The advice to visualize yourself achieving a goal is a common and effective strategy to help you realize your dreams.
Done correctly, visualization increases your motivation levels.
It also trains your brain to filter in information that leads to you making your desired goal come true.
There’s solid research that links visualization to better sports performance. This technique is widely suggested and sworn by. So, why do so many people struggle to use this technique? And why doesn’t it work for everyone?
Here are some ways to support your visualization practice so that it gives you positive outcomes. These tips are drawn from the work done by Dr. Peter M Vishton, a Professor of psychological sciences. The latest studies in neuroscience support visualization practices and these are the tips you can use to achieve your goals.
Imagine your desired self in the present moment
Science has found that when you think about your future self, the same parts of your brain are activated as when you think about other people. In other words, your brain considers future you to be someone else.
And because it makes this distinction, any visualization where you see yourself getting a great job or winning a contract in the future does not seem relevant in the moment.
So, to fix this, you should always visualize yourself as the person you want to be but right at this very moment.
For example, you may want to start a non-profit company or run a marathon next year. But don’t visualize these things happening to you later. Picture yourself as someone heading a non-profit right now. Create a powerful mental image of yourself at the finish line of the marathon at this very moment.
It’s by visualizing yourself in the present moment that your brain begins to work towards making your goals come true.
Create specific step-by-step imagery
Another reason why visual imagery may not work for you is because you’re visualizing things in broad and general terms.
For example, you may see yourself as an entrepreneur or a successful writer. But what does that mean really? Did you see yourself writing at a desk or standing in a power pose wearing a business suit?
While these images can be powerful, they aren’t detailed enough. Your visualization should be so detailed that it feels as it it’s happening in real time. You need to see every step.
For example, if you want to become a successful blogger, visualize the following in great detail. Imagine waking up in the morning and opening your email, you have a flood of appreciative emails. Imagine every name. Then picture opening your blog, starting a post, and writing down each line, and hitting publish.
Then also picture, opening your backend analytics and seeing millions of views. You have to visuialize every details to make your visualization effective.
Infuse emotion into your visualization
The process of visualization shouldn’t just be a mental exercise but an emotional one too. When you visualize yourself as the person you want to be, don’t just create pictures, generate emotions too.
If you want to have a healthier body and feel resistant about going to the gym then visualize and feel your body being active.
Imagine yourself running on a treadmill or lifting weights. As you do this, try to feel every motion, such as your muscles flexing and relaxing. The more emotion you feel the more you’ll gain from your visualization exercises.
Practice regularly
Visualization is not a one-and-done practice. You need to work on it over a long period of time to see good results.
Create a routine where daily visualization is an unmissable part of your usual tasks.
Set an alarm or a reminder on your phone. Add your practice as a task on your digital calendar. You can even wake up and make your visualization practice the first thing you do in the morning.
The more you practice, the better you’ll get at clearly seeing the outcomes you want in life.
Conclusion
If you’ev tried to use vsiualization and not found it effective, it’s possible that you were missing some critical techniques. I’ve laid out a few ways you can improve your visualization and use it effectively to get better outcomes in life.
Use the tips mentioned here and you’re certain to see improvements in a very short time.