My Visualization Success Story
Posted by Justin Popovic on February 3, 2010 · 8 Comments
Ever since the release of “The Secret”, there has been a lot of hype around the topic of visualization. Specifically, many people have gained an awareness about the power of visualization and how it can positively or negatively impact the results you experience in your life.
This is not a new concept by any means. Visualization has been a practice used by many cultures for many generations. Olympic athletes are now trained in the art of visualization as a means of gaining a competitive advantage in their chosen sport. Unfortunately, I think the way The Secret portrayed the idea of visualization gave people a skewed perspective of how visualization actually works. Too many people assumed that the simple act of thinking about something would automatically cause it to become reality. As any logical thinking person would agree, this is definitely not always the case.
The true power of visualization comes from the fact that we all have access to creative thoughts. We can create a new idea in our mind through the simple act of visualization. Using the power of action, we can take an idea that exists in our mind and bring it into reality. The process to do so varies depending on the idea you have conceived. The point is that all creation starts in the mind and it is up to the originator of that idea to see the result through to completion.
The more I have studied the connection between mental and physical reality, the more I have become fascinated by the topic of visualization. A simple example is, you can take a room in your home, visualize an entirely new arrangement and then go to work on bringing your vision into reality. A few hours later, there you have your visualized image into reality. OK so it’s not the most exciting example in the world but that same process can be applied to anything. And to me, that IS exciting.
I have visualized myself doing some amazing things in my lifetime. Some of these things have already come to pass while many of my larger visions still elude me. The fact that our vision of the goal creates the potential for it to really happen is something for every person to get excited about.
- Someone visualized humans flying through the sky. People laughed. Now we have been doing it for over a century!
- Someone visualized sending sound through the air and being able to hear the sound in a remote location. People laughed. Now we have 1000s of radio stations
- Someone visualized two people having a conversation across the world with no wires. People laughed. I just got off a Skype call with someone over 1000 miles away.
I had my own interesting visualization experience about 2 years ago. I was at a personal development seminar and the speaker was talking about the power of visualization. He was telling all kinds of exciting stories about people who had used various visualization techniques to create some amazing results in their lives. Toward the end of his talk he walked us through a “guided visualization” exercise. In the exercise, he had us close our eyes and clearly visualize a result we would like to create. Having tried and failed at this kind of experiment in the past, I was somewhat reluctant but I decided to suspend any disbelief and just try it out.
For my visualization, I picture my hand raising in front of my face and seeing my wedding band on my ring finger. I had lost the ring 3 months earlier on a blustery winter day and had no idea where it might have fallen. The exercise forced me to hold this vision of the ring on my finger for at least 2 minutes (although I think it was even longer than that). The exercise ended and he continued on with the presentation. After that, I dropped the whole thing from my mind and went on with my day.
Later that evening, my wife answered the phone and there was a call from our sister in-law. Her neighbor had found a gold wedding ring on their lawn among a pile of melting snow. She knew I had been missing my ring so she called me right away to tell us it had been found. The ring must have fallen off in their driveway and been shot across the yard with a snowblower only to land on the neighbor’s yard. What are the chances that they discover the ring right around the same time I visualized it?
Yes it is mysterious and it also could be coincidence. I guess you just have to ask yourself what you believe in? For me, I know the power of visualization and I continue to leverage it as a success habit in my life.
“suspend disbelief”
That’s what it takes to make real changes. We have to suspend our disbelief whether it’s in order to make a purchase or to go through an exercise like you did.
Visualizing your outcome is the easiest way to keep you on track with your goal. Dreaming won’t get you there nor will the idea of “putting it out to the universe”. You actually need to take some action.
Great article!
I agree, this a great artical. I believe that visualizing isn’t enough to create a result but the best, and only beginning to getting what you truly want.
Brad. Thanks for the comment! So true. Taking action is our way of proving that we believe in the image we are visualizing.
James, thanks for stopping by to comment as well. Seems like we are all on the same page in terms of taking action. Visualization starts the creative process but it is up to the person to make the vision a reality!
I have nothing against “The Secret” and I think there are a lot of good things to learn from it, but as a analytical, numbers type guy, I can’t accept that the results come from us “shaping the universe” or willing things to happen. There has to be a logical explanation. And from my experiences I have come up with this possible, and probable explanation.
“The Secret” says you must focus your thoughts and visualize attaining your goal, with vision boards as a tool to keep you going. There is one attribute of rich-brainers that stands out in this scenario. It is their ability to be outspoken about their goals.
Saying that their goal is not a top secret project or invention, most rich-brainers make it clear to everyone what their ambitions are regardless how other perceive them. Many people fear telling others what they want in life because they might sound rediculous or stupid, and might get a chuckle and the occasional “yeah right”. Some think that when people say there are going to be the best at something or make millions of dollars, they are being aloof, and think they are better than them. Well the fact is, true rich-brainers don’t care what others think, they strive for their goal.
This ability to share to others what you want in life creates the true “law of attraction”. People in general want to help others. You may not think so, but it is human nature. How many times have you told someone about something you are doing, say your job as a construction worker, and they respond with, oh I know a guy… or hey, my cousin’s a contractor, or do you know so and so, they paint houses too. Sometimes its annoying when people start talking about their 2nd cousin’s friend and such, but you get the point.
When you have a strong network of successful acquaintances, as most rich-brained people will build , the amount of contacts and available resources is amazing. If you let people know what you want, what your goals are and they can see that you are serious and passionate about it, don’t be surprised if opportunities start flowing in from all directions.
Hey Jay,
Thanks for your insightful comment. I agree with pretty much everything you have said. The whole idea of “putting an idea out there” and expecting it to come to reality doesn’t really add up. It is the process of taking the idea, translating it into a goal (as you stated) and striving towards the goal that really makes things happen.
I have been trying visualization but I did not seem to get it right. I hope one day I can master it. I think I need to put more faith in my visualizations.
I think you have also hit on another important element to the visualisation strategy Justin, in your reply to Jay. If any sort of ‘expectation’ exists in your mind from the outset when trying to visualise you will ultimately end up disappointed.
Thought is such a powerful energy and an important tool to be used intelligently when striving to achieve our goals, and your views on visualisation I couldn’t agree with more.
I’ve only recently come across your site Justin, I must say i’m very impressed! I have my own success coaching business and my personal offerings at my site – http://cherieconcannon.co.uk. I’d hugely appreciate any advice you could offer me on moving forward with my online offerings?
Cherie Concannon – Success Coach
Hey Cherie,
Thanks for your feedback and kind words. The key word you used in your comment was “goals”. The more specific the goal, the easier and more effective the visualization becomes.
In terms of advice for your online efforts, I would start by signing up for my free gifts. One of the programs is an online marketing course I teach for a local college. There are lots of concepts you can pull from that course to get a better understanding of the tactics I use to help myself and my clients market themselves online!