Every nurse has noticed it. You walk onto a quiet ward, think "this is going to be a good shift," and somehow it is. Or a coworker mutters that it's too calm, and fifteen minutes later the whole floor is calling out at once. We all know the colleague whose shifts feel cursed and the one whose shifts always seem to glide. This piece is about that pattern, and the idea that the way you think shapes the day you get.
The law of attraction, popularized by Rhonda Byrne's book The Secret, says like attracts like: what you focus on tends to show up in your life. Stay pessimistic and more of the same finds you. Steer your attention toward what you want and you start to notice it arriving.
All that we are is a result of what we have thought. – Buddha
You can read it as metaphysics or as plain psychology. Either way, where you put your attention changes what you see and how you carry yourself, and that changes how the shift goes. Doubt, negativity, and fear are what stall the things you're after. Here is how to work with it, whether you're stuck in a low-paying job, grinding toward the NCLEX, or just trying to move your life forward.
1. Visualize the outcome and feel it
When you visualize, then you materialize. If you've been there in the mind, you'll go there in the body. – Dr. Denis Waitley
Say you want to pass the NCLEX. Focus on the end: picture yourself at the computer seeing the pass result, and let yourself feel it. The relief, the pride, the doors it opens. Do it once a day, more if you want, and make the feeling real, not just the picture.
2. Drop the doubt
The universe likes speed. Don't delay, don't second-guess, don't doubt. – Rhonda Byrne, The Secret
You can feel confident in your head while your gut still holds the fear. That's where the work is. When a negative thought shows up ("I'm not good enough, I'm going to fail"), don't fight it head-on. Nudge it somewhere steadier: "Things are working out for me." Repeat it until it sinks below the surface. You're training your brain to treat the goal as possible.
3. Give joy and love to other people
Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive, because your words become your behaviors. Keep your behaviors positive, because your behaviors become your habits. Keep your habits positive, because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive, because your values become your destiny. – Gandhi
Acts of kindness feed back to you. Be generous, and it tends to come back around.
4. Aim to feel good most of the time
Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions. – Albert Einstein
When you feel miserable, don't bury it. Acknowledge it, then let it go. A short walk or run, time outside, a favorite movie, your pets, even singing, all shift the mood. A bad day doesn't send you back to square one. Like the tide, your energy ebbs and flows. Off today, better tomorrow. It's a practice, not a switch.
5. Live as if it's already done
Thoughts become things. If you see it in your mind, you will hold it in your hand. – Bob Proctor
Neville Goddard taught living each day as though the wish were already granted. Build a mantra that assumes it: "It's wonderful that I'm now a registered nurse." Repeat it until it feels ordinary, and belief follows.
6. Be grateful
Be grateful for what you already have while you pursue your goals. If you aren't grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you would be happy with more. – Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
Thank the small things, even when the big picture looks bleak. This is the part with the strongest evidence: in a controlled study, people who kept a weekly gratitude list reported higher well-being and more optimism than those who tracked hassles (Emmons and McCullough, 2003). The more you appreciate what you have, the easier it is to want and notice more good.
7. Learn to let go
Last night I lost the world, and gained the universe. – C. JoyBell C.
Letting go isn't quitting. It's releasing the anxious grip on the outcome. The NCLEX is a week out and the fear is climbing. Surrender it. State what you want, trust the process, and stop white-knuckling the result. Keep this in perspective too: the work you already put in is what passes the exam, and most prepared candidates do pass. The first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for US-educated candidates was about 85 percent in 2024 (NCSBN). Focus and steady preparation are what make any of this work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the law of attraction actually work? There is no scientific evidence that thoughts change the outside world on their own. What does hold up is that your attention shapes your mood, your effort, and what you notice, so treating the idea as a mindset tool rather than magic is the honest way to use it.
Can positive thinking help me pass the NCLEX? Mindset can lower test anxiety and keep you studying, but preparation is what passes the exam. Most prepared candidates do pass; the first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for US-educated test takers was about 85 percent in 2024 (NCSBN).
Is there real science behind gratitude? Yes. In a controlled study, people who kept a weekly gratitude list reported greater well-being and optimism than those who logged hassles (Emmons and McCullough, 2003). A short daily gratitude habit is one of the better-supported ideas in this piece.
How do I manage NCLEX anxiety in the final week? Trust the prep you have done, keep your review light and steady, and protect sleep and movement. Short walks, time outside, and a gratitude check are simple ways to lower the fear without cramming.
What is "The Secret"? It is Rhonda Byrne's 2006 book that popularized the law of attraction, the claim that like attracts like and that focusing on what you want draws it toward you. It is best read as motivation, not as proven science.