Our studies of high achievers have shown that no matter how different their personalities, work habits, occupations or gender, the people who accomplish great things in life have visualized and expected success all along.
They’ve had the ability to vividly picture their achievements and to reassure themselves in the face of long odds that they would come through.
How to Visualize the Person You Want to Become
To visualize the person you want most to become, set aside some time this week in which you can create an atmosphere conducive to re-affirming your life dreams.
You may want to be near the ocean, or a lake, or in a park, in a garden or in the woods. Or you might just sit quietly by yourself in a comfortable lounge or chair. Get yourself in the mood for visualizing. When the left hemisphere of the brain is quiet and relaxed, the mind is most receptive to creative inputs.
To facilitate this you may want to use soothing recorded music, preferably slow and inspiring like Bach, Handel or Vivaldi if you like classical music, or soft, popular instrumentals from epic movies or other mood music.
Once you’re properly relaxed and optimistic, let your mind focus on who you really want to become. Visualize the future in two time frames: five years from now and ten years from now.
First, design a day in your life five years from now. Who are you five years from now? Where are you professionally and geographically? On Monday mornings, where do you go?
What are you doing, seeing, feeling and thinking? Who are the people around you? What’s different about your life five years from now?
Next, project ahead ten years from today. Picture a film of your life at that time. Who is watching it with you? What dramatic moments are depicted by that film? What personal triumphs are revealed? What obstacles are courageously overcome?
Don’t be shy! The purpose of this exercise is to load visualized software in your mental computer. Just as a computer must be configured to accept specific materials, your mind must be prepared to accept the reality of your greater success. By introducing positive images of goal achievement, you’re preparing yourself to translate those goals into reality.
I especially like to visualize myself being introduced at a dinner in my honor. Maybe it’s the Coaches’ Hall of Fame! Don’t laugh! It could happen!
The emcee comes to the microphone and reads the highlights of my life and adds some insights as to who I really am. What would the emcee be saying about you if such a dinner were held in your honor ten years from now?
Devote a page in your journal to describing the things you would want said about you.
This visualization will put you on a path that leads to your future self that you vividly picture today!
Key Takeaways
– To effectively visualize your future self, create a conducive atmosphere by finding a peaceful location and using soothing music to relax your mind.
– When visualizing, focus on specific details such as your professional and geographical location, the people around you, and the differences in your life five and ten years from now.
– Don’t hold back when visualizing your future success – the purpose of this exercise is to prepare your mind to accept the reality of your greater success.
– To further solidify your visualization, write down what you would want said about you at a dinner in your honor ten years from now.
– By regularly practicing visualization, you can put yourself on a path towards achieving the future self that you vividly picture today.
– Denis Waitley
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Denis Waitley is one of America’s most respected authors, keynote lecturers and productivity consultants on high performance human achievement. Learn more about his program The New Dynamics of Goal Setting
-Do you use visualization to help you achieve your goals? If so, how do you visualize your success?
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