Chapter 6: Visualization Techniques
There’s no point in knowing about the benefits you stand to enjoy when you don’t know how to go about it. Visualization is more technical than creating images about an event and planning to achieve it. There are some techniques you need to understand that will help you succeed when practicing visualization. This chapter will highlight and explain them to give you the best experience.
Mental rehearsal is one of the commonest visualization techniques, and many people practice it. It involves creating imaginations of your success in your goal. If you are an athlete, you might picture yourself crossing the finishing line to the roar and applause of adoring fans.
If you are planning to have a major promotion, you can imagine yourself shaking the hand of your CEO as he says congratulations to you. This simple technique is powerful enough to help you create visuals that will drive you towards making your dream a reality.
The human mind is notoriously adept at connecting experiences together. That is why you can experience a flood of emotions after a powerful memory has been triggered due to a faint whiff of a scent. You can deliberately create this trigger by identifying them and the kind of feeling they make you have.
For example, if there is a song that makes you think about your goal, play it anytime you need something to motivate you to keep your eyes on the ball. You might train for a competition with a particular playlist. Play them when it is time to perform. It enables you to remember the sacrifices and efforts you have put in, spurring you to perform.
This visualization technique is not as common as the rest, but some people have derived outstanding results by using it. It involves writing yourself a cheque. This technique is limited because it is all about earning a huge amount of money. It is worth a try if you have a plan to become a millionaire at a certain age in your life.
Jim Carey, a famous comedian, is a fantastic example of a person that utilized this technique and achieved success with it. He wrote himself a cheque of $10 million ten years before he eventually became a millionaire. If it worked for him, it could also work for you.
The first two techniques described so far focused on utilizing your mind. However, you can take things a notch higher by using tangible images. You can achieve this by creating a vision board. This board is a collection of images and photographs that reminds you of your targets and helps you keep your focus.
Leveraging a vision board is crucial, especially for people suffering from a condition called aphantasia. People suffering from this condition are incapable of forming mental pictures. If you’re trying to lose weight, you can create a vision board full of people with the ideal shape you want.
Make your Goals Physical with a Notecard
You might not fancy the last method, especially when your target isn’t monetary. If you need a way to make your targets tangible when they don’t involve money, using a notecard is a viable option. Writing down your goals on a notecard makes them more grounded in the real world.
Ensure that you write these aims in a way that exudes confidence and assurance. For example, you shouldn’t write something like “I want to improve my relationship with my friends and family.” Instead, you should write, “I will improve my relationship with my friends and family.” It’s crucial that you put these notecards in places you can see them regularly.
One of the reasons some people don’t get the desired result from visualization is that they frame their dreams as things they want to happen instead of things they believe will happen. This little tweak can be the magic wand you have been waiting for that will bridge the gap between your dreams and reality.
When you hope something happens, you’ll have doubts. Meanwhile, when you aren’t confident that you can achieve something, it affects your commitment to its accomplishment. However, when you are convinced you will achieve a goal, you will be more inspired to go all out to make it happen.
You should have that place in your life that you can go to when you want to be away from the pressures of life. One of the ways visualization can help you reduce stress is when you practice it in your “safe haven”. Your happy place might be when you are isolated on a boat in the middle of a pool of water.
For some people, they are at peace with themselves when they are sitting in the midst of rocks somewhere away from home. It doesn’t matter where you choose. What matters is that it is a location where you find inner peace. Think about your future and how you will achieve your dreams whenever you are in that place.
Rehearse Challenging Situations
When you’re about to face a potentially dicey situation, a visualization technique that can come in handy is rehearsing the event. For example, if you need to have a meeting with your boss about increasing your pay rise, you can leverage this method. This discussion is sensitive because it might make the person think you’re driven by money.
So, it’s in your best interest to plan how you will present your case without ruffling any feathers. After all, your goal is to get a pay rise and not a sack letter or fight with your boss. Imagine the discussion and the likely questions he or she might ask you. Put yourself in your employer’s shoes.
It’s always good to stay positive and expectant that you’ll get the kind of result you desire. However, it’s not always the case. If you are preparing for a race, regardless of your training and preparation, you might either win or lose. You should see yourself winning.
However, what will you do if you lose? Will you walk away in annoyance, or will you be gracious in defeat and still congratulate the winner? The fact that you didn’t win a particular competition doesn’t mean that you will not win another time. So, plan your reactions in case things don’t go your way long before the event.
Regardless of what you’re experiencing, there have been other people that have gone through them before. For example, if you’re experiencing a setback, there are people who have also been disappointed before. For example, Steve Jobs was famously ousted from Apple. How was he able to recover?
Visualization isn’t only for creating dreams and achieving them. It can also be used to recover after a setback. Think about someone who has gone through this same path in the past. Find out how he or she was able to turn things around and form your thoughts around that.
As mentioned earlier, one of the inhibitions to successful visualization is negative emotions. You need to be more dogged when you have failed in the past in what you’re trying to achieve. It’s natural that the thoughts and images of failure will fly through your mind.
However, you must fight them off by being vocal. When defeating and limiting thoughts fly through your mind, turn them around and think positive thoughts. If you are finding it challenging to think positive thoughts, speak positive affirmations. You cannot afford to let negative energy ruin your motivation.