Richard J. Kransey recently wrote a great article entitled, “The New Law of Attraction in Financial Planning.” In it, he stresses the importance of using your passion and purpose to guide your financial planning, and I couldn’t agree more.

When you are standing at the beginning of any goal setting — whether it’s financial planning or otherwise — you must ask yourself: What am I trying to accomplish? What is my purpose?

Remember, money is not everything. A nice car and a huge house will bring temporary happiness, but that’s all. A Porsche or a Ferrari will bring ephemeral joy that will fade as soon as it began. True happiness only comes from within. You cannot find it outside of yourself in material things.

If you want to be financially free, you need to find your purpose. What’s your passion? If you follow it, the money will come in. Most people have it backwards. They truly believe that if I have the big account, or big house, I’m going to be happy. It doesn’t work that way. However, if you’re doing what you love, the money will follow.

It’s very important to remember: don’t be backwards. The material things don’t get you happiness. Living your passion is what allows you to grow financially and do the things you want. But you find that within. It doesn’t come from the exterior. And best of all, if you’re doing what you truly love, you may not worry about the fancy car and the big house. You’re getting your joy from within, not from your possessions.

That’s what struck me with Richard Kransey’s article. He talks about how a big portfolio is not directly related to happiness. Concentrating on what makes you happy and how you feel is key. You need to have a better understanding of your values. For example, if you are focused on buying a home, why is that a goal? Does it make you feel like you accomplished something? Does it make you feel fulfilled?

I use this exercise often in order to help clients find their passions and purpose. I’ll ask a series of “whys,” to discover what makes a person’s heart really sing. It is very important to be conscious of why you want to have the things you want.

Ultimately, using your money to achieve what is important to you is using the Law of Attraction to your benefit financial planning. Find out what is important to you first, and then develop your financial plan around those values.

There are many myths around the Internet regarding the Law of Attraction. Buying into some of these ideas can actually hamper your success. What’s at the core of the Law of Attraction? What are the best practices you should follow?

I recently found a blog post on the Law of Attraction Tutor about Five Things to know about the Law of Attraction, which got me to thinking about what I believe about it.

Here are five important things I think everyone needs to know about the Law of Attraction:

1) Awareness

You cannot do ANYTHING until you take control of your mind. It’s really the only quality we have that nobody else has, that nobody can take that away from us. We can decide what we choose to listen to, or not. That is the power of awareness. You need to be conscious of the thoughts that you are letting into your subconscious mind.

2) Avoid Limiting Beliefs

The LOA Tutor lists this as his #5 belief, but I think it’s one of the most important ones: Once you become aware, you are able to neutralize the limited beliefs. You know when something bad comes into your mind, you can diffuse it by not letting it set in your mind. Many times, this means that you need to get rid of the perceptions and preconceived notions things you were exposed to early in your life.

3) Setting Clear Intention

The next step in applying the law of attraction is knowing exactly what you want. When you set an intention, you need to be very specific. You also need to be very positive. If you are visualizing something and simultaneously feeling negative energy about something surrounding that thing, you are actually giving power to the negative thought. By telling the Universe exactly what you want, you are instructing it on where you are headed and how it can support you in getting there.

4) Taking Action

You have the Law of Attraction, but you also must consider the Law of Actions. You have to take action. I can sit here and talk about all the things I want to be, such as, “I want to be an Olympic champion.” Unfortunately, there is no way I’m going to become an Olympic champion if I don’t lift any weights. It’s just not going to happen. I’m not going to make the Olympics if I’m not practicing any sports. I can visualize myself playing basketball and making three-pointers every time, but if I never go to the court to put in some time and effort into what I want to be, it will not come to be.

5) History of Law of Attraction

The LOA Tutor reminds us that the true Law of Attraction is not a flash-in-the-pan idea. It has actually been around for quite a while, some say as far as 100 years back. Self-help books from 50 – 75 years ago teach the principles of the Law of Attraction that are presented today as being brand new. The long history behind the Law of Attraction is a testament to the success that people have found with it, when they’ve learned how to apply it correctly in their lives.

What’s stopping you from awareness? The short answer is…YOU.

Your head is in the sand.

People often do everything in their power to limit new experiences or new information. This occurs in varying degrees. The logic may be, “if I don’t know what’s happening in the news, I don’t have to be bummed out about it.” Or “if I take the long way home, I won’t pass by the gym and feel guilty about not working out.”

Some people don’t purposely limit experience or awareness, but they’re still oblivious to the world around them. I’m honestly not sure which is worse, but neither gets you closer to your goals. For both, it takes a significant life changing event to snap you out of it. Maybe you are laid off from work, you turn 50, or you lose someone close to you. This rude awakening makes you realize what you’ve missed and what you’re missing. Life becomes more precious.

Live more “aware” now.
You don’t have to wait for one of those life altering events to start living with the power of awareness. You start simple. Read a subject you’ve never read about, get out of the house more, pay attention to your food as you chew it, plant a flower and keep it alive, pay attention to your breath, find compassion for your neighbor. Or make a list just like this. Think of the character Amelie from “Chocolat,” dipping her hand into the sack of grain just to feel its texture (if you haven’t seen the movie, find it). This is a girl who truly celebrates her surroundings.

Keep in mind that awareness builds upon itself. It is an ongoing thing, and you can’t hit a ceiling or reach a cap. Your level of awareness will always evolve into something bigger and better. It’s a moving target, so you can’t stop. There is always room for improvement.

Don’t get in the way of your own fulfillment. This is a hard-learned lesson which can be resolved by living an aware life and tapping into the Law of Attraction.

Well, there’s the red pill or the blue pill…

Of course, it’s not that easy. You have to seek out methods to tap into the Power of Awareness. It is a journey that you have to customize for yourself and follow through with. Here are a few methods I teach my clients in my life coaching practice.

