See What You Want, Get What You See

This next article is part of an ongoing series here at TSB Magazine called The Success Principles. The series is based on the 64 principles laid out by Jack Canfield in his course of the same name. If youre new, I always suggest starting any series from the beginning.

Principle 11:? See What You Want, Get What You See

If you ask any high performing athlete the secret of their success, you will most inevitably hear the word “visualization” come up at some point.? The best athletes admit to spending massive amounts of time seeing in their mind the results they want to achieve.? They are training their mind to handle the exact same situation when it occurs in reality.

I learned this training technique early in life in regards to basketball.? When playing a game like HORSE, or Around the World, I found that if I spent a minute staring at the rim before making a shot, and imagining the ball making that sweet swoosh sound, more often than not the ball would go in.

Unfortunately it took me much longer to realize how powerful visualization can be in all areas of your life.? The first time I truly saw the wonders of visualization was during a brief period I was battling against erectile dysfunction.? Since I knew the problem was in my head, I figured the only way I would be able to overcome erectile dysfunction was to create a more powerful mind.? Many of our readers shared my sentiments and said they found visualization to be the greatest weapon as well.

Canfield explains the 3 ways that visualization- or the act of creating compelling pictures in your mind- accelerates the achievement of any success:

1.? Visualization activates the creative powers of your subconscious mind.

2.? Visualization focuses your brain by programming its reticular activating system to notice available resources that were always there but were previously unnoticed.

3.? visualizations magnetizes and attracts to you the people, resources, and opportunities you need to achieve your goal.

While visualization has always been preached heavily by the personal development coaches of the world, the academic world is starting to come around to its magic as well.? Recently Harvard researches found that students who visualized in advance performed tasks with nearly 100% accuracy, whereas students who didn’t visualize achieved only 50% accuracy.

One of my friends who has always been amazing with women, once told me that the reason he is never nervous cold approaching a woman, is because he plays the scene over a few times in his mind beforehand to get comfortable.? I’ve tried this many time in regards to public speaking, sexual activity, and making sales calls… and I can safely say it has worked wonders.

The Process of Visualizing Your Future

The process of visualizing for success is really quite simple.? All you have to do is close your eyes and see your goals as already complete.

I already told told you about the amazing results I experienced in our goal setting workshop.? Once you have your goals, simply get in the habit of spending fifteen minutes twice a day reading your goals out load, then pausing after each one to close your eyes and re-create the visual image of the completed goal in your mind.? If you meditate, do your visualizations right after you finish meditating.

Multiply Your Results

To achieve an even greater level of success not only visualize the outcome, but use your other senses as well.? For instance, if your goal is dream house near the ocean, visualize the house down to every last detail, then add the smell of the salt water, the sound of waves crashing, the taste of fresh cooked lobster, and feel the sense of pride that comes with ownership of your dream home.

Do You Have Trouble Visualizing?

I know that this is a somewhat common problem that I experience as well.? For me, the image is never as clear as the sounds and feelings.? That is why I created the goal book I talked about in the Goal Setting Workshop.

Recently I just created a vision board. This is basically I giant piece of poster board filled with images I cut out of various magazines to represent my dream life.? I placed this vision board near my computer so that I can constantly stare up at it while I’m working.? It not only serves to motivate me, but it is subconsciously training my mind to go after those items.? I included a photo of my vision board in this post.

Start Now

It amazes me how people can keep hearing the same advice… yet keep refusing to follow it.? I’m not faultless either.? It took me many years of hearing gurus preaching visualization before I finally gave it a shot.? This is the easiest tool you have at your disposal.? I’m asking you to go run a marathon, or cold approach women, or learn a new language… I’m simply advising you to spend 15 minutes each morning and 15 minutes each night visualizing what you want.

You’ll thank me later…