Visualization for success gives some high achievers ‘super-powers’ to plan, execute, actualize, and achieve their goals going a step at a time. They make it look so easy and obvious. But every person has the ‘super-power’ to visualize and actualize their goals, although we’re usually not taught how to activate it.
You benefit from visualization because it creates a habit of winning. Only by doing so will you keep making progress in achieving the bigger goals you have in life. So, what goes into a visualization for success? This guide will show you everything you need to know.
Table of Contents
What Is Visualization for Success?
Why Is Visualization for Success Important?
10 Tips for Using Visualization for Success
- Visualize Yourself Succeeding at Your Goals
- Establish Triggered Visuals
- Create a Vision Board
- Make Your Goals Physical by Noting Them on a Notecard
- Create a “Happy Place”
- Convert Your Desires into Beliefs
- Rehearse Potential Solutions
- Put Yourself In Someone Else’s Shoes
- Flesh Out Your Visualizations with Sensory Experiences
- Add Positive Energy into Every Instance of Visualization
What Is Visualization for Success?
When you think of visualization for success, you have two things in mind: visualization and success. If you know what each term means, then defining the technique will be as easy as saying 1, 2, 3.
So, what is visualization? It’s a practice or habit of consistently imagining future goals as if they were coming true today. On the other hand, success is the accomplishment of these goals.
That said, we can define visualization for success as the process of dreaming vividly and driving your subconscious to accept your way of life. It’s like granting yourself permission to become everything you ever wanted.
Why Is Visualization for Success Important?
We live in a world of distractions from every direction. Minute by minute, we’re fed news and given intrusions by social media. And many of us are so scattered that we can forget to focus on building ourselves.
With visualization for success, you take charge of your life and know it aligns with your future goals. Therefore, you can actively set parameters to envision the future and make it happen. In addition, the process helps you take your ideas a step further to discover what’s possible. Plus, visualizing keeps you aware of who you are and what you want in life.
With this method, you hardly fall victim to the distractions around you. Imagining your future as a current reality makes life easier, especially as you collide with people.
10 Tips for Using Visualization for Success
Consider what you want in life, love, and elsewhere. Then check out these 10 tips to help you get there:
- Visualize Yourself Succeeding at Your Goal
- Establish Triggered Visuals
- Create a Vision Board
- Make Your Goals Physical by Noting Them on a Notecard
- Create a “Happy Place”
- Convert Your Desires into Beliefs
- Rehearse Potential Solutions
- Put Yourself In Someone Else’s Shoes
- Flesh Out Your Visualizations with Sensory Experiences
- Add Positive Energy into Every Instance of Visualization
Most of the work is within your mind. And your determination supports the rest. So, let’s explore each technique in more detail.
1. Visualize Yourself Succeeding at Your Goals
First things first, let positivity stick in your mind and let it sink in that you’re going to succeed at your goals. In fact, this is one of the most essential tips. You see, it’s impossible to achieve something if you believe you can’t do it.
Besides being one of the essential tips, it’s also one of the easiest that most people begin with. It’s that simple, see yourself succeeding in whatever goals you have. It helps you initiate visualization for success.
For instance, you can picture yourself making a huge step to cross an imaginary finish line or shaking the CEO’s hand. The goal is to have that visual stick in your head. With the plan, you can easily create an attitude of motivation and confidence to assure yourself you can do it.
If you embrace visualization, nothing can stop you. In fact, even procrastination, which often plagues our goals, can’t stand in your way. Therefore, train your mind to believe and see yourself winning on your goals.
2. Establish Triggered Visuals
Triggered visuals keep the mind in check. That’s because our brains are excellent at connecting experiences. Imagine how a faint whiff of a good scent can trigger your powerful mind and create a flood of emotions inside you? That’s how powerful visuals are.
For that reason, you can set detailed visuals that trigger your subconscious mind to act on goals every day. A good example is where one spends time exposing themselves to a given sensory input, like listening to music while visualizing a positive thing. That’s an example of putting visualization for success into practice.
I’d like I’ve tried successfully. I have this favorite song with a strong message on hustling to change one’s lifestyle. Whenever I relax and listen to it, I’m triggered to keep working on my goals. This song has got into me to the point when I hear the music out there; I must react.
When you need to put your plans into reality, try to reciprocate the sensory input from your chosen trigger. Then capitalize on the visualization. For example, you can train for a powerlifting competition using a favorite playlist. Then play the same songs during the actual match to call up the visuals you rehearsed.
3. Create a Vision Board
The two tips above focus on the classic forms of visualization for success. This is the internal visualization of a scenario. However, some people suffer from Aphantasia, which makes you unable to conjure mental imagery. If you lie in this category or like to deal with what’s tangible, you can create a vision board instead.
A vision board is simply a collection of images and photos that remind you of the goals you set for yourself. You can have these images pinned on a board somewhere near your work table. That way, you’ll never forget and keep consistency.
A good example is if you’re after losing some weight, you can create a vision board with images showing the importance you want to achieve after a given period. When you have your visions written, don’t put them too far that you can’t see them regularly. A similar tip applies to businesses where managers or CEOs create an analytics dashboard.
NOTE: If you can measure something, you can monitor and improve it.
