Positive Visualization: Priming the Mind for Performance
Albert Einstein once said: “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.” Yet in a world that is often too focused on tangible results, people tend to forget about the mind’s powerful ability to direct performance.
Positive visualization is a wellness technique that has been used for centuries to prime the mind. It is the process of using your imagination to visualize a desired future outcome, especially one that may not seem possible at the present moment.
This technique is the secret weapon of athletes, who are known to mentally rehearse various scenarios during training. Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile in under four minutes, imagined himself at the start of the line and then visualized running the race over and over in his mind. When it came to the actual race, it was just another replay of what he had already practised in his mind. Winning became a natural extension of the pattern.
Why it works
According to research, the brain can’t always differentiate between something that is real and something that is imagined very vividly. The process of visualization creates a new neural pathway that primes our body to act in a way consistent with our imagination.
That’s why you can wake up dripping in sweat with your heart pounding when you have a nightmare, and why you might scream when watching a scary movie, even though you’re not actually in danger.
The mind creates new realities.
You can use the phenomenon of visualization to your advantage in many areas of life. By doing the mental work beforehand, you can push past your perceived limits, build up your confidence, and reduce the energy needed to achieve a goal.
Let’s talk about what this technique looks like in practice:
Visualize the whole process...
Interestingly, it’s not the visualization of the end goal that leads to performance improvement, but rather, visualizing the process of succeeding towards that end goal. The real benefit is derived by repeatedly rehearsing the actual steps you will need to take in the future.
In 1988, psychologist Shelley Taylor found that students who visualized the specific actions required to get a high grade (.e.g. 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.
The lesson? Don’t skip to the end. When you engage in positive visualization, allow the whole movie to play in your mind until it comes to an end. Imagine yourself taking the actions that are recommended in your favourite self-improvement books. After all, it’s actions that lead to results.
Be specific...
The scenarios you imagine should be specific, and should include as many of the senses as possible. In sports, mental imagery is more than just a visual experience. Many athletes add physical movements to anticipate the motions of an upcoming performance.
Keep this in mind when you use visualization. Try to create a detailed mental picture as if the process was occuring right now. Engage as many of the five senses as you can. What are you wearing? What is around you? What are you feeling? What do you smell, taste, and hear?
Practice often...
While some people have the ability to close their eyes and immediately bring up vivid mental imagery, for many of us this is a skill that needs to be developed over time. To experience the powerful effects of visualization, your practice needs to be consistent.
Find a time that you can regularly set aside for visualization. If possible, the same time everyday. An ideal time to practice visualization is in the morning, as soon as you wake up. At this time, the mind is still still slightly lucid, which makes it easier to formulate mental images.
Granted, visualization is a mental skill that requires you to concentrate on creating and controlling your images, which can be tiring when you first get started. Therefore, it is best to begin your imagery training by visualizing high quality images for short periods of time, and then gradually increasing the time as you become more comfortable.
In conclusion, positive visualization is a technique that physiologically tunes you into the steps needed to achieve any desired outcome, making it more likely that you will succeed. By planting the process in our subconscious mind, we implement a more holistic approach to goal setting.
About the Author:
Roli Edema is a personal development author with a penchant for meaningful quotes. Through her work, Roli provides individuals with useful tools to enable them to reach their personal, career, and business goals. Feel free to connect with her on Twitter.
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