How to Imagine the Outcome You Want

The “big picture” is the end result or the outcome you want. You have to accomplish mentally what you want before you can accomplish it materially, and it is worth mentioning that successful people from all walks of life rehearse in their mind's eye first. They literally practice in their imagination. They see the end result.

The problem is that as the picture of reality is so vivid in your mind it can often neutralize the picture you are attempting to establish. Moreover, what you do at the moment may not be your vocation, but they are vehicles to it. As a result, is easy to get snagged on the little task you have to do presently and lose sight of the “big picture” – the end result of what you are working toward. 

To solve this problem, you have to revisit the end result of the dream/goal frequently, and remind yourself that the small steps you take daily are leading you in the right direction toward the attainment of your goal. Yes, you are the one to do this activity; you can’t hire other people to do your push–ups for you, if you catch my drift. :) Besides, achieving your goal is very important to you, otherwise you wouldn’t have set out to achieve it.

When Should You Imagine the Outcome You Want?

Take time to imagine the end result of what you want in the following circumstances:

1.     When reviewing your goal journal every morning before you take the next step for each goal (in every area of your life).

2.     When your energy, determination, enthusiasm or interest begins to falter.

3.     When you notice that you are not as excited about your dream/goal anymore as you were in the past because it seems to be taking a long time.

4.     When all you can see is the number and size of the obstacles on your path.

5.     When you begin to feel like you don’t have what it takes to do, have, achieve, buy, and become what you want (in every area of your life).

Why Should You Imagine the Outcome You Want?

Taking some time (out of  your busy schedule) to imagine the outcome you want may look insignificant initially, but in the long run, failure to do this activity it will affect your mood and the attainment of your goals negatively in many ways. Some include:

1.     You may begin to take your eyes off your goals and as a result, you’ll see the number and size of those “frightful” things we call obstacles.

2.     Your energy, determination, enthusiasm or interest may begin to falter as lack of belief grows.

3.     You may begin to question your abilities, convince yourself that you don’t have what it takes to make your dream a reality, and that what you want to undertake will not happen how you want it to.

4.     You may give up pursuing your dream simply because it is still far off a distance and it seems like it is going to take a long time.

Imagining the Outcome You Want

There is a right way to do this, and a wrong way to do it. If you’ve ever tried to visualize the outcome you want for each of your goals/dreams but don’t really see an image in your mind, and/or it never leaves you feeling like the person who has accomplished what you want, you’re probably doing this activity the wrong way. 

Many people have complained to me that they find doing affirmations and visualizing the outcome they want boring. They tell me it is because they don't see immediate results - the picture of reality is still vivid in their minds and it neutralizes the pictures they're trying to create. If you’re experiencing the same problems, endeavor to do the following activity (preferably every day).

Here’s what you need to do:

1.     Write down each of your goals and objectives on paper (ideally these should be the written goals in your goal journal). That’s why I always urge you to put all your goals down on paper. This is one of the most important habits you should form.

2.  Take one goal /dream at a time, close your eyes, and describe it in its completed state. The mistake many people make is that is that they don’t open their mouth to describe the goal in its completed state when they close their eyes to visualize the outcome they want. 

Moreover, describe it as if you are speaking to an audience; highlight the challenges you faced, reveal the mindset that enabled you to overcome them, and share your strategies for success. This should create a visual image of that completed goal in your mind because the creative subconscious doesn’t think in words – it can only think in pictures. 

Try this method and it will not only create the mental images you want, but also leave you feeling like the person who has achieved what you want at the end of your “talk”.

3.     To fuel these mental images of the completed goal with emotion, also describe any sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings associated with each goal.

Visualize, imagine, concentrate, on what you want, see it! See it vividly and your feelings will respond in a positive way.

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.”  - Henry David Thoreau

4.    After you’ve imagined the outcome you want, start moving toward your goal by making the next task you do a step in the right direction.

Key Points to Remember 

·        When you close your eyes to imagine the outcome you want, open your mouth and describe the goal in its completed state. Don’t make the mistake of keeping it shut.

·        You have your own practice arena (in your mind) to use all the time, so make use of it.

To Your Success,

Gerard Ndzebir