4. Make Your Goals Physical by Noting Them on a Notecard
A notecard is an excellent way to put your vision for success into writing. This applies if your goals aren’t monetary, but you still want to track your steps by having your aspirations where you can see them daily.
A notecard always keeps you in check. And it reminds you what you should achieve by a given time. After all, moments are crucial when noting your aspirations on a notecard.
The best way to make your goals physical is to write them with utmost intention and confidence. For instance, don’t write this: “My goal is to achieve this by doing this.” Instead, write this: “I will achieve this by doing X, Y, or Z.”
You’re more likely to actualize goals by putting them into action. So, visualization for success doesn’t require a rocket science degree. All you need is commitment and the desire to do it. Thus, put the notecard where it’s most visible. And don’t hide it at the bottom of your drawer. If possible, put your visualization tools where you can see them every day.
5. Create a “Happy Place”
I’d say this is the second most crucial tip after the first one. Creating a “happy place” helps you avoid stress and anxiety from the struggle and challenges you encounter to achieve your goals.
Perhaps you’ve previously found yourself unable to accomplish tasks. Or maybe you’ve been feeling overwhelmed. If so, create a “happy place.” It’s a location where you go to remove stress and eliminate anxiety.
Some people do this by remaining isolated in an open pool of water. Others do it at the center of a mosh pit in a punk rock concert. It doesn’t matter how or where you do it, all you need is to do it. Creating a “happy place” is a crucial tip when using visualization for success.
6. Convert Your Desires into Beliefs
Don’t confuse this; visualization for success is imagining what you believe will happen, not what you want to happen. As such, if you’re going to actualize your goals, you must make that distinction. So, start believing in your desires, and have confidence that your beliefs will pass. Converting your desires into habits plays a vital role when you’re visualizing success.
Ideally, if you’re currently visualizing hypothetical scenarios, then adjust your mind to the way you think and consider them. That means don’t consider your beliefs wishful thinking. Think of them as a prediction of what will happen in the future instead.
7. Rehearse Potential Solutions
In most cases, it’s always good to reflect on your visualization for success techniques as a form of rehearsing situations that may come your way in the future. You can apply this if the case is unpredictable or stressful.
A good example is when you’re making plans to sit your boss down and engage in a difficult conversation. If you visualize and prepare well, you’ll be aware of questions your boss might ask or which ways the conversation can go.
If you rehearse potential situations, then the outcome often favors you. Besides, rehearsing a potential problem helps you better navigate the situation as it continues to unfold.
8. Put Yourself In Someone Else’s Shoes
Chances are, you have someone in mind whom you’re sure has gone through the same challenge you’re facing currently in the past.
Now, visualize yourself being in their shoes. That way, you’ll successfully connect with the person’s strongest or weakest moments. If you’re facing a challenge, you’ll develop possible ways to handle the challenge.
Putting yourself in someone’s shoes is vital in the process of visualization for success. In that case, choose a role model you look up to and study the path they went through in their journey to success.
9. Flesh Out Your Visualizations with Sensory Experiences
Thus far, you have the skills and strategies to initiate a positive visualization technique. The importance of the positive visualization technique is that it helps you motivate yourself, inspire yourself, and empower yourself.
One way to flesh out your visualizations is by flooding them with sensory experiences. If you make your visualizations rich with sensory experiences, they become more powerful. So, fleshing out your visualization helps you understand new things. And as you engage in visualization for success, always pay attention to the minor details.
10. Add Positive Energy into Every Instance of Visualization
Positive thinking has a significant impact on our lives. It can help reduce stress and improve your mood when feeling low. So, whenever you’re framing your visualizations, engage in positive thinking.
If you feel the slightest negative thinking, counter it with corresponding positive thoughts. For example, stop thinking things like: “This goal sounds too difficult to achieve; I might never achieve it.” Train your mind to counter such thoughts with positive affirmations, such as:
“If you believe it’s too difficult, there’s no chance that you’ll ever achieve it.”
“If you keep trying, there are chances that you’ll finally make it”
“I might come across different obstacles on the way, but I’ll accomplish this goal.”
Experience the power of positive thinking firsthand. Then make yourself comfortable with optimism.
Conclusion
High achievers often use visualization for success techniques to achieve their goals. Besides, these tips can work for you as well.
Visualization for success boosts your confidence, helps you motivate yourself, and prevent you from stress and anxiety. Thankfully, if you visualize well, you’ll not only be able to face your challenges head-on but also conquer them.
Of course, the more you practice visualization for success, the easier it gets. With that said, the time to start is now.
About the Author
“Tapping into the power of imagination through music and more …”
Patrick Ngako is a Senior Manager at Ernst & Young LLP who has defeated tremendous odds to fulfill the true American Dream. His goal is to guide those who want to change their life circumstances by visualizing their goals to build a different career and life path.
Ngako bases his life framework on the “power of imagination” to help people achieve their desired goals and dreams. He believes that career progression and career change are something everyone can do when they use their imagination to envision a successful outcome. It’s his lifelong goal to teach people to harness the power of their imagination to make their goals come to fruition.
Patrick balances his home life in Los Angeles with his wife and three children while pursuing a full-time career, and his passion for music. As a Heal Hip-Hop Artist, stage name GAKO, he helps uplift audiences with practical advice in the form of contemporary music.
