The law of expectation isn't mentioned as often as the law of attraction. It kind of hides at the back of the room, almost unnoticed. But the effects of the law of expectation are at least as real as those from the law of attraction, maybe even more so.

What is the law of expectation?

At its simplest, it's that a high percentage of the time, what you expect of someone is what they will deliver.

Schoolchildren do this to teachers all the time.

If the teachers expect them to deliver poor quality work, the pupils will sense this (in much the same way as an animal senses kindness or fear) and they will live down to the expectation.

We carry this forward throughout the rest of our life.

If someone expects us to deliver a mediocre job then we'll probably oblige.

And if they expect us to overdeliver and - to the use the jargon of so many Apprentice contestants - give 110% then we'll probably do just that.

What's expected of us forms a massive portion of what we actually do.

Often subconsciously, which is where this ties neatly in with the law of attraction.

Expectation and attraction are inextricably linked

If you're expected to do something, you'll probably do whatever is in your power to make it happen. Including setting your focus on the expected outcome. When you focus on the outcome of an event, you're actually using the law of attraction to bring that result closer to you. Whether or not you realize this.

In fact, you could argue that setting an expectation is actually one of the simplest ways of using the law of attraction.

Your focus - or expectation - homes in on something that is supposed to happen.

Then the universe kicks in and all the various cogs that need to (metaphorically) turn start in motion to deliver whatever outcome is expected of them.

So if you've ever had a sense of deja vu where a scene is unfolding in front of you as though you're watching a repeat on TV, that's a sign of expectation catching up with attraction. You've expected the scene to happen. Maybe even lived it in your dreams a few times. And now it's caught up with you in the "now".

Expect the best but prepare for the worst

A lot of people live by this mantra.

It's kind of like having the best of both worlds.

For instance, you might look out the window and see dark clouds on the horizon. So, in expecting the best, you go out in a T-shirt and shorts. But, preparing for the worst, you slip a lightweight coat and smal umbrella into your backpack.

The more you expect the best, the more often the best will happen.

Partly because that's what your subconscious will be doing its level best to attract - because by focusing on the best, you've given it that command.

Partly because our minds tend to blot out things that don't go totally to plan. Much like the summers were always long and hot when you were a child.

So use the law of expectation to help draw the things you want to attract closer to you.