You Asked
If you imagine something hard enough does it come true? — Brian, Allentown, Pa.

Marshall Answered

Sometimes. It really depends on what you are imagining.

Let’s say you weigh 300 pounds, and you imagine yourself weighing 200 pounds. You think about your 200-pound dream constantly and focus on it every day. As a result, you start exercising more and you cut way back on the calories. And you eventually achieve your goal. What you imagined came true.

Your weight loss dream works because you have total control over the outcome.

There are two cases where imagining is much less effective: the case where what you imagine is impossible, and the case where the outcome depends on other people or events.

For example, let’s say you imagine yourself extinguishing the sun tomorrow. This is pretty much impossible, so it is not going to come true no matter how hard you imagine it. Or imagine yourself marrying Paris Hilton next year. This is not impossible, but it depends on Paris agreeing to marry you. She may reject you instead.

So, as long as you imagine something where you have total control over the outcome, if you imagine and work hard enough, it can (usually does) come true.