Mental visualization for personal success

Mental visualization or mental imagery is a process of rehearsing in your mind, the specific behaviours you want to manifest. It is the ability to visualize a task (in the mind’s eye) that is to be performed before you actually attempt it physically. Mental imagery enables you to program your mind and body to work together to achieve your dreams. It is a mental trial run or inner rehearsals. It is one of the self-motivational techniques and personal growth method. Mental imagination is free, limitless and needs to be practiced regularly. It activates the brain and stimulates the neural pathways.  Mental rehearsal differs from positive thinking. This power of mental imagery can be used to heal and promote good health or improve performance. Sports are 90% mental and only 10% physical.

Meaning

 Visualization or imagery refers to the ability of the mind to see things in pictures.

Elements

The four elements of mental visualization include relaxation, realization, regularity and reinforcement. Visualization can be used to achieve your life goals and to familiarize or set the stage for a performance or event.

Concept

The concept of visualization combines aspects of desires and dreams or thoughts and images. ‘Dreaming’ or ‘visioning’ or imagination or expectation conveys similar ideas.

There are two parts essential for visualization work:

1. you must clearly define what it is you want;
2. you must practice creating the desired outcome in your mind on a daily basis.

Conceive----à Believe---------à Achieve

How to practice visualization?

Visualization can be practiced using 5 stages

1.       Relaxed body and mind – simply sit or lie down in a quiet place, completely relaxed with your eyes closed and breathe deeply until your whole body calm and quiet.

2.       Third person view – you first picture seeing yourself doing it from a third person perspective i.e., watching yourself do it, as if you’re an outside observer.

3.       First person view – in order to make visualization work for you, you need to convince the mind that is you are doing the action.

4.       Performance – you clearly visualize an upcoming event or a goal that you desire. Duplicate in your mind everything that happens in reality.  You allow yourself to enter into the experience and see it clearly in your mind. This imagery makes the neural pathways stronger and clearer with a distinct neurological blue print.

5.       Positive reinforcement– you program your subconscious mind to work on those goals all night long. You engage all your senses in this mental rehearsal. Those who were successful had a greater ability to visualize vividly with powerful imagery and symbols. The best time for practicing visualization is at night before you go to sleep.

Athletic mental rehearsal

Athletes and sports persons use visualization as a powerful tool to peak performance. They break down the performance into tiny component parts and working on improving specific aspects. They concentrate on the most difficult moments and good coping strategies for staying in control. They use all their senses in experiencing the ambience, the competitors and even the success. Top athletes mentally rehearse their performance prior to acting.

Theories on visualization

Psycho-neuromuscular theory – the imagined events create the same neuro-muscular responses, as if you were having the actual experience. The more real you can make it, the better.

Symbolic learning theory – the imagery can actually create a blue print or a coding system of movement patterns in the central nervous system.

Benefits

Visualization helps you to improve your skill or focus better on your goals. It boosts your positive thoughts and builds self-confidence.

         Imagery + Affirmations +Emotions -----à Peak performance or success

Quotes for reflection

“If you do anything to work on the mental side of your sport,

It better be mental imagery.” –Dr. Jim Taylor, Olympic Committee Speaker.

“Repeat anything often enough and it will start to become you.” –Tom Hopkins.

“The secret of achievement is to hold a picture of a successful

  outcome in your mind.”-Henry David Thoreau.

“Everything you can imagine is real.” –Pablo Picasso.

“Visualization and belief in a pattern of reality activates

  the creative power of realization.”  -A.L.Linall., Jr.