Power of intention

In Brihadaranyaka Upnishad, the sage Yagyavalkya describes the

power of intention, or what is called agama karma in Sanskrit.
'Agama' means 'coming near, or approaching.' When we set an
intention we are coming near to its manifestation. It's the thought
stage that precedes the physical stage of taking action, or what is
called kriyamana karma. Together agama karma and kriyamana
karma comprise our free will. We set an intention, and then we take
action, or we make a plan and then we work the plan. The results of
those thoughts and actions will modify our previous karma.
The power of intention is based on the principle of 'like attracts like."
Whatever we focus our mind on, we draw nearer to us. The Buddha
said in Dhammapada:
We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Our thoughts are more powerful than most of us realize. In 1997,
David Smith, a professor of sport and exercise psychology at
University of Chester, conducted a research study on exercise that
showed that the power of our thoughts is almost as good as the real
thing. Participants of the study who actually exercised were able to
achieve 30% increase in strength. However, the participants who just
imagined themselves exercising achieved an amazing 16% increase.
Virtual workouts can give us almost the same effect because another
study using EEG machines showed that the brain doesn't distinguish
between doing something and just thinking about it. In other words,
just thinking about something was triggering the same physiological
processes as real exercise.
It's because our thoughts have a powerful effect in the physical world,
that I believe that it's best to not make negative, fatalistic predictions.
The fear that is instilled actually draws those fearful situations towards
us, and creates changes in our minds and bodies. Since we're
modifying our karma all the time, by our thoughts and actions, why
not modify it in a positive direction?
A good question is: If our thoughts have the power to manifest, then
why don't we manifest everything we put our minds on? It's because
wishful thinking, hopeful thinking, oh wouldn't it be nice if...thinking is
not setting an intention. Instead, it's saying to ourselves and to the
universe that something will happen, believing it, and putting our
entire will behind it. I believe that we can only have this level of
conviction when our will is in harmony with God's will, or our karmic
destiny.