When it comes to the practice of visualization, there are a great many mistakes people make that can lead to frustration, confusion and more importantly, a lack of results.
Here’s a quick list of five of the most common mistakes:
Mistake #1 – Visualizing more than one goal at a time.
When you visualize more than one goal during a session, you jam your automatic servo-mechanism. You create confusion on what to do and when to begin. When you focus on one goal, you gain mental clarity and give yourself the edge you are looking for. You also end up accomplishing more than you thought possible.
Mistake #2 – Practicing too much.
After you visualize, be sure to “let go.” You do NOT try to picture what you want all day long. Picture your goal for a short period of time each day, then move on. Eventually the skill builds upon itself, and you are able to picture what you want throughout the day, but you’re not “trying” to do this. Growth takes place naturally and spontaneously, not by force.
Mistake #3 – Setting big goals
You might think setting big goals is a good thing, and it can be, after you’ve proven beyond a doubt that you can accomplish smaller, daily goals, over and over again. It is never a good idea to set goals that cause emotional resistance, i.e. fear, worry, self-doubt. This is why, in Zero Resistance Living, Dr. Maltz encourages you to ALWAYS start with small, manageable daily goals. Once you are on a roll, accomplishing one daily goal after another, you have gained momentum and confidence, and this leads to you moving onto bigger goals – and doing so without the emotional resistance you would have encountered if you began with them.
Mistake #4 – Ignoring where you are
Everyone loves to picture being on top of the mountain, but the reality is you’ve got a long hike ahead of you. Ignoring where you are, only picturing what you want, strips you of the power and energy you need to make the climb. If you ignore where you are, chances are excellent you will remain stuck.
Mistake #5 – Trying to hard to see it clearly
In the beginning, before your visualization skills are developed, you do NOT need to see everything clearly. You most certainly do NOT need to see what you are visualizing in HD, or as clearly as if you are looking at a scene outdoors with your eyes open. When starting out, a pencil sketch or silhouette is enough. Your brain can still make sense out of images drawn on the walls of caves, and those images were not drawn by Michelangelo. So stop thinking you need to see everything as clear as crystal. Start with something simple and allow yourself to grow.
There are many other mistakes people make in regard to visualization, such as not adding feeling or emotion to the imagery. More to flow your way in the future.
Here endeth the lesson.
Matt Furey
