“If we go down into ourselves we find that we possess exactly what we desire.”
Simone Weil, philosopher
In a recent television interview, singer Celine Dion was asked if she ever thought she’d sell millions of records and be on tour, singing in front of tens of thousands of people each week. The singer replied that none of this surprised her, as she had pictured the whole thing since she was five years old.
That’s right. Celine Dion tapped into the power of imaging … and she became the star that she had always pictured.
Jeff Keller, the founder of “Attitude Is Everything” says: “World class athletes also incorporate the power of imagery to reinforce in their mind exactly how they want to perform. Whether it’s a figure skater completing a difficult jump or a tennis pro acing the perfect serve, many top competitors mentally envision a successful outcome before actually achieving it in ‘the real world’.”
Famous golfer Jack Nicklaus, for example, never takes a golf shot without first mentally visualizing the precise trajectory of his swing, the flight of the ball, and the spot where it lands.
Quite simply, peak performers rehearse their desired actions and outcomes — IN THEIR MINDS — before they actually occur. They don’t leave challenging, difficult, or important situations to chance. They rehearse these situations … MENTALLY.
The question is … are you using the imaging process to produce better results in your life? If you are, congratulations! If you’re not, here’s how you get started.
=> 1. UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF IMAGING.
That’s what Harry DeCamp did when he faced one of the most frustrating problems possible. When he was told by his doctors that he had inoperable cancer, Harry decided to believe with total conviction that God could heal him … even though he was not a religious man. He began to visualize the healing process taking place. Constantly, day and night, he imagined armies of healing white blood cells sweeping through his body … attacking and destroying the malignant cancer cells.
Six months later, with the additional help of medical treatment, Harry DeCamp went back for a checkup and the cancer was gone. And several years later, there was no trace of the disease. The combination of professional care … and the use of imaging … plus strong believing … helped him overcome a near fatal illness.
The good news is … you can learn to harness the power of imaging to dramatically and positively influence your life. It is not something reserved for singers, athletes, movies stars, and special people.
Mike Cirks from the Minnesota Department of Transportation said, “I purchased your subliminal CD’s called ‘MIND OVER MATTER.’ Although I was a bit apprehensive about that kind of thing, I have found them to be VERY effective. Thanks for your help.”
Carla Erickson, a counselor, said, “I’ve been listening to Dr. Zimmerman’s imaging tapes every day for eight years. In fact I wore out three tapes and replaced them immediately with his CDs on ‘MIND OVER MATTER.’ They have been a wonderful resource for me during the stressful times in my life. I have also given them to my family members, my friends, and coworkers to help them with the difficult situations they’ve had in their lives. Everyone talks about how well your imaging process and CDs work.”
That being said, you’ve got to …
=> 2. UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF IMAGING.
*****You already have millions of pictures in your mind. In fact, author Adelaide Bry says you already have “images,” “inner pictures,” or “movies of the mind” for just about everything …from the type of relationships you deserve … to the degree of success you’ll attain at work. You’ve been recording those images since birth.
*****Unfortunately, many of those images are getting in the way of your success and happiness. If, for example, you were criticized as a youngster, you recorded the events (and the feelings associated with those events) as images in your mind. You may even have a particularly vibrant image of being criticized by a teacher in school. You felt humiliated in front of the whole class.
Later on, when you had the opportunity to offer your opinion in school or in a meeting at work, you held back and kept quiet. You remembered, if only on a subconscious level, how painful it was when you were criticized. The picture remains in your mind and exerts tremendous influence over your present actions.
The same could be said for hundreds and thousands of other pictures in your mind. Your pictures could be damming up your potential or opening the floodgates to a brighter future. Your pictures could be blocking you from ever becoming financially well off or ever having a positive, healthy relationship.
Unfortunately, if you’re like a lot of people, you may have never updated, revised, or thrown out some of your more limiting childhood movies. So you’re not getting the results you really want. You may need to take time out to change the pictures in your mind … for the better. That’s one thing that happens to people who enroll in my two-day program, THE JOURNEY TO THE EXTRAORDINARY.
*****So imaging could be a passive activity. It could be nothing more than letting the pictures from your past influence your present and future. That’s not always wise.
Smart people turn imaging into a deliberate mental workout. As such, it goes way beyond daydreaming about important coming events. Successful people vividly picture a desired goal or objective. That’s what a pianist in China did, imprisoned for seven years during the Cultural Revolution. After his release, he played as well as ever, because… as he said, “I practiced every day in my mind.”
So imaging goes beyond positive thinking. Instead of merely feeling positive about a situation, instead of just thinking you can handle a situation, in imaging you “see” yourself actually solving the problem. Or you “see” yourself attaining your goal.
But let me get specific. If you’re going to use imaging to benefit you, do the following.
=> 3. ADD FEELINGS TO YOUR PICTURES.
Remember that images associated with strong emotions have extra motivational power, so be sure to add positive feelings to your image. For instance, when visualizing your ideal job, combine the vivid mental picture with the terrific emotions of pride and satisfaction you’ll have … working in your new position.
=> 4. RELAX AND INVOLVE YOUR SENSES.
It’s been proven that your mind is the most receptive to visualization when you are calm and not thinking about a lot of other things simultaneously. So sit down in a comfortable chair, close your eyes, and do some deep breathing exercises to clear your mind and relax your body. And then strive to develop images that involve as many senses as you can. The more sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches you put into your pictures, the more likely your image will turn into reality.
Don’t be concerned with the quality of your images at the outset. Some people can create lively color pictures while others have trouble getting anything more than a fuzzy image. It’s also possible that you may only get a particular feeling at the beginning of your imaging practice as opposed to a clear image.
In any case, don’t worry about it. Your images will become sharper over time. The key is to spend several minutes each day running these new movies in your mind.
=> 5. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PICTURES YOU ARE PLAYING IN YOUR MIND.
Remember, if you don’t take control and develop your own movies, you’ll continue to replay the old ones. If the old movies are serving you, that’s great. But, if they’re holding you back in any way, get started today and use the incredible power of your mind to picture your way to greater success.
Try a short experiment. Think about an ice cream cone filled with your favorite flavor of ice cream. Create an image of it in your mind.
Now think about an elephant. Can you see it? Change the color of the elephant to pink. In a fraction of a second, you probably formed an image of the pink elephant. Can you bring back the picture of the ice cream cone?
Of course you can. You have full control over the pictures that occupy your mind. However, when you do not consciously decide which pictures to play, your mind looks into the “archives” and replays old movies … on file … in your mental library.
You need to create new pictures that move you toward what you want. And, when you develop (and concentrate) on new images that evoke powerful feelings and sensations, you will act in ways that support those new pictures.
So don’t waste your time talking about WHY things never work out for you. Stop those success-inhibiting movies from the past. Create some new movies. Start with an image of your desired outcome.
Follow Anita Roddick’s advice. As the founder of The Body Shop, she said, “To succeed you have to believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a reality.” She’s right. What you can conceive and believe you tend to achieve.
Action: Select a goal you truly want to achieve. Then create a picture of that goal … totally achieved … along with all of its accompanying sights, sounds, feelings, and tastes. Focus on that picture a few minutes a day … every day… and watch your success go through the roof.