There is a lot of literature, and advice, linked to the importance of using visualisation to assist you succeed in life. However, there is not a lot of advice out there on how to make sure these visualisations always work for you, nor what to do if they go badly in your mind.
This blog will give you some tips on how to manage your visualisations to ensure you get results.
Our mind hates change
When we wish to be in a new place (whether physically or internally) we are effectively considering changing our situation. Our mind/subconscious/instincts, or whatever you would like to call your hindbrain, does not like change. Change can be risky, as we cannot be certain we can control it as easily as we do our current lives.
Where we are today is somewhere we know and are comfortable with. To change is to bring uncertainty.
One way our mind tries to stop us changing is through negative self-talk, discouraging us from even trying, and through the emotion of fear. Fear of failure, fear of judgement, even fear of success. Neither the self-talk nor the fear is based on solid facts generally, but we rarely take the time to analyse what is driving our internal turmoil, and instead we retreat into safety of staying right where we are.
The power of visualisations
Using visualisations to help you make a change successfully is very powerful. Your mind cannot tell the difference between a well imagined event, and a real one. So, if you visualise situations often, in detail, your mind starts to believe these things have happened, and the feelings of fear or self-doubt are much less when you do them.
This inability of our mind to differentiate is why when you visualise situations you still feel the fear and negative self-talk, and why the scenarios you visualise can go terribly wrong.
The importance of visualisation
Unlike in real life, when a situation goes wrong in your mind, you can stop it. You can halt the visualisation, question the emotions and motive behind it, and reframe it to be a successful outcome. You can also use a visualisation that becomes negative as a training ground for yourself. How?
Say you are visualising an event you are hosting. You are charismatic and confident, eloquent and compelling. Then things start going wrong – a terrible mishap: you spill a drink on someone or trip and fall, you forget the words you were going to say, and someone laughs at you meanly, as examples.
I am sure that even as this visualisation occurs, you will feel stress and fear along with it. I want you to pause this visualisation when it goes bad and write down exactly how you were about to fail. Now I want you to ask yourself three questions:
What can I do to ensure if that situation happened, I could retain control and maintain my desired image?
How would other people I know and admire handle this situation?
Have I seen this situation handled by others well in the past?
You can be your own best friend, or your worst enemy – the choice is one you have 100% control over.
The importance of visualisation
What you have just done is plan how to recover from a possible future event. If that embarrassing situation occurred you have just developed a response, ensuring you are prepared and can act with confidence. If your mind turns a positive visualisation negative, you can either force it to change in your mind, or let the situation continue but THEN interject your planned way of saving the situation – turning a possible failure into another example of your strength as a leader.
Final thoughts
Impressive leaders still have doubts, and still face situations where things go wrong. But you can mitigate their impact by planning for them. Visualisations are excellent tools to help visualise success in activities as well as to prepare for unexpected events. Contact us if you would like help in planning for change, or utilising visualisations to strengthen your future growth.
Author Bio
Deborah Knight is the founder of Xsead Lead with a background in organisational and individual leadership and executive coaching.
As a coach, Deborah aims to create an inclusive and respectful space where individuals and organisations can do the work necessary for growth and change. She is also passionate about helping women be valued for themselves while also contributing and being successful.
Apart from her company which she is deeply passionate about, Deborah also loves bushwalking, reading, travelling, and learning new things.
For any coaching or organisational support enquiries Deborah can be contacted via email: info@xseedlead.com.au or via her company website which is www.xseedlead.com.au.