Learn it. Check out your local bookstore or library for books, DVDs and audio programs that help you understand mindful living. There is a lot out there. You might say you’re becoming more aware of awareness this way.

Consider it. Put an hourly reminder on your office calendar or mobile device to take 30 seconds and really take in your surroundings: sights, sounds, smells, emotion, etc. Don’t just glance around, really take the time to consider your surroundings and be hyper-aware of them. You’ll soon find that you’re anticipating the alarm and doing it regardless.

Eat it. Join the slow food movement. Become aware of what you’re eating.

Remember it. Put sticky notes around your house that remind you to stop and take stock.
The laundry room: Where did the fabric you’re about to wash come from? What is the texture like wet?
The kid’s room: The smell of the baby’s room (when not soured by diapers) makes you feel how?
The remote control: What were the advertisers trying to accomplish in these commercials? Did it work?
Think of your own and post a couple different ones every Sunday afternoon.

Do it. Join a yoga class, practice tai-chi, take a long walk without your mp3 player, and meditate while you’re doing it. Be aware of your breathing, the noises and sights around you.

Support it. Find a good life coach. They’re a great asset if you seek to find a better quality of life overall, and they’re great sounding boards. These are people who objectively guide you, answer your questions, and clarify the proper practices of mindfulness. A coach is also a good person to get you back on track when you get stuck back in auto-pilot.

Discover and practice the power of awareness and soon implementing the Law of Attraction will be much easier.

Awareness is more than knowing your friends’ Facebook status. Being aware — that is, being in a state of awareness — is a life-changer. By tapping into the power of awareness, you can find fulfillment in many areas of your life.

Better Control: Drive your own destiny. Make your own map. A wise man once said that mastering life is having the proper awareness. If you are not aware of the negative thoughts in your mind, you are at their mercy. You have a better chance at canceling out those thoughts by meditating regularly and becoming more mindful of what crosses your mind on a daily basis. According to the Law of Attraction, if you cancel out the negative and replace it with positive, good things will find you.

Less Stress: This month, in Shambhala Sun magazine, Dr. Daniel Siegel explains the correlation of mindfulness and stress-reduction. He says with repeated practice, mindful activities like yoga, tai chi, qigong, centering prayer, chanting, and meditation are actually changing brain function and structure. He cites studies in which these activities reduce anxiety, binge eating, office stress, and depression. This is a scientific testament to the power of awareness.

Quality Relationships: I think you’ll find that being more aware of your surroundings increases your ability to interact with others. You will become a better listener and find your responses to the important people in your life are more intuitive.

Happiness: You will find that true awareness, when inserted in your daily life is extremely gratifying. Since man started on this rock we call earth, the quest for knowledge has been our ultimate goal. At some point everyone asks themselves, “what is this all about?” You’ll only start down the path to that answer by becoming aware, and you’ll like the answers you find.

Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is Man. — Alexander Pope

Awareness is tied intrinsically to what you do or do not attract to your life. If you’re aware of the negative thoughts in your mind, you can counter them with more positive thoughts. And as you think positive thoughts, you can attract good things to you. (That’s the Law of Attraction in action.)

Take Away What Doesn’t Work

With a more mindful perspective, you can see the consequences of your thoughts and actions. It is possible to do something over and over to yourself without even knowing it’s hurting your chances at success in life. I’m reminded of a conversation I had with a friend about his dog. When older dogs chase their tails in circles, its a sign of insecurity, compulsion, and imbalance. In fact, most human dysfunctions, both mental and emotional, are the result of incomplete self-awareness. We chase our tails.

What you are not aware of, you will attract. If internally you don’t believe yourself worthy of a loving and caring boyfriend or girlfriend, you will attract inconsiderate and short-lived relationships. Becoming aware of your insecurity is the first step in attracting what is right for you.

See and Believe What’s Next

Awareness also empowers you to discover those items missing in your life, and helps you to make them become reality. This is where belief and meditation are key. Consider making meditation a priority in your life. Meditation is a kind of ultimate awareness that will help you in your daily perception. If during your day-to-day you are more aware of your thoughts and actions, you will also keep your goals and positive beliefs at the front of your mind, giving you more power to attract the positive in life.

That’s the ultimate goal, right?

Awareness is one step in solving some of life’s problems. With enough awareness, you realize the source of many of life’s obstacles is, in fact, you. The part of you that creates your experiences in life operates continuously, whether you are aware of it or not. Obstacles that you didn’t create yourself are likely things that you can’t do anything about. You must stop resisting what cannot be resisted.

In simpler terms, stuff happens, and only some of that stuff is avoidable. There is a path, through awareness, to avoid or minimize some of the problems of life. So, how do you tap into this power? You can start by making a choice.

You can glide through life on autopilot, bouncing around aimlessly like a pinball. Sometimes you’ll score and sometimes you’ll get knocked around for no good reason only to end up in the gutter (with one less quarter).

Or you can live consciously with awareness. With awareness, you will play a bigger part in shaping your destiny. You’ll enjoy better focus on your goals and concentration on everyday tasks. It will be easier to release tension, food will taste better, and your health will improve. You’ll become more appreciative of life’s simple pleasures and ultimately find more joy in living. With awareness, you play a more active role in life!

“Breathing in, I know that I am breathing in. —Thich Nhat Hanh

We all have moments of awareness and they’re great! The first of the year is often a more aware time. Resolutions are made, but only a fraction of people keep them. If you are living on autopilot (or slip in and out of autopilot), you won’t know it unless someone points it out to you. This is where having a coach is important. A coach helps you achieve your full potential by facilitating the exploration of needs, motivations, desires, skills and thought processes. A coach helps you capture the power of awareness, so you can capture more out of life.