“Begin with the end in mind.”  ~ Steven Covey

Visualization is a key component of achieving your goals. Think of it as a detailed daydream in which all of your senses are used to envision the desired outcome. Imagine the location, the atmosphere, the details of your physical actions, and how you handle any challenges. Picture every phase leading up to achieving your goal. Imagine too, the outcome you desire and how you will feel and think when you’ve reached your goal. Picture yourself a formidable success machine that can overcome any obstacle. 

Effective visualization is a process which takes effort, time and patience. The following is an example where visualization played an integral role in the young success of one of my sons.  My oldest son played the euphonium(baritone) in his high school band. He had some natural talent and enjoyed music. At some point during his junior year, he decided he wanted to play in the All-State Band AND be 1st Chair. My son would be competing against every high school euphonium player in the state, some of them tutored by professional musicians. 

He invested a great deal of time into practice, placed inspirational quotes on his wall, and spent much time visualizing every step to his ultimate goal. The time, effort, patience and dedication to the process, including and especially the role of visualization paid off as he was selected 1st chair in the All-State Band. I believe the time spent visualizing was at least as important as the time spent practicing. 

While this story has been a great opportunity for a father to brag about his son, it’s also a great example of what the power of visualization can do for you. Don’t dismiss it. Pick something you’re passionate about, then run your own experiment. Use visualization to rapidly increase the speed of your success.

“Victorious warriors win first in their minds, and then go to war. Defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.” 

~ Suu Tsu