Visualise a better version of you.

A picture paints a thousand words. Visual perspective is really important to us as a form of communication, inspiration, and perspective. Daily we are bombarded with visual messages that are all bidding for our attention. Marketers work hard in attaching products and services to things that are attractive emotional stimuli for us. 

 “Your mind absorbs and connects pictures to outcomes”

Many high performing sports people use visualization techniques to increase their chances of success in their chosen disciplines. Tennis superstar Serina Williams visualizes the end of the match where she is celebrating her win. This motivates her in the type of game she plays. Jonny Wilkinson, English Rugby great, performs a ritual before he takes a goal kick, that aligns with the visualization of being successful with his goal kicks. 

If you asked most people the question, ‘What would you like to improve or achieve’? It would be extremely rare for someone to respond with, “nothing”. You have a human propensity to want to see things improve, this could be with:

• Yourself

• Someone else

• Something around you

Arguably, the hardest tension can be the one-off improving yourself. The first step to this process is realising that you do need to improve, and that life can be better than it is. This can be accessed by asking yourself the following questions:

• What do you enjoy doing?

• Where do you desire to be?

• What do you feel passionate about?

• Who do you want to be with?

• What sort of person do you want to be?

• What does your future look like?  

A simple way to do this is to create a vision board. Collect images that you identify with and relate to the type of questions above. There is no right or wrong picture, just collect the ones that are relevant to the context and orientation of what you want to achieve. You can do this in a number of ways. You could create a mural poster and hang it on your fridge, you could digitise it and make it a screensaver. I found adding photos in my phone under their own folder called “Vision Board” works a treat. I have downloaded images that include:

• Family

• Adventure

• Generosity

• Conferences

• Stewardship

• Tropical Holidays

• Mentoring/Coaching

• Bush Walks

• Beach Days 

 All of these things I see as part of what life looks like for me moving forward and who I want to be and who I want to spend my time with. Not just any life, but a life I aspire to and a life of things that are important to me and help me live a growth-oriented life. Like clever marketing the key to this is keeping it in front of me as a reminder. 

There are 5 steps to help you in practicing visualization:

• Visualise the desired outcome. Find picture/s that best represent your desired outcome. Write what you want in detail and ensure that you engage all your 5 senses.

• Imagine the emotion attached to the outcome. Think about how you want to feel once you have arrived. Picture what success looks like.

• Take action every day toward your desired outcome. Apply small actions towards your desired outcome. Start forming new habits.

• Expand your knowledge. Learn as much as you can about your desired outcome, connect with others, google, research.

• Make time to consider your visualization. Contemplate how life will be when you achieve your desired outcome, consider how you will feel about it or how you want it to be.

Never underestimate the power of what you visualize and how that directly affects who you become. If you’re not intentional in focusing on what you need to become, you will be moulded by whatever else you allow to be put in front of you. 

 My 5 Learnings:

·       Pictures influence my life for good and bad

·       Marketing uses pictures to influence my preferences

·       I need to be clear about who I need to become and what that looks like

·       I need to  feel and sense about what I want to become

·       I need to be intentional about working on becoming what I visualise

Remember to be intentional about keeping your vision board in front of you and share it with people you trust.

My 3 Questions for you:

·       Who would you like to become?

·       Have you created a vision board?

·       What small things can you do each day towards a changed you?

“If you can dream it, think about it, visualize it, then you can manifest it.”

― Debasish Mridha

If you need help with creating a vision board, or if you have questions, please talk to me. I would be happy to chat with you and help.

 Remember daily to, “Find value in your influence”

Written By: Paul Fawcett.