Recently, someone who is prominently placed in my local business community, someone I admire and respect, told me with kind of a shrug “I just can’t get my head around the word VISION, Kathy. It’s not concrete.” She didn’t want to hurt my feelings but for her it was just too … what is the word? …. Nebulous?  When this comment was made it wasn’t the time or place to have a discussion so I just took it in and let it go.  But since VISION is such a focal point to the work I do, I found myself pondering her remarks for some time after. They stayed with me like a niggle in the back of my mind. It brought home to me that this is probably how most people in the world today feel — that talking about Vision or Dreams is somehow airy-fairy and has no place in the world of business.

I believe that not only does Vision have a place, it is actually the STARTING PLACE for all success in business and in life.

“Vision, when properly engaged, is the ignition switch and power source of high performance.” ~ The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington

Visualization, or the art of using all the senses to create a mental movie of what we want to happen, has long been a tool for improving sports performance. Championship golfers, Olympic gymnasts, NFL football players and more all use Guided Imagery or what we call Mental Rehearsal to boost their confidence, enhance their skills and up their game. Mental rehearsal involves imagined, mental practice of performing a task as opposed to actual practice.  Mumbo Jumbo? In FACT, research has found that a combination of “imagined practice” and actual practice often results in a higher level of performance than is achieved with actual practice alone.

In Business, peak performers often mentally run through important events before they happen. They use Mental Reheasal to prepare for job interviews, sales calls, presentations, teaching, leadership situations, etc.

Scientists tell us that the mind cannot distinguish between what is real and what is not; it simply accepts what you tell it. In one study, volunteers were asked to play a simple sequence of piano notes every day for five consecutive days. Their brains were scanned each day in the region connected to the finger muscles. Another set of volunteers were asked to just imagine playing the notes, and also had their brains scanned each day.  Result: the changes in the brain in those who imaged playing piano were the same as in those who actually played piano.

What does all this mean in real life? It means that as far as your brain is concerned, what you imagine to be happening is actually happening.

Connecting with your own vision can enable you to confront the self-imposed limitations that may have been holding you back. Once you have mastered the technique of Mental Rehearsal you can create your own positive mental state AT WILL and achieve peak performance in your chosen field of endeavor.