Visualization is something that can be somewhat controversial. Visualizing goals is one of the most common tips alongside ‘living your dreams’ but just like that statement, it’s a little oversimplified. Because according to research, visualization can reduce your likelihood of success in some instances. The reason for this is that when we visualize a goal, it can actually be demotivating.
This makes us feel as though we have already accomplished whatever it is we’re setting out to achieve and it allows us to rest on our laurels that much more. At the same time, visualizing can often be too abstract, too vague, and too flaky to be of any real use. People who daydream about doing what they want – according to science – often don’t actually make those goals a reality.
But that’s not to say that visualization is useless. It’s just a matter of understanding how to use it as a tool and how to not allow it to take over.
What is Visualization? And How it Helps with CBT and The Law of Attraction
Perhaps a good way to start would be by looking at precisely what visualization is. We’re going to look at that here, as well as at how visualization can actually be combined with CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) techniques in order to achieve even more powerful effects. So visualization involves using your mind’s eye to picture the future you want to live.
When you do this, what is actually happening, is that you are causing areas in your brain to fire as though you were really experiencing that thing. When you picture walking through the woods, for example, areas relating to movement will fire, as will areas in your visual cortex (V1). Of course, they fire less than if that thing were actually happening but on the whole, the experience is very similar.
This, therefore, means that when you visualize something, your brain effectively thinks that it is already happening. And therefore, visualization can be such a potent tool when it comes to confidence, motivation, and sticking with a goal. CBT is a school of psychology that revolves around attempting to change our thought processes to help us accomplish more.
It means looking at limiting beliefs (‘I’ve never been particularly good’), challenging them with the evidence, and then replacing them with more positive statements (‘I have a powerful skillset’). This helps make us more motivated and more likely to achieve our goals. But we can likewise accomplish the same with visualization, only now we’ll be able to visualize specific goals and feel like they’re already happening.
When you visualize being a billionaire, your brain will temporarily feel as though you are a billionaire. And if you believe this, even temporarily, then you’ll find your chances of actually becoming that thing increase thanks to the ‘law of attraction’. The law of attraction states that when we believe ourselves to be a certain way, we tend to become that thing because of the way it changes our presentation and our actions.
When you believe that you’re an incredibly savvy businessman or woman, you start to be more confident in interviews, you take more positive risks in investments and you walk taller. You’ll even dress more professionally and people will sit up and take notice of that – which will ultimately lead to you being more likely to get the promotions and the responsibility you need to thrive.
Visualize. Believe. And make it happen!
More Practical Uses for Visualization
The other practical use of visualization is in creating that mission statement. If you’ve had difficulty identifying the things that make you passionate, then try closing your eyes for a moment and visualizing your perfect future.
Imagine yourself 10-20 years from now. Where do you want to be? Where do you live? What’s your house like? Do you have a family? What is your job?
Some people will picture a quiet little cottage for them and their family. Some people will find themselves relaxing around a fire at Christmas playing board games with their children. Others will picture themselves traveling the world. Or they’ll see themselves in a professional-looking suite, standing in a high-rise building looking over the cityscape below.
Whatever the case, it is easy for most of us to conjure up the possible ideal future that would make us happiest. And it’s from this abstract set of ideas that we can then go about creating more concrete goals and strategies. We can also draw on our memories for this. If you’re struggling to come up with a perfect future, then how about digging into your perfect past? What are your happiest memories? What were your proudest moments? By remembering this, you can identify the things that might make you happiest in the future.
Another way to use visualization is in ‘counterfactual simulation’. This means imagining possible futures and thinking about all the things that you can do to make them happen or avoid them going wrong. This is also a great way to test-run ideas for your future. Thinking about being a rock star? Then take a moment to consider what that would mean. Visualize it and go through each step: is it really for you?
You would be in the public eye, you’d be rich, you’d be constantly traveling, it would be harder to have a family, you’d have to perform in front of thousands, people would consider you highly successful.
There’s good and bad there depending on who you are, so actually, a picture that future, run it through in your mind, think of every contingency and then decide if you still think that it is right for you!
Worry is a normal part of our everyday life, but the way we handle stress is what makes the difference.
If you allow stress and worry to take over your life, it will begin to effect your physical and mental well-being.
In reading Dale Carnegie’s “How to stop worrying and start living”, I’ve learned 3 ways in which he expressed Willis H. Carries formula for worrying less.
Here is the Magic Formula:
1. Ask yourself “What is the worst that can possibly happen?”
Analyze the situation fearlessly and honestly and really ask yourself what the worst that could happen as a result of this failure. Staying up all night worrying about the “what if’s” isn’t going to change the situation. All that it’s going to do is keep you up all night, tossing and turning. Don’t waste another sleepless night worrying.
