Visualize Your Dreams
If you are looking to achieve your goals then visualization is one of the best habits that you can develop. Visualization is the practice of purposely forming a mental image. Basically, you are picturing in your mind what you want to bring into your life. You can use this to achieve a certain goal or perform a skill at your best.
Visualization doesn’t need to be complex. In fact, the simpler the better. You can do this on your own for 5-10 minutes or you can do a guided visualization from a video online. Here is how to visualize:
Find a comfortable and quiet place to sit.
Close your eyes and bring your focus to your breath. Take a few deep breaths to get yourself settled.
Visualization for Goal Achievement - Choose a specific goal and picture yourself having achieved it. Be as specific and detailed as possible. Bring in as many of the senses as you can. Notice all the things that you see, the voices and sounds that you hear, anything that you touch, etc. Notice the emotions that you are experiencing and how you are feeling. Allow yourself to be present and fully experience it.
Visualization for Performance : Pick a specific activity that you want to perform well. For example this can be giving a speech, leading a meeting, interviewing for a job, etc. Perform this skill in your mind in as much detail as possible. Bring in the senses and emotions as you are performing this skill exactly as how you would like to. Notice how you feel before, during, and after you perform it.
Repeat this visualization as often as possible. Make this a daily practice until you have reached your goal.
Visualization is been backed up by science and has been used by top performers around the world. By using visualization, you are seeing yourself being successful and then stepping into it. Visualization will:
make the success more believable and will increase your confidence in being able to achieve it.
keep the thought in your mind and you will begin to see new opportunities because it is on your radar.
physically change your brain. You will begin to form and strengthen neural pathways.
improve your focus and productivity.
My favorite story on visualization is what happened to Major James Nesmeth. Major Nesmeth played golf occasionally on the weekends and would shoot in the mid-90s. He then spent 7 years captive as a prisoner in North Vietnam. During his time there he needed something to pass the time. So, every day he would play a round of golf in his head. He would imagine himself getting dressed, driving to the course, warming up, and then hitting every single shot. He would hit the shot exactly as he wanted and then walk up to the ball to hit his next shot. After being released from prison on his first day playing golf he shot a 74!
This illustrates the power that visualization has and can have on your life. It truly is one of the best tools that you have to create the life that you want to have!
