“How long can you afford to put off who you really want to be? Your nobler self cannot wait any longer.”– Epictetus
Epicetus’s questions are piercing and poignant for all of us motivated to live our best life. He points to the potential of the present moment when utilized for all its worth. This week I invite you to discover visualization through the lens of K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Superhuman). Visualization is a proven cognitive technique that involves creating mental images or scenarios in the mind’s eye and has become so popular that it is used across various fields like military, neuroscience, cognitive science, and professional sports. Scientific research has proven that it supports neuroplasticity and overall health when executed regularly with clear intentions. My forty years of practiced visualization have reinforced my trust in its power. Keeping it simple has been significant for me. Simplicity while practicing and teaching visualization has taught me we all have magnificence that resides within, and it is waiting to be manifested.
This magnificence, or superhumaness, is natural. I have repeatedly seen it in the SEAL teams, training with clients and the world around me. The superhuman secret is we all have the agency to create fulfilling lives regardless of our circumstances, and visualization is a valuable tool to do just that. It allows you to manage your thoughts and focus on energizing your most prominent and boldest dreams into reality. If you are not training your mind, someone or something else is. Take your time and be methodical every day. It pays off. As we say in the SEALs, “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.” It might take a few months or even years of daily visualization to see your mission manifest, but if you stay with it, your chances of success are multiplied. And the side effects are only good things, like a more profound sense of patience, fortitude, and satisfaction.
At this point, if you are still reading with a skeptical mind, do a little research and decide for yourself. Trusted research proves what many cultures have known for centuries; we can develop who we want to be by first seeing it in our mind and strengthening that image with belief and action. To do this, you need to stay in the fight daily.
Are you aware of your inner battle, that internal conversation where one voice says keep going while another whispers give up? The more familiar you are with those voices, the more likely you are to prevail in your life. One of my visions is millions of world-centric integrated warriors living in service and community. I perceive this vision as an absolute. I hold the mental picture daily as I show up to do my work in the world. This keeps my battery charged.
We all need to charge up and have total energy to be in balance between ourselves and our surroundings to get any mission done. Gathering energy to actualize your visions is best done in the morning. Visualization is one of my first practices each day that maintains my stamina. I routinely practice two visualization techniques I teach in the Unbeatable Mind program, Winning in The Mind and Recapitalization. I find it empowering to start with the mindset of gratitude and winning. I always learn by reviewing and visualizing how anything could have gone better as I recapitulate it at night. Ongoing personal development is how I stay inspired and activated day after day. If you have yet to try a daily visualization practice, carve out a little time to see what happens.
A simple technique:
- Close your eyes.
- Take a deep breath.
- Picture yourself already achieving what you desire.
- Feel the excitement and satisfaction as if it has already happened.
- Activate your superhuman powers with positive emotions linked to victory.
The benefits are many, and the time commitment is minimal. Get after it and visualize yourself as thriving. If you need more guidance, here is a video of one of my favorite visualization techniques. It is called Future Me. Click this link and enjoy building a bright future self: Visualization of Future Self. Hooyah!