As it was told already, visualization can be used for many purposes, but let’s concentrate on five most important ones.
-
1. Goal Visualization
Think in a format “I get what I see” and be ready to synthesize your creativity and mind. The only thing that exists at the moment is your goal. All the rest has no matter.
Let’s suppose that you are a working student who wants to get a career promotion. Imagine how your chief invites you to the office, think over the dialogue. Then jump a few days forward and enter your new cabinet. How does it look like? What is the color of the table? What is your clothes? This picture has to fill you with enthusiasm and warmth.
Keep up to a certain formula:
- Write down five activities that will make you closer to your goal and that you’ll be able to go in for instantly.
- Repeat all your action in your mind.
In psychology, they call this a positive trick. Planning is an effective way to start doing things instantly. And when you imagine every step you make, you increase your self-confidence, look at the situation in details and learn how to avoid or overcome difficulties.
2. Thinking Visualization
Thinking is probably the first thing that is to be changed. For sure, you agree with a statement about successful people thinking not like losers. That is why you can change everything about your life as soon as you change your thoughts.
Thinking visualization requires you to find several days for data gathering. Have a notebook and a pen with you on purpose to do that. You have to write down your thoughts during the day. Those thoughts that are negative and unpleasant.
Everything that pulls you back, everything that does not bring use, is to be forgotten. Imagine yourself being a successful person. Which thoughts will dominate your mind? If it is difficult for you to imagine them, write them down on the paper first. Repeat them as often as possible during the visualization process. It is like a hypnosis: as only you relax, this technique starts bringing best results.
3. Move Your Imagination to the Real World
After you learned how to visualize your goals, switch to concentration mode. Focus on what you are about to do before taking an action. Even if that is about something untouchable like “to earn more money”, you can use it to start your job.
Moving your imagination to the real world means using the environment for visualization. Now you do not close your eyes to imagine a picture, it becomes your “augmented reality” since this moment. For instance, if you want to hold a speech in a week, visit a place it is about to happen in, and imagine how things are going to happen there. In fact, this is even more effective way that drawing pictures in your mind.
Why won’t you use this method all the time? It is not always possible for you to see your goal coming to life personally. Estimate circumstances and balance between reality and imagination according to them.
4. Slow-Motion
Visualization works only when you are calm and able to concentrate on the world free of cares and tasks. It is very close to meditation, but stays more active and bright.
The similarity is also in that, that both meditation and visualization methods need you to stay abstract from all your tasks and thoughts in order to concentrate on one goal. That is why you’ll learn how to slow down a rhythm of your life with time and how to enter more calm and relaxed state of mind.
You need to work with your environment for that:
- Say your family members not to disturb you in the nearest 20-30 minutes;
- Switch all the gadgets off;
- Launch a relaxing music or use earplugs.
5. Personality Visualization
Visualize features of a personality you want to gain. It is not enough only to be a businessman, you need to understand what qualities you need for that.
The list can be quite long: ability to listen to others, persuasion skills, skill of open communication, skill of quick info gaining, skill of negotiating. Concentrate on one skill at a time. Imagine how you listen to a person. And no matter how strong is your wish to interrupt him or her, do not do that.
Bonus: Techniques that Help You Improve Your Visualization Skills
Do you try visualizing but the picture stays unrealistic? Then try out the following techniques to develop your skill.
Aivazovsky’s Method
That famous artist did not only create pictures, but trained his brain regularly. One of his techniques was about taking an unknown picture or drawing and trying to remember all the details within a minute. And then to put it out and try creating the same picture in mind.
Do not limit yourself with just pictures, you can take 3D objects: figures, books, kitchen gadgets, etc. Take a look on every detail. When you learn how to do that, you’ll automatically become very observant (people do not often pay much attention to their environment). This will help you make your visualization bright and remember it better.
Observe the World
Keep your eyes open. Have a walk in a park and pay attention to everything you see. Try to add something artificial to the picture: an UFO, a heavenly garden, a great rainbow, etc.
Touch Things
It was already said about mental images only to be not enough. You need to activate all your sense organs. Close your eyes, take an old book to your hands, pay attention to the difference between page materials.
Smell Things
Go to the kitchen and test all food products one by one. Compare smells, try abstracting from not really pleasant ones and perceive them without prejudice.
Feel the Sounds
Listen to classical music and pay your attention to a certain instrument. Go to the balcony and listen deep to a cacophony of sounds.
Imagine Yourself on an Uninhabited Island
There are no limits for your creative thinking: let that island be whatever you want it to. Most probably, you will imagine a beach. What is water temperature, sand color, wind?
Imagine Yourself Standing on a Favorite Location from a Movie or Cartoon
This exercise is much easier as you have seen that place. Walk through it, go to places that used to be unavailable before. What is there? How do you feel?
You got it, didn’t you?
Use visualization techniques and make your life better.
