Visualization
noun
1. the representation of an object, situation, or set of information as a chart or other image.
2. the formation of a mental image of something.
Visualization is a basic technique, using positive thinking, that you can carry out to mentally manifest a desired future outcome.
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”
Albert Einstein
Let’s say you have an event coming up where you’ll have to speak publicly. You might be getting anxious about how it’s going to go and whether you’ll speak confidently, or say everything that you want to say.
By taking this moment in the future, and visualizing that it is a success, you are creating a positive vision of this moment instead of worrying about it. You could imagine yourself feeling confident whilst talking, engaging the audience, and covering all of the topics you are aiming for.
This simple practice of visualizing your dreams, goals, and ambitions all being achieved as you desire can become your very own superpower. Yet, it’s a superpower many of us have never learned to harness. So, how does it work?
“According to research using brain imagery, visualization works because neurons in our brains, those electrically excitable cells that transmit information, interpret imagery as equivalent to a real-life action.”
Frank Niles, Ph.D
Visualization is simply the act of concentrating your brain, connecting with your mind, visualizing what it is that you really want, and focusing your attention on that goal. By visualizing these goals as a reality, our subconscious mind is conflicted between what we have and what we are envisioning. So, the mind is hard-wired to resolve the conflict and create the visualization into a reality.
There are a few different techniques of visualization that can help you aim toward your goals and focus on your desired end result.
The first is to visualize success throughout the whole process. Rather than just focusing on the end result, mentally guide yourself through every step that you will have to take to get to that end result.
If you want to run a marathon, rather than visualizing yourself at the finish line of the race, picture all of the training you will do along the way. Visualize your success in each individual aspect of that training, leading up to the marathon.
“Psychologist Shelley Taylor found that students who visualized the specific actions required to get a high grade, eg. sitting at their desks going over lecture notes, improved their performance compared to those who just visualized receiving a high grade at the end of their exams.”
Journify.co
Another great visualization tool is to write your goal down. On a card, or a piece of paper stuck to the fridge, write down exactly what you want to achieve. Keep the card somewhere where you’ll see it regularly, and take the time every time you see it to connect with it and see the completion of that goal when you read it.
You can also use affirmations in a similar way to goal-setting cards. Create an affirmation in your head such as “I will get that promotion at work”, and repeat it to yourself either in your head or out loud a few times a day. Repeating this affirmation will keep your mind focussed on your goal and also keep up your motivation to achieve that goal.
Taking the time to practice visualization, and finding a technique that works for you, will be a skill that will develop over time. But, you do need to be consistent with your visualization to really experience its true benefits. The best time of day to practice visualization is in the morning, ideally as soon as you wake up, as the mind is at its most comprehensible at this time.
Visualization does not replace talent and hard work, but if practiced regularly, the technique of visualization can be a powerful tool. Using positive thinking can really tune you into your subconscious mind, and take you through the steps required to succeed in your goal setting.
You can check out my visualizations and meditations here.