My approach to magick begins with a view of the human condition that derives not from Freud, but from the Fourth Way teacher, G.I. Gurdjieff.
Gurdjieff's cosmological system is extremely complex. He acquired this knowledge from ancient sources as a result of contacts he made during his travels, in countries such as Egypt and Tibet. Of course he was questing many decades ago when the Tibetan mysteries were still relatively undisturbed. The crimes of communist China had not at that time produced the tragedy we see today in that legendary land.
http:/www.gurdjieff-legacy.org/70links/gurdjieff.htm
In Gurdjieff's view people are asleep. You could liken our so-called "waking state" to a type of functional hypnotic trance. We tend to operate on automatic, and react, rather than act. We are passive/receptive machines and life tends to happen, by way of a sequence of reactions to stimuli, fear, hunger and so on. We con ourselves into believing that we are in charge and acting consciously, whereas we are really responding to a complex web of energy - mental, emotional, sexual, instinctual.
Our condition is complicated by the fact that we possess no central "I". We imagine we do, but in reality we have multiple "I's" that surface over the course of a day.
Most people will disagree with this assertion, and the reason they disagree is because they are "asleep" and not conscious of the subtle changes in their inner state. In order to become aware of our internal condition, Gurdjieff recommended a technique known as "self-observation". This is a technique that involves clinical observation of our inner state, so that we can begin to become aware of the way in which our machine actually functions, and in the process become conscious of the myriad ways in which we deceive ourselves.
Anyone approaching magick in a divided and disordered condition, won't be able to stay the course. Moreover, if they do manage to make something happen by dint of a special effort of concentration, the results could well backfire.
The well known exponent of the Golden Dawn system, Israel Regardie, actively encouraged probationers to consider taking psychotherapy as a way of clarifying their inner state prior to getting more deeply involved with ritual, and I think that is sound advice.
http://www.golden-dawn.com/temple/index.jsp?s=articles&p=initiation
There is a popular misconception that for magick to work, a practitioner simply has to recite certain spells, burn appropriate incense and make the required ritual gestures. Nothing could be further from the truth.
There are three internal conditions that have to be established first.
The first of these is the ability to sit still and focus. In other words you have to able to concentrate. Raja yoga offers a variety of techniques for bringing the mind under control, and such exercises are vitally important. If a person is constantly distracted and unable to focus their mind in a conscious fashion, magick is out of the question. So an effort has to be made to acquire this basic skill.
The second condition involves the ability to work with "active imagination". This is a technique that involves a deliberate attempt to visualize an object or scene on the inner screen of the mind. If you focus your attention on an orange or apple, then close your eyes and try to visualize it, you will see how difficult it is. With practice it becomes easier, and in time the technque of active imagination will form a central part of ritual work.
The third condition is will. When most people use the term "willpower", they are usually thinking of a special effort. Magickal will isn't like that. When the central "I" is in place, the operator will have a heightened sense of self and purpose. This focused, self-recollection gathers all of the energies together and applies them to the magickal work on hand. So the will in this case, is a by-product of integration, not the type of self-conscious willpower we might bring to running up a hill.
The preparatory work in putting these conditions in place is extremely important. Even though I have been using ritual for some time, I still go back to basic exercises, almost like going through a familiar drill.
The other misconception about magick relates to the role of angels and demons so-called. Christians for example have a very literal understanding of these terms, but this is really a fictional version. What we are talking about in essence is energy, and energy can be personified in a form. Magick is an alchemy of energy, in that a skilled practioner knows how to invoke specific types of energy appropriate to a given ritual. He is in control of this process, so we are not talking about entities that take on a life of their own - at least not in situations that have the necessary skill and controls in place.
Magickal effectiveness depends on establishing the above conditions in conjunction with acquiring the knowledge needed to produce results in accordance with will. This takes time and shouldn't be rushed. There are many texts online that offer advice on the best ways to develop these skills.