If you’ve got a clear goal then you can use visualization to help you achieve it. If you’re still struggling to figure out what goals you want to pursue then a little time spent daydreaming can help you figure out what you really want.
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HOW CAN VISUALIZATION HELP ME ACHIEVE MY GOALS?
The first thing to think about is whether or not you have a clear vision for your life. It’s an important question because without a clear vision, you have no real way of knowing if you’re on track to achieve your life goals.
What is that saying, “If you don’t know where you’re going then it doesn’t matter what road you take”.
Now I’ll admit that I love a good list. They’re easy to make, you can take them anywhere, and they help keep us on track. But sometimes looking at words doesn’t evoke the emotion needed to continue pursuing a goal in the same way that pictures do.
You’ve heard that a picture is worth a thousand words and I believe that’s true. One look at the right photo can bring back memories, stir up excitement or anticipation, and provide motivation.
These are the emotions that can kick us in the seat of the pants and move us forward when we’re pursuing our dreams. Because without those emotions spurring us forward, it can be awfully easy to give up on your life goals when things are looking bleak.
And let’s face it…there are going to be plenty of those times.
This is where a vision board can be just what you need to get you motivated again. By harnessing the power of visualization you are reminded of what it is that you’re working for. While lists are great (and useful in a way we’ll discuss another time), they generally don’t make us picture the end result in our mind the way a vision board can.
That’s probably why people like Tony Robbins and others are such proponents of using vision boards.
IS THIS JUST A BUNCH OF WOO-WOO?
Now at this point you may be thinking, “Wait a minute…this vision board stuff is just a lot of woo woo that I don’t buy into.”
Honestly, I’d have agreed with you at one point in my life. I’m not particularly into woo woo either (major skeptic here actually).
But I have found that having the clarity to focus on those life goals I want to achieve is helpful. And I look at a vision board and the power of visualization as another tool to give me the focus that is easily lost in the day to day mess of life.
While I’m not big on woo woo, I am a big believer in tools.
YOU ALREADY VISUALIZE
See, here’s the thing…a vision board only puts into tangible form what everyone does already. We all visualize. It’s simply a question of whether we’re visualizing something positive or negative.
Most adults are uber-adept at visualizing the bad things that might happen in the future. We call this worrying and some of us are champions at it (I actually should have an Olympic medal in this!). In fact, we’re so good at it that it becomes a habit we engage in without even thinking about it.
And what does the negative visualizing (worrying) do for us? It simply makes us stressed out, anxious, upset, and depressed. Worry can even manifest itself physically. We may get a headache, upset stomach, begin to sweat, or break out in hives.
Emotions are pretty powerful when they cause these kinds of reactions.
Now I don’t know if worrying about something makes it more likely to happen or not (some folks would say that it does), but I do know this…time spent worrying totally ruins the present.
Let me stop here for just a minute to make a clarification.
I’m not advocating that we should never think about things that could go wrong. In fact, I strongly encourage us to think about scenarios that are likely to go wrong (toilets overflowing, kids getting sick on a day you have to be at work, running out of gas, electric power going out) so that we can develop contingency plans to deal with them should they happen (and some of these ARE going to happen).
But I digress.
So back to the power of visualization.
Once we’ve use visualization those goals then it’s time to get get focused so we can make our goals a reality. Because let’s be clear here – you do have to do the work to make those goals happen – they don’t happen magically just because you think about them.
WHY DOESN’T EVERYONE USE THE POWER OF VISUALIZATION THEN?
Instead of spending time worrying and engaging in negative visualization, how about we turn that around and use the power of visualization to focus on the things that we want to happen?
And let’s go even further and find images to evoke the positive emotions that can motivate us to actually work towards those things.
After all, if emotions can make us sick, can’t they also bring positive results as well?
Some might say that allowing ourselves to focus on the positive things we want is silly, frivolous, or even just unrealistic.
Why is that?
Perhaps those folks don’t have big goals they’re working for. Perhaps they once had goals and have given up. Or perhaps they never learned to put the power of visualization to work for them so they don’t understand how it can work for you.
Whatever their reasons, you don’t have to listen to them.
If you have big goals then your only concern is setting yourself up for success by any means possible.
Goal statements, to-do lists, charts…all of these are ways you can help keep yourself on track. But by harnessing the power of visualization you can keep the end goal in sight to stay motivated.
And motivation…plus action…is how you’ll achieve those goals.
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I’m a retired educator, mom of three adult children, cancer warrior, sandwich generation member, and lover of life!
I help older women create & live a life they love through radical self acceptance, unapologetic goal pursuit, and relishing the joys of home.
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