For an Olympic athlete, it all comes down to delivering the best performance—hopefully, the best in the world—at this one event. To get the edge and handle the pressure, athletes increasingly rely on visualization techniques as a part of their regular training program. Fortunately, the same visualization techniques used by elite athletes are just as important for you—to help you succeed at work, conquer your fears and master social situations.
One of the key techniques used by sports psychologists is visualization. Broadly speaking, visualization is the process of creating a mental image or intention of what you want to happen or feel. An athlete can use this technique to ‘intend’ an outcome of an event. When visualizing a scene, the athlete ‘steps into’ that feeling and moment. He or she imagines the details of the event and how it feels to deliver a perfect performance.
Often these scenarios involve multiple senses and emotions: kinesthetic (the body springing into action); auditory (cheering from the crowd); visual (images of the event location); or emotions and feelings (a sense of confidence or feeling calm). Through repeat visualization, minds and bodies actually become trained to perform the imagined skill.
Visualization works because in certain states of consciousness the brain doesn’t discern between a vividly imagined event and a real event. During visualization, the information entered in the visual system is processed and stored for later retrieval, indicating a possible influence of memory over the desired effects.
Sports coaches advocate visualization because it induces a calming effect in the face of anxiety-inducing competition, so the player is neither without decision-making skills nor concentration. It builds both experience and confidence in an athlete’s ability to perform under pressure; and it increases the athlete’s sense of complete control over a successful performance.
But visualization is not just for athletes: it’s for all of us.
Visualization has the potential to help anyone who wants positive change in their life. It has helped thousands of people excel in their work and social life, as well as overcome serious afflictions such as disease and addiction. Visualization is a remarkable tool for those interested in advancing in all facets of their life.
According to Harvard-trained psychologist Dr. Stephen J. Kraus, author of Psychological Foundations of Success, the reasons visualization enhances psychology are actually quite practical and pragmatic:
- Visualization Enhances Confidence. Research in positive psychology shows that simply thinking about an event makes it more likely to happen. When you think about an event, you start to construct mental scenarios of how it might occur and (most importantly) how it might happen. The outcome of this is greater confidence, and personal improvement occurs via a ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’.
- Visualization Boosts Motivation. Visualization motivates you, making personal development more effective. As your future dreams seem more likely, you become more motivated to initiate and sustain action. Visualization is anything but boring—it engages your thoughts, emotions and senses—and generates authentic excitement that motivates personal growth.
- Visualizing is a Form of Practice. Practice is the most important reason visualization enhances success, but it is frequently overlooked by personal improvement books. Like any kind of practice, regular visualization makes you more skilled and successful when it comes to actually engaging in that behavior.
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Great !! I hope you tell us more about this practice or suggets cd or books .
Visualization can even heal you. Can make you perform something you are scared of. It can really do wonders. It is definitely for everyone
This is one of the keys to a successful life whether it be your weight loss or financial affairs.
When you visualize your subconscious doesn’t know the difference so what you see is what will manifest in your life.
I always founf it a great tool to be used on achiving personal goals. Hoowever, I too need more information
about how to use it.
Thanks.
Great! Visualoization — creating some thing in your mind –clarity what you want-how you are going go get — action & actualization in life.
I have experienced many things in life without being present to the technology! However this reading make me present to– how through visualizaion –you can create anything you want in your life.
N.H.Parikh
Visualization aligns what you want in place. The next step is yours: TAKE ACTION. This is the key to leading the way to what you truly want.
Visualization works; in my life I have created the most wonderful man through visualization. He has everything I had on the list. Tall, dark, handsome, loves me, wealthy, generous, takes an interest in my life and what is important to me, and tries to understand my point of view. I keep pinching myself to see if I am dreaming, but he is for real.
I agree with what you are saying. The visualization seems to be the predacessor to action. If related to an action as in sports it burns a neuro path in the brain, similar to the recalled action of a golf swing or horseshoe throw. Once you see yourself doing it and see that hole in one or ringer, the body tends to follow through.Try it next time you throw darts, even if just prior to releasing it. Any aiming sport. Using it with the law of attraction works well too, visualizing what you want and seeing the next step can only lead to action.
visualization helps make things works for you.It motivates you in achieving your goals.hope you will give more info of how to visualize effectively.
Visualization is extremely powerful, and most people do it wrong. In my opinion there are 2 keys
1. Consistency
2. Emotion
And the easiest way to inject emotion into it is to use a powerful, upbeat song and make a movie of the images like this:
http://mindmovies.com/vid1/?10317
Visualization has worked many times for me. If taking action scares you because you don’t know what action to take, just keep
visualizing and you will be guided to know what to do.
Visualization is being studied in healthcare as a way to alleviate pain without the use of narcotics. So far it has had a lot of success and none harmful side effects of pain medication. Many people have died as a direct result of narcotic use. I have never heard of anyone dying from a visualization.