(Plus: The Science Behind It)

“If I can see it and believe it, then I can achieve it.” It was Arnold Schwarzenegger who said that and he was undoubtedly talking about visualisation.

It almost sounds too good to be true though, doesn’t it? Simply close your eyes, picture your goals as if they’ve already happened, and everything you’ve ever wanted will manifest.

Okay, okay, we admit, there’s a little more to visualisation than that, but that’s pretty much the gist.

In case you missed the memo, visualising is all about matching the vibrational frequency of your goals. When you picture what it would be like to live your best life, your energy shifts and you become a match for the desires you’re focusing on.

If you’re a Law Of Attraction fan, you’ll know that’s good news, because it means your desires are on their way.

And if you’re still a bit skeptical about the Law Of Attraction? Well fear not, you’ll be pleased to hear there’s plenty of science to support visualisation too.  

The science behind visualisation

For example, brain-imaging studies have confirmed that athletes can improve their performance by visualising their success before competing.

Doing so was shown to not only enhance their focus before an event but also alter networks in their brains and improve the strength and movement of their muscles. Pretty cool, right?

Yet more research suggests that when you visualise your brain can’t decipher between what is imagined and what is real. Over time, concepts – like that lofty goal for example – begin to feel more tangible and achievable. Thanks to visualisation, desires that once felt beyond you, now feel within reach.

Add to that, there’s research to suggest visualisation may influence your behaviours. Studies show, for example, if you imagine moving one of your limbs, blood flow increases to that area. In other words? Visualisation can inspire you to act and make progress towards your goals.

Ready to get to grips with the visualisation basics, and master a few tips and tricks that’ll amplify the process? We’re glad to hear it. Let’s get to it…

How do you actually visualise? A step-by-step guide

It sounds so simple, but many people struggle with the practice. You might find it hard to conjure up images in your mind or perhaps you lose focus. That’s totally okay.

Follow this step-by-step guide to master the basics.

1.      Find somewhere quiet

You need to be ‘in the zone’, so to speak, so find somewhere comfortable and quiet where you won’t be distracted. If you really want to set the scene, you could light a scented candle or play inspiring music. Now, close your eyes.

2.      Take a few deep breaths

This can centre you and improve your focus. Breathe in for a count of four, and out for a count of four for two minutes or until you feel relaxed. If you’re in a particularly foul mood, imagine breathing out all the negativity with each exhale.

3.      Pick one of your goals to focus on…

Or if you want you can come up with an image that encompasses everything you want. For example, if you want to manifest a romantic partner and a six-figure income, you could imagine living a life of luxury with your new spouse. Do what works for you.

4.      Picture your life in as much detail as possible

Your visualisation should be full of life and colour. It should look and feel as real as possible.

If you have trouble coming up with an image on the spot, it might help you to write your visualisation out first. This process is known as scripting. Think of it as a diary entry written by a future version of you who has achieved all of their goals.

Remember: when you visualise you should only be focusing on the end result, not the journey you took to get there.

5.      Take as long as you want

Some people like to visualise for half an hour, others like to spend only a few moments doing it. According to spiritual teachers Abraham Hicks, it takes just 17 seconds of focusing on a subject to activate the vibration of that subject within you.

After 68 seconds of focusing, they say your vibration is powerful enough that the manifestation process begins. In other words? When it comes to visualisation, every little counts. 

6.      Sink into the feeling

It’s not just about seeing your ideal reality, but feeling it too. Soak up those feelings of joy, fulfilment, and excitement.

And if you find your mind wandering? That’s okay, it happens! Just bring your mind back to your visualisation and don’t be surprised if you need to repeat this step again and again.

7.      Slowly ‘come to’

When you’re finished visualising, slowly come back to full consciousness by gently wiggling your fingers and toes. When you’re ready, open your eyes.

Congratulations, you’ve mastered visualisation. Feels good, doesn’t it?

How to use visualisation to manifest your goals

Now that you know exactly how to visualise, you might be wondering how to make this magical practice even more effective. Easy, we’ve included some tips below…

Commit to it daily

Here’s a little secret that will help you succeed at most things in life: repetition is magic. Yep, generally, the more you do something the more effective it becomes, and that’s true of visualisation too.

