Visualisation: A useful tool for starting when you feel stuck

Visualisation is a very powerful tool that many successful people use to reach their goals. They paint a vivid picture of the life they want, see themselves achieving it then they re-enact what they saw. Visualisation is the practice of imagining in detail a desired outcome before going on to achieve it.

David used this technique to ‘help’ Goliath arrive at his ill-fated death. He could have just flung the stone, but no. He gave the enemy a vivid picture so his mind would capture it. As a man thinks in his heart, so he is.

When things are not going as you would like it to, write a vivid picture of a future, better version of your life. Often we dream big but don’t have a clue what the journey between now and then looks like. So we don’t have any breadcrumb trail to follow.

Last week, my substandard Monday was just the beginning as my vibe dwindled steadily and by Thursday, I was not useful to myself.

I see emotions as sardines in a tin. Negative emotions lie side by side so that when one wakes up, it disturbs the others from their sleep. Disappointment arouses hopelessness, which provokes weariness, which shakes cynicism. It can be any combination of emotions but stop to observe the next time you feel melancholy. It is this picture of emotions in a tin that drives me to halt a bad emotion in its tracks so I don’t end up in a situation I can’t control.

But as being human goes, head knowledge doesn’t always translate into practice when you need it. So here’s how I pulled myself out of the apathetic state I found myself in. I wrote out a detailed picture of the life I want for myself and by that I mean a day in my life in full colour. It was like watching a movie and transcribing what I saw:

Engaging my imagination felt so real as I watched my ideal life playing out. My heart rate quickened from excitement while writing because I was living the life I want in that moment and the best part? It wasn’t a fantasy. It happens to be a life that is very much within my reach.

This exercise did more than lift my spirits. It was a kick in the butt as I also said to myself; ‘Toks, this will be just a fantasy if your daily actions do not align with your thoughts.” Visualising made me see beyond the dismal place I was in and into my beautiful future. It gave me a visual reminder that I had everything I needed to live the life I desire. Do you know what’s so cool? I already carry our some of the morning activities and I will add more of it now without waiting to live in my dream home or arriving at my career and business goals.

That was how the cadence of my week went from “this sucks, I can’t be bothered” to “let’s do this!” All because of the practice of visualisation.

If you are facing a similar threat to your day, I encourage you to do the same. It works. Where the mind goes, the man follows. Don’t hold back either. Dream big! Then look at what you can implement today even if it’s as small as picking up a candle or creating a morning playlist- if that’s something you see yourself doing every morning.

Now there’s a difference between fantasising and visualisation. I’ll share on that in the next post. One requirement to practice visualisation is to have the right mindset based on absolute truth.

Inspiration for this post was taken from David & Goliath. David could have just slung the stone at him, but first he gave his enemy this visual. I believe it was as much for him as it was for David:

Have an amazing week!