Visualization is a key to success. Did you know that your brain is so powerful that even your imagination can propel you to your goals? The fact is that the images you visualize in your mind impact your reality. Knowing this, what images are you focusing on? Are they positive, and propelling you to success? Or are they negative, and holding you back from accomplishing everything you want in life?
French psychiatrist and philosopher Pierre Janet pioneered guided imagery, AKA “visualization,” in the 1890s. It developed from the discovery that a person’s imagination can affect his or her inner state of being. Certain images stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system to experience feelings of calm and well-being.
Many professionals, including therapists and sports psychologists, now suggest the practice of visualization for a variety of purposes.
Use Visualization Today
What does this mean for you? The next time you want to improve your efficiency and effectiveness in any endeavor, visualize doing the behavior or activity BEFORE actually engaging in it.
This may sound silly, but it really does work. Think of it as “imagined practice.” Scientists have found that imagined practice may activate the same neural circuits as real experience—hence, the term “mental rehearsal.”
To help you perform better, try imagining your tennis serve, or mentally running through an upcoming speech, or reviewing a lesson. Mental imagery activates some of the same neural pathways involved in the actual experience, and many studies lend support to this theory.
Tip: The more you imagine success and the accomplishment of your goals, the higher your chances of achieving what you want. Use the power of visualization to propel you to you success.
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