2. Prepare to accept it if you have to.
After figuring out what was the worst that could possibly happen, accept it, if necessary. After discovering the worst that could possibly happen, you can accept it mentally. Accepting the worst will prepare you in having a plan set in place. For example, if your big worry is about losing your job, then what is something you can have in place to avoid the stress if that happens? Maybe saving 3 to 6 months of living expenses in case you lose your job? Having some sort of back up plan in place with your spouse or significate other, or if you live alone and you don’t have enough savings then moving back with mom, dad or someone who you feel comfortable with living for a while till you get back on your feet. Preparing for the worst you will realize that it’s not the end of the world, and that things will be ok.
3. Calmly proceed to improve on the worst.
Forward, you can calmly devote your time and energy to trying to improve upon the worst that has been accepted mentally. It’s extremely important to understand that by having a plan in place and accepting the worst that can happen, you will come to realize that you can handle what comes your way because you have already thought through the worst scenario.
True peace of mind, comes from accepting the worst – Lin Yutang
Do you love life? Do you want to live long and enjoy good health?
Applying this formula will help ease of worrying and give you a way of handling stress when it comes your way, and it will. Having a formula in place will help you mentally, spiritually, and physically.
It’s time to take this oath ” I am not going to worry! I am not going to cry! And if there is anything to mind over matter, I am going to win! I am going to LIVE!”
You feed your physical body with “good food” , you feed your car with “good fuel”, so why not feed your mind with “good thoughts” as well. After research in the 1950s, it was concluded that having a positive mindset would help maintain good physical and mental health, increase longevity and promote success in personal and professional life.
See “the bright side”
Positive thinking is closely related to the concept of optimism. Someone who sees the world in a positive light and sees the “bright side” will feel healthier mentally and physically than someone who thinks negatively, anxious, or even depressed.
Positive thinking is not a new concept. It is a therapeutic method based on autosuggestion and which aims to make the subject adhere to positive ideas. By repeating positive messages twenty times a day, the individual is supposed to achieve well-being and achieve optimal health.
Better Health
Thought can act directly on the body. When you replace negative thoughts with calm, confidence, and peace, you feel good. Additionally, positive thinking can be helpful in overcoming sleep disturbances, muscle tension, anxiety, and fatigue. People who think negatively suffer more from depression and anxiety.
Prevent Stress
Many managers are already followers of positive thinking and integrate it into their businesses; well-being seminars, relaxation coaches, specialized psychologists, etc. The benefits are quite amazing, and one of the major benefits of a positive mindset is that it protects against the harmful effects of stress.
It makes it possible to regulate the consequences and to find the right dosage at work, so as not to be overwhelmed. You learn to know yourself better, to better understand your resources and to concentrate on the tasks that you want to achieve. In short, we learn to be more efficient and above all, we know how to say stop when necessary.
A More Favorable Living Environment
A positive attitude can also influence the way you conduct your life, which in turn has an effect on your health. If you are going through a particularly stressful time, you will be less likely to pay attention to your diet, exercise and sleep.
Instead you will be more likely to compensate for the stress by drinking alcohol or snacking on junk food. These lifestyle elements are also risk factors for cancer and other diseases.
Longevity
Optimists live longer and healthier lives. Countless studies prove it. In the 1930s, psychologists at the University of Kentucky were able to determine that subjects identified as the most optimistic had lived, on average, ten years longer than the less positive, and they were in better health. Also, the power of positivity with healing is well documented.
Psychological Well-Being
Positive thinking has a positive effect on the survival of sick people as well as that of healthy people. However, having a positive mindset predisposes to exhibiting behavior that is also more “positive” in terms of health. Indeed, studies show that this frame of mind is accompanied by more virtuous behaviors.
Of course, we don’t get sick just because of stress, our emotions or our thoughts. But, we can now say that many symptoms and diseases are affected by our thoughts and behaviors. Thoughts are of great power. They have always shaped our life. Think positively, and expect favorable results. The situations and circumstances will change accordingly!
If you want to accomplish as much as you possibly can, the most crucial point to solve is the vision or goal you need to begin with. This is basically like establishing your trajectory as well as without a trajectory, you don’t stand much chance of getting to your destination. Regrettably, many individuals do not know how to properly write goals and can miss opportunities for success in their selected field. And actually, if you’re setting off to write a goal then you’re beginning with the wrong intent, to begin with. Because ‘goals’ aren’t truly as beneficial as visions– which is what we’re going to discover below.
The Difference Between a Goal and a Vision
So what’s the difference between a goal and a vision? Basically, a goal is something that you document and that is extremely concrete and simple. A goal may as an example be to ‘shed 10lbs in 2 months’. That’s a goal yet it’s likewise not as efficient as a vision developed to the very same end. This same ambition posed as a vision rather than a goal would instead be more the idea of being in shape.
You may picture your own look as feeling healthy and balanced. You could visualize yourself jogging on the beach with a nice bikini in the summer feeling wonderful about how you look. That’s your vision. A vision can also be a picture of your own standing in a workplace block and keeping an eye out over the world, knowing that you remain in a setting of fantastic importance and power. This is a much more abstract principle that nonetheless assists you to obtain a picture of what you desire as well as what the feeling behind that objective is.
Why Visions Work Better Than Goals
So why are visions more successful than goals?
