualize hitting it, believe it's possible, release the fear of failure, then detach from needing it to happen on your timeline.
Neuroscientists like Dr. Tara Swart explain manifesting as a process of rewiring your brain to align with your goals. This involves understanding what you truly want and taking consistent actions toward achieving it. Swart emphasizes that manifesting is grounded in neuroscience, not supernatural beliefs, and is about creating habits and neural pathways that support your objectives. Famous people including Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson, Jim Carrey, Dolly Parton, and others have spoken about using manifestation techniques in their lives and careers. Techniques include visualization, scripting, and positive thinking. You don't need to fully believe it right now, you just need to be open to the fact that it could make a difference.
Manifestation means focus plus clarity plus detachment. Whether you call it strategic planning or cosmic ordering, the process works the same. You get clear, you imagine success, you believe it's possible, you release resistance, and you let go of desperation.
Start small. Pick something you want this week. Run through the four steps. See what happens when you combine clear intention with detached action. The worst case? You've spent five minutes getting clear on your goals. The best case? You unlock a new way of moving through the world where success feels less like wrestling and more like flowing. Want exactly what you want. Take action. Then watch what shows up.