Manifesting Through Action: Becoming the Person Who Has What You Want

The other day, I was knee-deep in receipts—literally. I had poured an entire year’s worth of paperwork onto my living room floor and thought, What have I done?

Usually, I toss receipts into a liquor box (yes, a liquor box!) and deal with them once a year at tax time, or later! But as I was sorting through this mountain of paper, I realized something powerful: if I’m serious about achieving my next big business goal, I need to be the kind of person who’s ready for it.

And that means getting my finances in order—now, not later.

Telling the Universe You’re Ready

Manifestation isn’t just about thinking positive thoughts or visualizing the dream. It’s also about action. By tackling my accounting, I was sending a message to the universe: “I’m serious about going to the next level.”

Because when that goal manifests, I won’t have time to play catch-up. I’ll need systems in place. So, I went out and bought toner, folders, envelopes, and labels. Things I hadn’t needed in ages. And that simple act of preparation shifted something inside me.

When you take physical steps toward your goal, you’re aligning your energy with the reality you want. It’s how you become the person who already has it.

Becoming the Person Who Has the Goal

If your dream hasn’t manifested yet, it often means you’re not quite the person who can hold it—yet.

Ask yourself:

• Who is the version of me that already has what I want?
• What are their habits, routines, and qualities?

For me, the “successful Carolyn” is organized. She’s on top of her accounting. She runs her business efficiently so she can spend more time writing, teaching workshops, and creating content. So, that’s who I’m becoming—one filed receipt at a time.

A Lesson from a Future Pilot

Years ago, I met a young man at a Toastmasters meeting who dreamed of becoming a pilot. The problem? He was living in a small town in South Africa, far from any aviation opportunities.

But instead of dismissing it as impossible, he decided to become the person who would achieve that dream. He studied. He read. He networked. He took action after action until doors began to open. Eventually, he found himself in Canada, enrolled in aviation college, and on his way to becoming a commercial pilot.

That’s manifestation in motion. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it happens when you align your actions with your desire.

Taking Action is the Missing Step

Helene Hadsell’s SPEC method—Select It, Project It, Expect It, Collect It—works beautifully, but most people get tripped up on the “Expect It” stage. They wait for magic without taking action.

Manifesting isn’t passive. You can’t just ask, believe, and receive. You also have to do. Take a step, any step, toward your goal. When you move, the universe moves with you. As the saying goes, “Take one step toward the universe, and it takes ten toward you.”

Practical Examples

Let’s say your goal is to run a marathon. You don’t manifest that by thinking about running. You become the kind of person who trains, eats right, and shows up every morning.

Or maybe you’re calling in a romantic partner. Make space—literally. Clean out half your closet. Sleep on one side of the bed. Park your car on one side of the driveway. Tell the universe, “There’s room for someone in my life.” When I was newly divorced, I took four years off dating to become the person I wanted to attract. I set boundaries, healed old patterns, and said “no” to what didn’t fit. When I finally aligned with the version of me who was ready for love, George showed up. Eight years later, here we are.

The Fun of “Naming and Claiming”

Helene always said life is a game—the Name It & Claim It Game—so treat it like one. Grab a piece of paper and write down everything you’d want if time, money, or skill weren’t an obstacle. Then choose one thing and start stepping toward it.

Ask yourself:

• Who has what I want?
• What do they do differently?
• What small action can I take today?

Maybe that means getting your accounting in order, like me. Or buying a lightweight laptop if your dream is to work from the beach. (Yes, that’s on my list too—three months south each winter, laptop and all!)

The Truth About Manifesting

Here’s the real secret: manifesting doesn’t erase your problems. It changes how you handle them. Even lottery winners get new challenges. (Watch my video with Powerball winner Timothy Schutlz.)

The difference is that when you become the person who’s ready for what you’ve asked for, you can handle anything that comes with it.

So start today. File the receipts. Clean the closet. Sign up for the class. Take the step.

Because once you become the person who has the goal, the universe will open doors you didn’t even know existed.