For one, goals are not nearly flexible enough. If you have a goal, then this gives you one point you’re trying to complete and also only one concept of exactly how to get there. If it does not then you have the flexibility to change the steps you’re going to take to get there or to bend them to fit your way of life, strategies, and free time. Another reason visions function far better is that they have more emotional content. When you visualize something, the same region’s fire in your brain as though it was actually taking place. This, in turn, means that you can in fact cause the feeling as though it were occurring. As well as it’s this feeling we can use to motivate ourselves to go through with plans!
Most of us encounter barriers in our life, and also often we wish we had a magic wand to make them vanish. We haven’t found that magic wand yet, but we have two pointers for you that may assist you to knock down those obstacles you are encountering today.
Pointer # 1: Be Self-Aware Being self-aware simply suggests that you can observe on your own from a non-judgmental viewpoint. When you are self-aware, you can capture yourself in the here and now minute experiencing a specific state, response, or feeling.
The more you know your emotions, the extra you start to comprehend yourself. For example, you may observe that you often tend to be reactive when a person provides you with a tip on how to do something different, or you capture yourself nervously making fun of a scenario that isn’t funny. When you recognize your feelings, you have a better idea of who you are as well as exactly how you often tend to react in particular scenarios. It is additionally the very best method to boost on your own on particular elements that you don’t discover optimum. You end up being much less driven by dramatization.
Not only will self-awareness help you remove the barriers in your life, but it will also assist you with the following:
Experience a higher capability to identify your emotions
Enhance your critical thinking
Improve your connections
Stay in the present moment experience more happiness as well as joy
Self-awareness is vital to living a life without obstacles.
Pointer # 2: Develop your self-confidence Self-esteem is the method we perceive or examine our worth as well as is the best belief we place on ourselves. People with high self-esteem often tend not to see problems as a barrier yet an opportunity for development. On the other hand, individuals with reduced self-confidence will commonly quit themselves from doing something because they feel they are not with the ability.
You can boost your self-esteem by valuing yourself. Have the goal of becoming your best friend. Take a while to hang out with on your own once in a while. It will certainly help you develop a degree of convenience in being by yourself. Add some self-care throughout those minutes; it will help you raise self-respect. Empathy toward ourselves and also self-love will certainly usually bring about far better self-esteem and a higher positive self-image. No barriers will certainly stand in your means.
Controlling the negative thoughts in your head is essential for developing a winning mindset. There are a number of ways that you can control negative thoughts and in this article, we bring you a couple of proven methods.
Develop your vigilance
To curb your negative thoughts, you need to be aware of the exact moment they kick in. To do this, we observe our thoughts in order to identify scenarios and inner speeches that are unproductive, negative, or essentially ego-centered. Pay attention: your negative thoughts are with you everywhere.
For example, you are in the queue at the supermarket. You are almost at the cash desk when the manager comes to collect the accumulated money or when the customer in front of you takes out his stack of coupons.
At this very moment, your negative thoughts might well wake up: “Why is it always to me that this happens? … He could not have come another day with his coupons! … I have something else? to do than to wait. “
Negative thoughts can also show up at work when the new kid with his outsized ambition or your colleague with his brand new dress makes you sweat. In short, try to realize each time they enter the scene, to make it a reflex, in a way.
From the first sentences jostling in your head, say stop! Immediately connect the thread of your thoughts to a concrete activity or the present moment. Because what should never be forgotten is that the attention cannot be focused on two things at the same time. If the mind is already busy, it can no longer ruminate.
So if you are chatting with someone and you find that you are not listening to them because your hamster is going around in circles in your head, immediately bring your attention back to what the person is saying. If you eat, focus on the flavors of the food. Or, do some activity that occupies your mind.
Deprived of attention, your hamster will no longer be able to monopolize your thoughts. Basically, it’s like physical training: the more you practice it, the more results you get. But never let your guard down. Because your hamster will restart its race as soon as it has the opportunity.
Concentrate on your breathing
Become aware of the path of the air that passes through your nostrils, swells your abdomen, rises, and then leaves your nostrils. While you are paying attention to your breathing, you are muzzling your hamster.
This exercise can be performed anywhere, anytime, and as often as you feel the need to. Also, try out relaxation and meditation activities. Imagine your harmful thoughts spinning like clouds in the sky.
Set yourself free
Racing negative thoughts mean, for most people, a tendency to dramatize things or to predict the worst. Maintain some distance from these types of thoughts. Analyze what is troubling you and how you are feeling. Turn your catastrophic thoughts into rational thoughts. Recognize that the situation is, after all, not so bad.
Suppose at a restaurant you sprinkle red wine on your clothing just before an important customer arrives. You panic: “What is he going to think? … I’m sure I’ll lose the contract!” An alternative is to say to yourself instead, “This is just a garment. I’ll explain my clumsiness to him. He will understand. Fortunately, my file is concrete. ”
So you instantly de-dramatize the situation, however unpleasant it may be. Your thoughts can no longer be threatening. If you always have negative thoughts in your head, it is often because you keep everything inside. Record your emotions so you can let go of your negative thoughts.
