If you think visualization strategies are non-scientific silliness, you should know that almost all elite athletes, whose lucrative livelihoods depend on their performance, take it very seriously. In fact, anyone who follows a few easy steps can reap the benefits of visualization.
First of all a good visualization needs to employ details. The more specifics you can conjure up the better. Say you’re looking to get healthy. Close your eyes and picture the experiences you’ll be able to have. Really see the particulars of what your new body can do. Perhaps imagine yourself working out in a gym or maybe hiking on a mountain trail.
Secondly, in your mind’s eye, feel the feelings you’ll have when you achieve your goal. What sensations are in your body as you’re hiking or working out? Think about the muscles in your legs and feel the joy and satisfaction you’re gonna have when you know your body is strong and healthy.
Third, make sure you practice your visualizations often, at least once or twice a day. The more you practice the more real your imagined experience will be. Your brain doesn’t know the difference between an actual event and a visualized one. With repetition, whatever it is you want to accomplish will gradually become more real in your imagination and eventually real in life as well.
