I’m a practical guy.
The only thing I really care about is RESULTS.
Is everything you’re doing actually moving you closer to your ideal life in a healthy, sustainable way, and are you still able to feel good about yourself and enjoy life along the way?
Will you actually get the results you seek if you stay on the path you’re on?<===My method of evaluating activities/habits/actions.
Once you have a VISION for your life and an IDEAL SELF-IMAGE, it’s important to take action and improve every day in order to make your ideal life come true.
However, I want to let you know about a visualization technique I use that produces results for me as long as I also take action (you can’t JUST visualize yourself into your ideal life).
I wouldn’t be writing this post if I hadn’t been doing this visualization practice for several years now…
It’s been POWERFUL for me, so I want to share it with you.
This way of visualizing incorporates several powerful principles all at once.
Feel free to use it exactly as it is or modify it however you want.
Here’s what I do…
VISUALIZATION THAT WORKS
1. Make sure you have an intention.
Use one of your self-image statements, “I’m the kind of guy who’s wealthy…” OR one of the sentences from your ideal life, “I’m making my living doing what I love ethically…” OR your mission, “I’m helping at least a million people increase their self-worth.”
(See links to exercises above if you don’t have a vision, mission, and ideal self-image…they are FREE).
Make sure your intention is in the present tense and coming from a positive frame.
For example, change, “I will be a wealthy person” to “I am a wealthy person” and change, “I’m not doing work I hate and I’m not unethical in my business practices” to “I’m making my living doing what I love ethically.”
Got your intention? Good…
2. Breathing (2 techniques).
Close your eyes and breathe until you’re relaxed enough to visualize…
I use a 3-step breathing method to put me in a good state for visualizing:
Breathe in, HOLD your breath, and breathe out for the same amount of time.
For example, breathe in for 5 counts, hold your breath for 5 counts, and breathe out for 5 counts.
Repeat until you are relaxed…you can also keep increasing the number of counts if necessary.
BONUS:
Here’s another way to breathe that will calm you down any time that you can use instead if you want:
- Breathe in through your nose for 4 seconds. Place the tip of your tongue at the intersection of your upper teeth and the roof of your mouth and hold it there during this entire breathing process.
- Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
- Breathe out through your mouth for 8 seconds…the air should make a noise as it comes out due to the positioning of your tongue.
***You can also use this technique to fall asleep faster.***
3. Gratitude…
Visualize as many ways as you can think of that your intention is ALREADY TRUE.
For example, if your intention is, “I am a wealthy person,” think about ANY time you have been paid money, any trips you have been able to take, any days that you didn’t have to worry about having enough food, the way technology supports your personal growth, etc…
Think of as many as you can and FEEL the genuine gratitude that comes up as much as possible.
Do this for as long as you want…it feels really good. <===We just knocked out your gratitude practice for the day in a couple easy minutes…well done.
4. Visualize your intention as if it’s 100% true.
When you are satisfied with the amount of gratitude you’ve expressed, visualize what your real life would be like if your intention was completely true right now.
Go into as much REALISTIC detail as you can. How would you be feeling if your intention was completely true? What would you be doing? Where would you be? Who would be with you?
Visualize your intention coming true with the sense that “it’s no big deal, this is just how it IS now…”
Try to see, hear, feel, smell, and touch everything in your ideal reality in as much detail as possible.
Try to get COMFORTABLE with the new reality you are creating.
This helps you take action later because your mind will be more “used to” your new reality. The mind has a tough time differentiating imagined experiences from “real” ones, so give it a dynamic, realistic experience.
5. Breathe out with the sense that “everything is fine.”
That’s it.
You’re done.
Usually takes me 10-15 minutes…you can do it however long you want.
Notice how this visualization technique incorporates gratitude AND growth, acceptance AND improvement, past AND future…all in the PRESENT.<===This aligns nicely with the lifestyle we want to live.
It reinforces everything we want to reinforce in your mind.
I do it almost every day, and I can tell when I’ve been doing it and when I haven’t.
Try it out for yourself (CHALLENGE: Try this every day for 30 days) and see if you get RESULTS.
If yes, keep doing it.
If not, CUT it.
Here’s a guided visualization I made if you want to use it. Ignore the cheesy mediation voice. =)
Oh yeah, then keep taking action and improving a little bit every day…
Cheers Boss,
Jim