It’ll work so much better if you make it a regular habit. How do I do that, you ask? Easy! Select a specific time to do it daily.

Visualising when you first wake up is a great way to commit to your goals and could set the tone for your whole day. The best bit? You don’t even have to get out of bed.

Not an early bird? You could visualise your goals as you fall asleep instead. This is a great time to let your imagination run riot because your subconscious mind is most active just as you’re about to drift off. That means it’s more susceptible to subliminal messages.

When you do it is less important than ensuring you do it regularly, so set a time that works for you and stick to it.

Add affirmations

Visualisation is a powerful practice, but did you know you can amplify its power by adding affirmations? If you’re a personal development aficionado, chances are you already have a few of these empowering phrases up your sleeve, but if not you can easily create a few of your own.

Simply think of something you want to manifest. Maybe it’s more money in your business. Then identify what limiting beliefs you have that stand in the way of you manifesting that goal. Perhaps you believe that you have to work hard and struggle for money.

Once you have it sussed, create an affirming statement that’s the opposite of that belief. For example, “It is easy and fun for me to make more and more money in my business.”

Repeat this every morning and as you do imagine having that high-flying business. Picture yourself with all that profit. Et voila – you’ve just combined two powerful practices!

Work through your blocks

When you’re visualising, you might feel a little resistance and chances are these uncomfortable feelings will take you by surprise. After all, you’re imagining what your life would look like if you had everything you ever wanted, shouldn’t you feel really good?

The answer is a little complex. Yes, it can be really exciting to picture ourselves with the things we want, but it can also throw up a boat load of self-doubt and feelings of unworthiness, not to mention an ample dose of fear.

That’s why working through your emotional blocks is such a vital step. If you feel discomfort when visualising, put pen to paper afterwards and think about why.

Is there a voice in your head telling you that you don’t deserve the stuff you’re after? Deep down do you still believe your goals aren’t really possible for you?

Perhaps achieving these things doesn’t feel safe. The fear-based part of our brains known as the ‘ego’ is there to protect us from any harm, and it perceives change (yep, even positive change) as a threat. Your vision might just seem too big and scary right now.

If you’ve identified any of these blocks, don’t take it as a sign to give up. Take it as a nudge to tackle them head on. With a little introspection and a few mindset changes, you can and will move past them – and your visualisation practice will feel a whole lot more comfortable as a result.

Take action

It would be great if all you had to do was imagine what you wanted and suddenly your desire would fall from the sky. It would also be incredibly boring and you’d learn absolutely nothing in the process. That’s why you often need to couple visualisation with taking action.

The good news is, action doesn’t mean struggle. In fact, once you’ve been visualising for a little while, you might find you feel inspired to take a particular action, and it feels easy, natural, and maybe even fun to do so.

Say you’re visualising a new job. You’re not going to get very far if you don’t take action by searching for work online, applying for jobs, and showing up for interviews.

Whatever your goal is, stick with the visualisation habit, but remember, you have a part to play in this too. Manifesting is a co-creative process.

Use it to conquer fear and doubt

You should know by now that visualisation is incredibly powerful. That said, fear and doubt can still pop up and sabotage your manifestation. Anytime these pesky emotions get the better of you, return to your visualisation practice.

Within a few seconds, those negative thoughts will begin to melt away and the heady, buzzy excitement of seeing your desires come to life will take its place.

Keep believing…

Journey had it right when they sang “Don’t Stop Believin’… (When you think of visualistion specifically, they even nailed it with the lyric “Hold on to that feeeeelingggg…”.)

See, belief is a key element to the success of visualisation. The more you believe it, the more likely you are to commit to it, and the more likely your goals are to manifest.

Do whatever you can to strengthen your belief: read inspiring stories from people who’ve manifested success or try manifesting ‘smaller’ desires to see the power you have.

When you believe in your goals and see them clearly, there’s little that could stop you from achieving them.

Just ask Arnold Schwarzenegger.