Some people believe the Law of Attraction [is a, if not the, fundamental law of the Universe. The Law is often described in terms of Universal Mind or Universal Intelligence.  Many thoughtful people believe there is a fundamental/universal/spiritual law that permeates everything in the Universe, including the people on planet Earth. 

These people believe this law is pervasive - at the core of everything: it is a law of Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Omnipresence. These people believe this law knows no boundaries:

• It is all-powerful
• It is all-knowing
• It is everywhere

A number of proponents of this ‘fundamentalist’ Law of Attraction viewpoint have made claims about scientific verification where the human sub/unconscious 'mind' is the conduit between Universal Intelligence and (conscious) human thought.  In summary, they believe if we can control our conscious thought and direct it toward our long-term goals then after much repetition our subconscious mind will link with Universal Intelligence and deliver to us the things we think about. 

The Law of Attraction is a double-edged sword. If we think about the worthwhile things tied to our long-term goals then we receive those worthwhile things and achieve our long-term goals. Conversely, if we think fearful and worrisome thoughts then we attract and bring to ourselves those things we fear and worry about.  Integral to this viewpoint is the conclusion that Universal Intelligence has no filter and our thoughts are connected to unlimited consequences, both good and bad.

Three early 20^th-Century examples:

Charles Haanel, American New-Thought Author and Philosopher (1866-1949)

Author of ‘The Master Key’ (circa 1917)

Napoleon Hill, American New-Thought and Personal-Success Author (1883-1970)

author of ‘The Law of Success’ (1925) and ‘Think and Grow Rich’ (1937)

Robert Collier, American New-Thought and Self-Help Author (1885-1950)

Author of ‘The Secret of the Ages’ (1926)

These early-20^th Century authors believed strongly in the natural-state spiritual aspects of the Law of Attraction as described above…and to various degrees they believed the Law of Attraction was founded on scientific proof. These authors brought their religious beliefs to bear, some of their master works link the Law of Attraction to the teachings of Jesus as written the Christian Bible.

One highlight about each of those early-20^th Century authors:

• Charles Haanel presented a wonderful process for improving focus and concentration
• Napoleon Hill served as U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s special assistant for many years, at $1/year…perhaps, Hill coined the ‘we have nothing to fear but fear itself’ message?
• Robert Collier, from the famous Collier publishing family, believed the Law of Attraction could be called upon to overcome death

Other people, for example Esther Hicks [with the help of her husband Jerry and a multi-faceted supernatural entity she called ‘Abraham’], presented following-generation examples of Law of Attraction beliefs and messages.  

Esther Hicks, American Inspirational Author (1948- present)...with husband, Jerry

Author of ‘The Law of Attraction – The Teachings of Abraham’ (2007)

And, most-recently Deepak Chopra has expanded upon the scientific aspects by presenting physics-based explanations…information stored in waves...essentially saying that the vibrations of thought permeate the cosmos - omniscient, omnipresent and perhaps omnipotent.

Deepak Chopra, Indian-born, American Author (1947-present)

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The Law of Attraction...I have read much about this...I have personal views...and I am very interested in other people's views.

The Law of Attraction...a feel-good thought or a Fundamental Universal Law?

• What do you think?
• Do you believe in the Law of Attraction?
• If so, how do you define it?
• Do you consider your Law of Attraction beliefs to be a solely spiritual [faith-based] or are they science-proven beliefs?

First of all, this is not going to be about breaking bad habits. It's going to be about replacing bad habits. If you insist on breaking bad habits then I’d suggest you use good-old-fashioned interrogation tactics like tying them to a chair, depriving them of water and nourishment, shining bright lights in their eyes, and beating them into submission. But, breaking bad habits - that’s a topic for another day.

About replacing Bad Habits…

If you want to replace your bad habits then the first step is to understand everyone has habits. Then you must understand, one way or another, everyone fills up all the time in their lives. And, for the vast majority of people the time available to them [the time in their lives] is filled with habits – habits of thought and habits of action.  People's time is for the most part filled with either thoughts or actions...nothing more, nothing less.... just thoughts and actions. 

To the extent people’s thoughts and actions are aligned with their long-term goals the thoughts and actions are ‘good’. To the extent people’s thoughts and actions are not aligned with their long-term goals the thoughts and actions are ‘bad’. At least, that's our definition. 

Should you be thinking, right now, that some of your thoughts and actions have nothing to do with long-term goals then you must conclude those questionable thoughts and actions are ‘bad’, because chances are very high they are ‘bad’ [rather than ‘good’]. In those rare instances when you are trying something ‘new’ – when you are experimenting with new thoughts or actions – you should see those thoughts and actions as ‘new things’…’new things’ waiting to be categorized as ‘good’ or ‘bad’.

Regardless, you are primarily a creature of habits and most of your thoughts and actions are either ‘bad habits’ or ‘good habits’. For most people, ‘bad habits’ outmuscle ‘good habits’ and consume most of their owner’s time…for some reason, it is easier to slip into and to repeat habits when they are on the ‘bad’ side of our long-term goals.

Generally, ‘bad habits’ consume the vast majority of people’s time. That’s why the vast majority of people fail to achieve their claimed long-term goals.

For successful people, good habits occur for a sufficient amount of time to bring about the achievement of long-term goals.

When you consider your time, your thoughts, and your actions this way you can quickly see that success happens when people are able to keep their ‘bad habits’ under control and maximize the amount of time they spend doing ‘good habits’.

The key, as most self-help gurus confirm, is the learn how to replace your ‘bad thoughts’ with ‘good thoughts’.

The framework, is described above:

• Set some long-term goals because, without them, you will have no ‘good habits’
• Monitor your thoughts and classify them as either ‘good’ or bad’
• Work at replacing your ‘bad thoughts’ with ‘good thoughts’. This will require much practice…more than learning to ride a bicycle…more than mastering piano playing…more than pumping up 18” biceps. After all, we are talking about your wonderfully-complex brain here.

Let's set Emotional Intelligence aside for the moment. 

Let's assume logical-Intelligence holds the position of authority and control over human behaviour.

With Emotional Intelligence out of our way, we can live in a three dimensional world of (logical) Intelligence, Accuracy, and Time – where success is determined by a combination of (1) possessing Intelligence and (2) possessing the ability to convert Intelligent thoughts into Intelligent actions. When observed by other Intelligent people, the people who are skilled at converting Intelligent thoughts into Intelligent actions will be seen as producers of Accurate and Timely actions.  Conversely, those who are not skilled at having Intelligent thoughts or converting those Intelligent thoughts into Intelligent actions will be seen as producers of actions that are inaccurate (errors, omissions, etc.) and untimely (procrastination, missed deadlines, etc.).

Attribution Bias suggests most people will not be able to self-diagnose their abilities/performance in these areas. On the other hand, they will be able to destructively criticize other people's abilities/performance.

All this considered, when Intelligence fails to present itself thoughts and actions business offices become battlefields where errors can quickly become the Bouncing Betty mines, the bazooka shells, and the nuclear-tipped missiles of mayhem and mass destruction.

So much for trying to set Emotional Intelligence aside…