Picture this for a minute:

I’m sitting on a wrestling mat at the end of a practice with a group of young athletes and the coach asks us to close our eyes and to picture a lemon. He then asks “what does it look like?  What does it feel like in your hand? Now I want you to pick up a knife and slice through that juicy lemon.  Smell the sweetness.  Take a bite …”

What?!

You may be thinking what I thought initially, “is he serious?”  At that time I wasn’t aware how powerful visualization can be in the lives of athletes.

After winning her gold medal match at the 2016 Summer Olympics and becoming Olympic Champion, Erica Wiebe wrote to her high school wrestling coach. “Visualization was the key to my success today, and that all started with you.  I woke up today having wrestled that match a million times.”   

Wiebe heard the “lemon story” many years ago at her home wrestling club in Ottawa from this same coach.  I found it very interesting to learn that Wiebe served in a supporting role in the 2012 Summer Olympics but she snuck out onto the mats and closed her eyes to experience how it felt.  She knew how powerful visualization was and she took advantage of that power!

Did you know when you visualize an action, neurons in your brain fire in a fashion similar to when you are physically doing the task?!

We’re not all athletes, I know.  That’s okay!  Although I was first introduced to the concept of visualization in athletes, I’ve learned that visualization can be applied to any area of your life!  Without a vision for success it is difficult to produce positive results.  Visualization is a well-developed method of performance improvement supported by substantial scientific evidence.  Visualization is used by successful people across a range of fields.

Know what you want.

Have a clear idea of what you want and why.  Visualization should not be confused with the “think it and you will be it”.   It does not involve dreaming or hoping for a better future.  However, dreaming and hoping are where the clear ideas are born;  once they’re formed, visualization is the plan to make it a reality.

Start visualizing and create the emotions

Start crafting an image of the thing you want and take as long as you like to build up all of the details.  Make the environment as realistic as possible by doing your best to experience not just the sights but also the sounds, scents, taste, and tactile sensations associated with your goal.

A few years ago I was nervous about a job interview. My husband, who is also a wrestling coach, encouraged me to use what I knew about visualization.  Leading up to the interview day I pictured sitting across a table from the individuals conducting the interview, my choice of words, etc.  It made a tremendous difference as I prepared for the interview.  It increased my confidence and comfort level.

Take daily actions

Get in the habit of putting together a positive vision into your everyday life.  Just 15 minutes out of your busy schedule to visualize yourself succeeding, achieving every goal, completing every task.  Don’t get me wrong – it won’t replace hard work but with diligent effort it is a powerful way to achieve positive results in all areas of our lives.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, employer or affiliation.