Visualize Your Way to Success

-By Jaime Willis

"Seeing is believing."

Happy Monday! Matt and I just got back from an amazing three days connecting with our peers in the coaching business. Not only did we have a wonderful time just being with so many energetic and positive people, we also had the opportunity to learn a lot about how to serve our clients better as coaches -- powerful stuff!

Today, I wanted to share something that one of my coaching peers, Michele Brant, shared with us that really hit home. When you are trying to achieve a goal, you need to have a clear vision of what success looks like with that goal and you have to focus on that visual DAILY.

In Michele's presentation, she handed each of us a 3 x 5 card and asked us to write one thing on the card that we needed to be reminded of each and every day. Then we should put the card somewhere we can see every day as a reminder that we are focused on that goal.

Lots of folks talk about the power of affirmations, from cartoonist Scott Adams to author Jack Canfield. The real power of these statements is that we are able to take our goal from a hope and desire to execution just through connecting our dream to our subconscious.

"When we visualize goals as complete, it creates a conflict in our subconscious mind between what we are visualizing and what we currently have. Our minds are hard-wired to resolve such conflicts by working to create a current reality that matches the one we have envisioned.

Visualization activates the creative powers of the subconscious mind, motivating it to work harder at creating solutions. You’ll also notice new levels of motivation and find yourself doing things that normally you would avoid, but that will take you closer to success.

The third way visualization boosts success is by programming the Reticular Activating System (RAS), which serves as a mental filter for the 8 million bits of information that are streaming into our brains at any one time." - Jack Canfield

The great thing about creating a visualization is that it gives your brain this amazing movie to review each day of what your success looks like. You can use your 3 x 5 card statement to TRIGGER your deep vision of your success.

So let's say that my goal is to lose weight. I might make the following affirmation on my 3 x 5 card:

Remember, your affirmation should be quite specific AND written in the present tense -- you are trying to create that conflict in your subconscious mind that helps you achieve your goal.

Having this 3 x 5 card hanging on my bathroom mirror is a great way to remind myself of my goal each day. But I can allow that reminder an even deeper root into my brain when I allow myself to fully experience that "reality" with all of my senses.

"For greatest effect, read your goals or affirmations out loud. After each one, close your eyes and create the visual image of the completed goal in your mind.

To multiply the effects, add sound, smells, and tastes. Most importantly, add the emotions and bodily sensations you would be feeling if you had already achieved your goal. Research has revealed that images or scenes that are accompanied by intense emotion will stay locked in our memory forever. The more passion, excitement and energy we muster during visualization, the more powerful the results will be.

Once you have visualized each goal as complete, it’s time to release. Let go of your goals, and spend the rest of your day being in the present moment." - Jack Canfield

When I visualize myself at my goal weight, I imagine that I am on vacation in the summer on the beach. I'm wearing a two-piece swimsuit and completely comfortable with my body. I can hear the ocean waves lapping up onto the beach, I can feel the sand beneath my toes, and I can smell the coconut tanning lotion I've put on. I feel the coolness of the bottle of water by my side. I feel rested, relaxed, and content.

What can you visualize today?

The Secrets of Success

It all seems so simple.

Faith + Desire = Realization

As I read more, and watch and listen more, and teach more, and write more, and coach more, and see success more for myself and others, there is a common thread to it all. Faith and desire.

Those that achieve more do two things more than the average person. First, they believe with conviction that they can and will do something. Second, they want to do that thing more than others. That’s it. They want it really bad and truly believe in themselves.

Watch this video. If you’re short on time, watch the first two minutes, and pay particular attention to what this guy says from 1:24 to 1:44. In fact, listen to it over and over again. He speaks the truth and has the credentials to back it up.

David Goggins exudes an unyielding confidence in himself, wouldn’t you say? Just listening to his perspective on life and achieving great things, chances are you’d bet on him to win any time. I don’t even care what the competition is – if this guy is competing, I’m betting on him. He’s got faith. He sees victory and achievement in his mind so clearly, that it becomes his reality.

Think this is a new message? You’d be wrong. My boy, Napoleon Hill was saying it 70+ years ago. Watch this video and you’ll learn a thing or two. I’ll admit, Mr. Hill isn’t as cool as David Goggins above, and the video isn’t as edgy as Lexus’ documentary on endurance running, but the message is sound.

Did you get that? If you can so clearly define your image of success, whatever that may be, and know clearly what you are willing to sacrifice in pursuit of it, you will achieve it. Mr. Hill expands upon these concepts in his groundbreaking book, “Think and Grow Rich.”

So, how bad do you want it? Seriously, how bad do you want that image of success? Don’t lie. This guy will catch you and call you out. No joke. When you watch this next video, know that the audience is young college students, so some of his message is directed at that demographic. But if you don’t feel like jumping out of your seat to conquer the world, I need to take your pulse.

Lessons learned from Eric Thomas, the Hip Hop Preacher: 1) Success is not about where you come from, where you’ve been, or what’s happened to you in the past. It’s about right now. It’s about heart. 2) You have to be able to, at any time, be willing to sacrifice what you are for you for what you will become. 3) Pain is temporary. Some day it will subside and be replaced by something else. If you quit, the pain will last forever.

Are you ready? Are you fired up? Have you clearly identified that image of success for yourself? What are you willing to sacrifice for it?

Get a Grip!

-by Matt Leedham

We are entering the 3^rd week of 2011. How are your goals or resolutions for the New Year coming along?

This is the make it or break week for many goal-setters. Research by Dr. Maxwell Maltz indicates that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. What this means is that if you have been consistent from January 1^st, and you keep going for another week, you will have engaged in a new routine that will propel you forward for weeks to come. And in my personal experience, it’s after three weeks that you begin to see results, which is its own greatest motivator.

Get a grip on 2011! Grab it before it slips away. Stay focused on what you planned to do. Here are a few tips to keep you on track:

Recommit to your goals – many times, when we first set goals, we do so in an excited state – one filled with optimism and enthusiasm. After a few weeks, we can lose that feeling, and with it, momentum. Take a half-day or morning to recommit to your goals and get excited about them again. Go somewhere beautiful or inspiring and choose to re-engage.

Visualize success – start with the end in mind. If you’re like me, the end looks pretty darn good! Start there by visualizing success. Once you’ve accepted this, the outcome is no longer in question. It simply becomes something you must do.

Review your goals regularly (e.g. every morning) – writing down and reviewing your goals has an incredible effect on your subconscious mind. You will more clearly see opportunities and unknowingly make decisions that put you closer to achievement.

Phone a friend – ask for help. Working with a friend on a goal will not only help you stay accountable to your plans and push you toward higher levels achievement, but it may just bring the two of you closer together.

Try something new – shake things up! My friend let me borrow the P90X program on DVD recently. Their methodology is all about “muscle confusion,” which means doing a variety of different exercises each day so that the body does not adapt and plateau. Sometimes you can “plateau” on a goal and things become stagnant. Shake things up and try something new to reinvigorate yourself.

Stay focused in 2011 and make it a great year! Be in touch with questions as you achieve great things.