Benefits of visualisation:
It creates a clear connection to your future, in turn pushing your mind into action as it sparks desire and the need to accomplish. Visualisation makes things more clear as you know what you want and you can go after it. Your mind is also programed to focus. On a similar note, it potentially activates the commonly discussed ‘law of attraction’ where it helps you go into the right direction and connect with the necessary resources. As the saying goes, “seeing is believing,” therefore, visualising creates a stronger connection than writing down your goals, but both writing and imagining together can make an even greater effect.
For example, when we envision ourselves going for a run, the neurons in our brain receive an impulse that tells them to perform the action of running. This then creates a new neural pathway that tells our bodies to act as we have just imagined, so when you visualise yourself doing things, your body is literally and physically creating pathways and memories of how to do that action although you never actually performed the action.
Professional athletes are known to use mental imagery as training and practice. Our brains process visualisations the same as if they were actually what you were experiencing. They do not differentiate between a real memory or an imagined one, therefore, you can really stimulate and create your future. Mental rehearsal also works better when you immerse yourself in a similar environment; you should include smells, taste and even sounds of the context you are imagining yourself in. In the previous example, you could try closing your eyes and imagining yourself completing the marathon successfully while you are outdoors, wearing your running clothes and taking small sips of water as you visualise. In conclusion, the daily practice of visualising your goals and dreams as successes can really accelerate your achievement of those ambitions.
There have been numerous studies on the power of visualisation and they have definitely proven the theory. Let’s take one study done on basketball players as an example. The athletes were divided into three groups where the goal was to improve their free throw shots. The first group physically practiced free throw shots during the day, the second group only visualized making shots everyday and the third group physically took practice shots during the day as well as visualising making perfect shots before going to bed. The results were astounding! The first group who were actually practicing improved their shots by only 7% while the second group improved by 10% and more importantly, the last group improved their shots by a whopping 32%! Now that’s a huge difference just though the art and power of visualisation.
Let’s take it a bit further by including affirmations to your daily visualisation. Including positivity will definitely help boost your subconscious transform into a positive go-getter where you can more likely reach your goals. Do not underestimate the positive effects such as teaching your brain to recognise what resources you will need to help you succeed in reaching your goals, creating an inner motivation to strive for your goals and dreams and promoting positive thinking which will help you to stay on track to be successful over time.
All in all, always envision your life as if you have reached your goals and make your mind believe that you are already successful, so sit back, visualize and watch your future success turn into reality.
*The author is a wellness advocate and influencer @keys2balance.
