I was watching the skiing over last weekend and noticed that every one of the elite skiers stood at the top of the slope moving their body as if they were already going down the course; they were imagining what it would be like to ski the course before they did so. It reminded me of hearing Carl Lewis, the great Olympic sprinter, commenting that as he prepares in his blocks before a race he is imagining crossing the finishing line.

Are you using visualisation to help ensure the results you want in the future? If not, you should be.

How good is your imagination? Now, when I ask that question, many say that they do have an active imagination. If that’s true for you, too, then you should certainly be using visualisation techniques to help you get the results you want in the future. If you don’t think you have a good imagination then think again – think about your front door, your kitchen, your partner… Can you imagine them in your head? What do they look like, sound like, feel like… So you do have an imagination after all! Use that imagination to help you achieve your goals.

Why? Well, because if you do it right, it works. How do I know? From personal and my observation of others’ experience for one thing, but don’t take my word for it. Do some research of your own. Go to the library or hit the internet and see what you come up with. You’ll find more than enough to keep you busy for quite a while, and almost all of it will point to the same thing – that imagination is a powerful tool that, when used properly, can enhance the results you get. High-performance athletes know more about this than most of us but just keep in mind that visualisation isn’t solely for athletes. It is for anyone who wants to improve performance, in any endeavour.

Visualisation techniques are not difficult to learn. In fact, you already use them all the time. It’s simply a matter of bringing conscious control and practice to the process.