Goal Setting
Visualisation and goal setting have an important relationship. You might be wondering:
Why is goal setting such an important and useful strategy?
How can visualisation support us in achieving our goals?
How can we use goal setting and visualisation in combination to create success?
I will answer these questions and explain how to use the powerful strategy of visualisation for good.
Most of us set goals from time to time, naturally. When we are intentional about our goals, we are much more likely to achieve them. One simple framework is to create a SMART goal. This means the goal is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. It’s important to break your goal down in this way and also to interrogate it. Is this goal something that you really want? If you achieve this goal, what might you lose? For example, time or money. Once you have considered it from all angles, only then should you move on to working out how you will achieve it. Read here for more on how to set yourself goals.
What is Visualisation?
Most of us don’t realise that we are often visualising. Even those people who say ‘I can’t visualise’. We are often harnessing the power of visualisation, but frequently to our detriment. That is because we are imagining the worst
You might not even realise you are doing it.
For example:
- You might imagine that you won’t find a seat on the train, and there isn’t.
- You might imagine that you are nervous giving work presentation, and you are.
- You might imagine it will be hard to park your car, and you’re right!
- You might imagine that the time you forget your umbrella will be the time it rains. The heavens open and you are drenched!
These are all great examples of using visualisation to create your fears and worries.
Visualation: Positive or Negative Thoughts?
Put simply; visualisation is the formation of mental pictures. Due to our negative cognitive bias, we often visualise more undesirable outcomes of a situation. Sometimes it’s because we don’t want to be disappointed, so we try to trick ourselves with our thoughts. Other times we cannot help but err on the side of caution. This may lead to an involuntary manifestation of what we see.
The good news is that what we frequently expose our minds to will have a profound effect on us. That could be negative or positive images, and we can use this technique to manifest our desires and positive results in our lives.
The Power of Visualisation
When we visualise, we create neural pathways in our brains. The more we visualise and the more sensory detail we include, the stronger these neural pathways become. Eventually, it’s as if we have already done the activity or lived the experience of what we imagine. The brain does not know the difference between a lived experience or an imagined one. If you can harness the power of your imagination to create mental images or even a film, you can learn to utilise it’s power. This is how you can use it to help you achieve your goals. You simply daydream that you have already achieved the goals. (Daydreaming is a natural phenomenon. It is something our brains can do naturally, and many of us had a rich world of make-believe as children. When you decide to visualise, you are tapping into that natural ability*.)
*If you find it very difficult to visualise, despite your efforts, it may be that you are more of an auditory or kineasthetic learner. In this case, you might need to use words or your feelings to conjure the emotions that connect to your goal.
How to Use Visualisation to Achieve Goals
To get the most out of visualisation, it’s important to fully immerse yourself and commit to the practice.
- Find a quiet spot at a time when you won’t be interrupted. I recommend mornings, when the mind is most clear, or before you sleep, when the mind is most receptive.
- Close your eyes and imagine your desired outcome.
- Make use of all your senses. It’s best to imagine it in the first-person, as if you are seeing it with your eyes.
⚡What images, people, events can you see?
⚡What sounds can you hear? What are the qualities of the sounds?
⚡What can you smell? Is there a distinct fragrance connecting you to this experience?
⚡What emotions do you feel? Breathe deeply as you connect with the emotions.
Once you have connected to this goal using visualisation, remember to practise it once each day.
Creating a vision board or dream board is another pathway into visualisation.
If you would like support with learning how to visualise or using hypnosis to help you achieve your goals, please get in touch for an introductory consultation.
