The question of whether matter arose before consciousness or vice versa is a complex and has long been debated to no avail that it has no definitive answer. However, this piece of writing is not to answer whether matter or consciousness came first, but instead focuses on how consciousness can determine matter. To start, the subject does not necessary have to remain at a purely academic level. In fact, it can be downscaled to the daily-life level to be better understood and we can connect that understanding to our personal lives as well.

“I think, therefore I am” – a famous saying by Descartes to say that his existence could not be doubted, for he thought about it in the first place. To understand the statement more in-depth, we must dive into Descartes’s motivations on why he came up with such conclusion.

Descartes always searched for a certain, irrefutable knowledge, because as a mathematician, he reasoned that if the foundations of knowledge were not solid, anything built upon them would eventually collapse. As a seeker of truth, Descartes set up clear targets and strict criteria for judgment because he struggled to feel convinced by the existence or reliability of anything. Finally, he arrived at the conclusion: Everything is real, because we think about it to begin with, and if there’s anything wrong with things, which is another story, then they must necessarily exist to be wrong.

Now, how does Descartes’s statement has anything to do with “Consciousness precedes matter”? The key lies in “think”, because the certain existence of thinking implies consciousness. Besides, being conscious about something means there is a certain level of subjective thought to it. That means, in a sense and to a certain degree, our own conscious mind decides what kind of reality we will have, which encompasses what tangible possessions we may achieve.

At this point, whether matter determines consciousness or vice versa, it’s safe to say that both views are correct, because they are, in essence, like two sides of a coin, just as many other pairs of seemingly inter-eliminatory elements that cannot exist sensibly one without the other, such as “darkness and light”, “chaos and order”, etc. Both views rather resemble alternating phases that function as a cycle that moves in an endless spiral motion, one complementing the other, which comes as the dual nature of everything’s existence.

In life, it is up to us to think what is possible or impossible, which is best expressed in the quote “He who thinks he can and he who thinks he can’t are both right”. More specifically, consciousness determines matter not in the way that if we think of something, that thing then magically pops up into existence, which is perhaps a popular misinterpretation of this view. Instead, it strictly and realistically follows the logical law of everything, which means there is a process between what we seriously think about and the endpoint of achieving it, which is fueled by our motivations that lead us to making efforts to reach our desired reality.

For example, if you want to grow an apple tree, then the first thing you need is apple seeds (you can’t expect an apple tree to grow from watermelon seeds obviously). After that, you look into what are the best conditions for an apple tree to grow, e.g. rich soil that does not become waterlogged, full sun and warm sheltered site, open space and other factors. If you can meet all these requirements, then you will have a mature apple tree that bears fruits after 5-6 years, which is a reality you desired – to have an apple tree. That is the process of going from a single thought [of having an apple tree] to its realization, which shows the realistic way how consciousness determines matter – from thinking to physical realization, it demands a practical route. It’s worth noting that we also must comply with the physical reality to identify what needs to be done in order to execute it, as no one can detach from reality, doing irrelevant things and just daydreaming our way to a coveted outcome.

Then, isn’t it true that we can shape reality with thoughts and how we see things? Thus, on the most fundamental level, the most powerful tool a person can wield is thought, not riches, not social status, nor any other material possessions and surface-level glamour. If you think hard enough about something and set an intent on it, you are sure to strive for it to be realized, of which success is not guaranteed due to the unmanageable factor of circumstances, which can be overwhelming at times. Regardless, possibilities are always there.

So, if you truly want something in life, it’s not going to come directly out of your imagination, but it starts with seriously thinking about how to get it. Set in place a committed intent that drives you to become so relentless that you won’t stop, not until your goals become a reality.