Boost Your Performance with Visualization

Hi Catherine,

I hope your year is off to a meaningful and productive start!

The new year energy is beginning to wear off for many of us as we wonder how the rest of the year will unfold. Maybe you’ve spent the first few weeks of the year practicing daily habits to master your state and move toward your vision. If that’s the case, you are miles ahead of most people out there who are not as deliberate about their actions.

In case you are not yet consistently heading in the right direction, this is a good opportunity to reconnect with your desires and start building positive momentum. 

For most people, the new year simply means a new start on old habits. Even when we have the best intentions, we are often so busy going through life that we get distracted and lose our focus. 

What do you want to change or improve in your life, both personally and professionally? Why is it important to you to create this change? And, how's it going so far?

Knowing your destination is important, however it’s often not enough. Even when people take the time to clarify their ideal outcomes, their conditioned limiting patterns typically re-emerge and they’re back to square one. Only now, they are left with some guilt, disappointment, and frustration that they weren’t able to follow through on their intentions. Has that happened to you?

To help you release the inner resistance to change and get even better results, take the time every day to envision your future the way you want it. This is what high achievers and olympic athletes, like Michael Phelps, do to improve their results. 

According to Bob Bowman, U.S. Olympic men’s swimming coach, a secret to Michael Phelps' success is visualization. “For months before a race, Michael gets into a relaxed state. He mentally rehearses for two hours a day in the pool. He sees himself winning. He smells the air, tastes the water, hears the sounds, sees the clock.” And Michael Phelps then takes visualization one step further. He sees himself from the outside, as a spectator in the stands. He sees himself overcoming obstacles, too. For example, what would he do if he fell further behind in a race than he intended? He practices all potential scenarios.

Why would someone like Michael Phelps devote two hours a day to mentally rehearse his future? Because mental rehearsal is a proven, well-established technique to achieve peak performance in nearly every endeavor.

And it will work for you. It's science. It works because your brain cannot tell the difference between something that you vividly imagine in your mind and something that is real, so you can program your mind by repeatedly feeding it vivid mental images of your success. 

How can you visualize your goals? 

Mental rehearsal is highly customizable, meaning you can use a number of different techniques to make it fit with your lifestyle, personality and what resonates best with you. To help get you started, here’s how I use goal visualization during my morning routine to maximize my day:

As soon as I wake up, I get coherent by doing heart-focused breathing and focusing on something to appreciate. I then recite my anchor phrases (powerful belief statements) and goals out loud. If my husband is sleeping, I whisper them (another option is to write them down... the key is to bring these thoughts into the 'physical dimension'). Then I close my eyes and imagine my future. I float into the future at the moment when I have achieved my goals... vividly imagining everything I will see, hear, feel, and experience. 

For example, if your goal is to run a half-marathon, you could visualize yourself crossing the finish line in your target time. You’d feel what it would be like to pass under the finishing banner, looking at your watch, the cool air on your overheated body. You’d see your family there to greet you. You’d feel a great deal of pride and excitement.

The key is to FEEL your future reality now. Imagine your goals as already being accomplished, and celebrate your achievement!

Another great way to experience your future is through a personalized "mind movie." If you're curious to learn more, I invite you to check out Infinity Mind Movies at www.infinitymindmovies.com. In full disclosure, this is my eldest daughter Maya's company. Watching a movie of your future is a powerful way to program yourself for success and harness the power that you have inside of you. 

Visualization does not guarantee success. But when combined with a solid plan and a diligent effort, it is a powerful way to create the life you desire.

Check out Episode 24 of The MINDset Game® podcast here, where I guide you through a powerful visualization exercise to put a goal in your future timeline. 

I also invite you to join my private Facebook Group if you’re curious to learn more tools and tips to help you make 2021 your best year yet! Click HERE to join.

And, feel free to reach out directly at [email protected] if you have any questions or if you'd like to learn more about our transformational leadership training and coaching programs.

All the best!

Vered