Teaching Visualization to Reach Dreams

Teaching high school English in Thailand offers so many wonderful opportunities. The Thai students are usually polite and most have a craving to learn. They are able to learn Science and Maths in a second language, but feel less than confident when speaking English. Their struggle with needing perfection often diminishes the accomplishments already achieved. After listening to their numerous discouraging remarks about their intelligence, I elected to try visualization.

I was introduced to this effective concept when I first read Think and Grow Rich. I did a little more research and found that many athletes also incorporated visualization. Golfing legend, Jack Nicklaus, took the mystery out of it and fully endorsed "Pre-Training Visualization."

“I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in my head. First I see the ball where I want it to finish, nice and white and sitting up high on the bright green grass. Then the scene quickly changes, and I see the ball going there; its path, trajectory, and shape, even its behavior on landing. Then there is a sort of fade-out, and the next scene shows me making the kind of swing that will turn the previous images into reality.”

I've used sporadicially in my studies and in business, but since becoming a teacher and now a millionaire in training (M.I.T.), I use it on a daily basis. Students often see the pictures of my home and dream car displayed as the background on my laptop. I've written out my dream day and read it once before starting work and before going to bed. Now I start to have dreams about my designed life and sometimes opportunities pop up quite unexpectantly.

I wanted my students to better understand the process, so I took them through a quick exercise. Most of them like pizza, so I had them to close their eyes and imagine...

...seeing the pizza being brought to the table. See the steam travelling as the waitress lays the pizza on the table in front of them. The smells of cheese, sauce, crab and shrimp (Welcome to Thailand!) quickly flows into their noses and gives them a feeling of anticipation. Imagine cutting the pizza and feel how the crust breaks under the knife or cutter. As they lift their slice, the melted cheese becomes stringy and so inviting. As they bite into the hot pie, they can hear the crunching between their teeth. And, oh, the taste!!! Each ingredient is highlighted and savored. The tongue is delighted with the spiciness of the sauce as it wraps around the gooey cheese.

By this time, I can see each student smiling as if they were actually enjoying their pizza. I asked them how they felt and if their mouths were watering from this detailed experience. A definite yes every time! The body reacts and prepares itself for eating pizza. The signal from the brain tells the body to salivate and to signal signs of being hungry. The brain doesn't know that the experience was imagined, it only responds to whatever the thoughts are; the more detailed the better!

After briefly explaining this, I have the student imagine themselves in a positive speaking situation with a friendly foreigner. The student is comfortable and confident and enjoys meeting a new friend from another country. The students who actually did the exercises on a regular basis, not only became more confident, but their scores went up as well!


So here are the quick tips:

1) Know what you want and write it down or find pictures that reflect your desires.

2) Create a detailed story of you already experiencing this desire now, not the future. Refrain from using "I hope" or "I wish" because you'll need some powerful words and imagery for the brain to believe your new story.

3) Use all of your physical senses to completely engage your brain
Touch - Imagine cutting the pizza and feel how the crust breaks under the knife or cutter.
Sight - See the steam travelling as the waitress lays the pizza on the table in front of them.
Smell - The smells of cheese, sauce, crab and shrimp quickly flows into their noses and gives them a feeling of anticipation.
Sound - As they bite into the hot pie, they can hear the crunching between their teeth.
Taste - The tongue is delighted with the spiciness of the sauce as it wraps around the gooey cheese.

4) Emotions play a huge factor in how the brain responds to new information. Give yourself some "because-s."

...because it will allow me the freedom to spend time with my children.
...because the smell of a new car equals success.
...because I love watching the palm leaves gently swaying from the ocean breeze.
...because I love being able to wake up and go straight to my home office with the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

Using "because" phrases will really hone in on what you want and give your mind something to work on. Do take notice of your surroundings because once applied on a daily basis, you will start to notice the answers popping up. A book title catches your eye, someone makes a comment or suggestion that puts you right on track, a sudden thought from out of nowhere hits you like an AHA! moment. Follow through on those inspired actions and you'll see visualization at its best!

Please feel free to leave a comment on your experience with visualization! It would be inspiring and an excellent learning experience for all of us.

Thank you so much for your precious time! Until we meet again, may everyday be one of joy, happiness and prosperity.

Millionaire Helena