Those of you who watch golf on television have often heard the commentators talk about the pro visualizing the next shot. Sometimes the commentators even draw on the screen what they imagine the pro picturing. Many of you surely play golf yourselves or do other things where part of the training is visualizing your next move. How many of you have carried this over into the way you plan the future of your business activities?
Our brains work in mysterious ways as they guide us through our days, but direct and guide us they do. Too many ignore the plan-making effect of our mind and how it is so powerful at ensuring we achieve our goals. Often it’s the difference between success and failure, or greater success than that of competitors.
Much research has shown that people who rehearse an activity in their mind, people who visual the end result, are more likely to follow through and more likely to achieve what they envision. Those who neglect this crucial step along the path to success are destined to wander along randomly with no end is sight. As you’ve often heard, if you have no idea where you’re going…any path will get you there.
Part of my consulting life is guiding the business owner or top executive and their leadership teams into total alignment on focus, accountability, and what the future both distant and not so distant will look like. And how to execute and achieve their goals while realizing their vision.
I find the vision part particularly interesting as I notice who dreams big and who barely moves forward. Those who dare to see a huge future ten years out are so much more likely to achieve it while those who see a bit of incremental growth barely move forward. The picture we paint gets captured by our mind and guides us in that direction. Depending on your picture, your mind either leads you to big ideas and quantum leaps or small steps that barely register forward movement.
Often part of my task is to help executives break out of their box and be willing to dream big. Some can do it but some fear it so much they never break the strictures that bind their thinking. Fear of losing what they have overcomes the willingness to picture even greater things. In their case they are bound by their fear rather than given the freedom to excel.
Give yourself the freedom to excel, the freedom to picture a glorious and expanded future of great success out there five or ten years in the future. Close your eyes and picture your business much more successful…and much more profitable. Think about what it looks like, feels like, even smells like. Picture having the perfect employees, customers, and vendors and how wonderful it is.
Getting there is simple, lots of hard work but still simple. Once you have that picture all you need to do is plot the path, and follow it. Stay focused, avoid distractions, and always keep that picture in front of you. The fun thing is, as you approach the picture gains substance until one day, there you are, standing right in the middle of it.
And then, it’s time to look out into the future once more and find that next big picture waiting for your arrival.