Visualization is the process of creating a mental image, mental rehearsal of an intention of a desired outcome.  It is the process of visually seeing what you want to happen or feel during & after completing a project, task or performance.  Visualizing a successful outcome allows you to enter the feeling and experience a successful outcome before it actually happens.  It creates a positive mindset as oppose to concentrating on negative voices within; your thoughts remain focused on the positive!

Professional athletes use visualization to increase their performance during a game.  They visualize catching the ball with ease, running fast, making touchdowns & winning the game.  This technique can increase an athlete’s performance.

Have you heard of the famous basketball study? 

It’s a study conducted by Dr. Blaslotto at the University of Chicago in which he split people into three groups and tested each group on how many free throws they could make.  After this, he had the first group practice free throws every day for an hour.  The second group just visualized themselves making free throws. The third group did nothing. After 30 days, he tested them again. The first group improved by 24%. The second group improved by 23% without touching a basketball!!!!  The third group did not improve which was expected.

Visualization used for testing taking . . .

A previous client of mine hired me to help her strategize & prioritize her very busy schedule so that she could create additional time per day to study for a licensure exam that was required for her career success.  Studying & taking practice exams were priority for her & we identified that mornings were the best time to accomplish these tasks because it was her peak productivity time.  I also suggested that every night before she dozed off to sleep, she visualize herself taking her exam with complete confidence, answering each question correctly, and seeing the image of word “PASS” dance along the computer’s monitor when she submitted her final answer electronically. 

Because the subconscious mind can’t separate reality from fiction, she actually experienced the exciting feeling of passing her exam, accomplishing a major milestone in her life, being promoted at work & receiving immediate respect from her co-workers because of her new impressive credentials as if it were happening at that moment.   Experiencing all the happy emotions of her intended result through visualization, she became very motivated to study daily & work towards her goal of passing the exam because she couldn’t wait for it to be her reality. She studied daily & practiced this visualization technique for approximately six months.

Guess What?

She not only passed the exam with flying colors, she had the highest score of anyone else in the testing room on that day. 

Are you ready to start using visualization to boost your goals?  Here’s how . . .

To use visualization to boost your goals

·         Identify Your Specific Goal & Your Desired Result

·         Plan 15 – 30 minutes uninterrupted quiet time to close your eyes & mediate (bedtime before you go to sleep, is an excellent time)

·         Visualize you performing your tasks with ease & success

·         Make the mental picture as vivid as possible; see the colors, setting & any tools you need to complete the task (computer, microphone, etc.)

·         Feel the feeling, smile as you visualize successful completion of tasks or a project & the rewards and satisfaction you will receive upon its completion (license, credential,   bestselling book, etc.).

·         Repeat daily

Don’t be fooled, visualization is an important tool; however you must also take daily action. If you consistently take daily action & use visualization as a supplement to your actions, you will boost your goals.