One of my favorite things about buying a lottery ticket is the dream that comes with it. It doesn’t matter what my odds of winning are. I buy the ticket and almost immediately my imagination goes wild about what I’ll do with the money. Buy a house, travel the world, etc.
Now a lot of skeptical people will wonder why I even bother thinking about it since the odds of winning are so low. But I’m a believer in the Law of Attraction. I understand the importance of visualizing or using my imagination.
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The Science Behind The Power of Visualization
Visualization is the conscious fabrication of images in one’s mind, for those who are unfamiliar with the term. If done correctly, it’s a really powerful technique to attain your goals. Without getting into too much detail, being in this condition entails being comfortable, having a clear understanding of what you want, and, most importantly, having the feelings that come with manifesting that desire.
While some may dismiss visualization as new age nonsense, be assured that its benefits are real, and science backs them up.
In 1996, Dr. Blaslotto ran a 30-day visualization study to see how beneficial it may be. Three sets of people were chosen at random to demonstrate their free-throw abilities.
The control group was the first group. On Day 1 and Day 30 of the trial, they only shot free throws.
Their progress was monitored. The second group practiced free throws for 30 minutes per day, and their success was measured on day 30 vs day 1. The third group, like the control group, only shot free throws on the first and last days of the trial.
However, there was one noteworthy difference between them and the control group. They visualized shooting free throws for half an hour on days 2 through 29 of the trial. On day 30, their progress was also monitored.
The end product was fantastic. Of course, the control group demonstrated no improvement in their free throws. The second group, who practiced every day, saw a significant improvement as a result of their efforts.
Group three is where the magic happens. They improved nearly as much as group 2, implying that the brain doesn’t distinguish between physically doing something and mentally thinking it.
Many people have built on this concept, claiming that the brain is incapable of distinguishing between physical manifestations and your imagination.
There’s no difference between envisioning oneself wealthy and actually being wealthy, as long as the feelings connected with wealth match your imagination. This has significant implications in terms of reaching your goals, as the premise is that you must first think or picture something before it can physically emerge in your life.
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How to Visualize Better
Those of you who have attempted to picture something before will understand what I mean when I say that it’s really tough to visualize something if you aren’t feeling it right now. Using money as an example, it’s impossible to feel wealthy if you’re deeply in debt.
In other words, you’re being urged to replace your current reality with a mental construct. To perform it efficiently, you’ll need a strong mind.
What can we do to strengthen our ability to visualize and feel the emotions that accompany visualization? There are numerous suggested ways, but there is one in particular that has the potential to make a significant difference. Taking action is that technique.
Here’s what I’m talking about. Do you believe it’s easier to imagine yourself winning the lottery if you buy 20 tickets instead of none at all? The solution is self-evident.
It makes no difference what your chances are. The act of purchasing the tickets alone is enough to elicit a powerful sort of visualization, complete with sensations. That’s what I recommend you do with everything you want in life.
Let me preface this by adding that whether or not that action is successful is irrelevant. What counts is that you take it, because you’re taking a psychological step in the correct direction by doing so. Let me give you some more instances to help you understand.
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It will be a lot easier to imagine yourself as an entrepreneur if you do something about your business rather than nothing at all. Creating a logo, acquiring a domain name, looking for a loan, or putting up a business strategy will make things easier. These behaviors will make your desire seem much more real, making it easier to visualize.
If you create a profile on an online dating service, visualizing oneself in a relationship becomes much easier. Putting yourself in circumstances where you’ll meet people, updating your clothes, and going on blind dates will all help. In the same way, it feels genuine all of a sudden.
Finally, if you begin to exercise more, seeing yourself as healthy becomes easier. Even a small amount of exercise can help. It’s the same with changing your food, getting more exercise, or learning about how to live a healthy lifestyle.
You’re sending a message to your subconscious mind that you’re moving in the direction of your want by taking the action. Suddenly, fulfilling that desire does not seem so impossible. It’s the same as buying a lottery ticket.
So, the next time you want to accomplish something, start by taking a step in the direction you want to go and then visualize your life with that goal accomplished.