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When You Worry You Visualize What You Don’t Want!

I’ve been wanting to share this concept for a few years now but haven’t known where to begin. Rule 4 of the Personal Kaizen 10 Rules for Life is to Live in the Moment with a Positive Mindset. I have too many friends and family members who experience anxiety and worry about outcomes. The problem with this is that when you worry, you visualize what you don’t want to happen. The visualization remains in your subconscious thoughts and becomes more likely to occur!

Think Positively

Visualization can be a helpful tool for achieving a goal. Simply envision how you will feel when what you want to achieve is already true. Or, even better, visualize taking the necessary steps and achieving your goal.

Think and Grow Rich - visualize what you want

Think and Grow Rich is the 1937 bestseller by Napoleon Hill that is famous for introducing visualization. It teaches the Andrew Carnegie formula for money-making; the core idea of suppressing negative thoughts and focusing on the long term has helped the book sell over 100 million copies.

The habit of reviewing your goal every night before bed and when you wake in the morning guarantees to keep the goal front and center in your life. Hill suggests affirmations – visualizing your life as though you have already achieved your goal.

Visualization and affirmation keep the goal and successful steps you need to take in both your present mind and your subconscious. Many successful athletes, dancers, actors, speakers, and others have learned the secret of visualization. But what if you aren’t focusing on the positive?

Focus on the Positive

Our team was hired to lead a full-day session recently for a client. While planning the session, my colleague suggested we play a Simon Sinek video about positive thinking. Take 2 ½ minutes to check it out now:

The video does a great job describing what has long been a concern of mine. When you worry you visualize what you don’t want to happen!

Ideas for Action

Here are three improvement actions you can take:

See the good - visualize what you want
  • Switch your focus from the negative to the positive. As Sinek notes, when we focus on the negative that is all we will see and what we will get. The question to ask yourself is, what do I want the outcome to be?
  • Tell people what you want from them, not what you don’t want. Change your language from negative to positive. My heading from the last section could have been, named “Don’t Focus on the Negative.” As Sinek asks, what does this make you think of? It is much better if people are thinking of doing what you would like, rather than on the negative.
  • Take control. Instead of worrying about an outcome, visualize taking the process steps you need to that will result in a positive outcome. For example, if you are nervous about an upcoming job interview instead envision yourself confidently walking into the room and being relaxed.
  • Ignore what you don’t control. If you can’t directly impact what you are worried about, stop worrying! Instead, repeat the words, “it is out of my control” until the worry passes.

Summary

Have you ever visualized achieving your goal and watched things transpire just like you visualized they would? Please share your experiences in the comments below. Try your best to keep it positive!

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