Picture this: You, at your absolute best. A version of yourself that is unapologetically authentic, uncontrollably creative, and living life to the fullest.
Incredible, right? That’s because it is!
Successful men and women, since the beginning of time, have been practicing this art of Mental Picturing. Napoleon, for example, “rehearsed” soldiering in his imagination before even stepping foot on an actual battlefield. Webb and Morgan, in their book Making the Most of Your Life, mentioned, “the notes Napoleon made from his readings during these years of study filled, when printed, four hundred pages. He imagined himself as a commander and drew maps of the island of Corsica showing where he would place various defenses, making all his calculations with mathematical precision”
It is no wonder that the art of mental picturing has been associated with magic and enchantment throughout history. And whatever you’d like to associate it with, whether it be the power of manifestation, or the sheer awe-inspiring nature of your imagination, there is an undeniable allure to this extraordinary practice.
In his groundbreaking book, Psycho-Cybernetics, Maxwell Maltz associates this with science. He says “Cybernetics regards the human brain, nervous system, and muscular system as a highly complex servo-mechanism; an automatic goal-seeking machine that steers its way to a target or goal by using feedback data and stored information.”
Imagine for a moment that you are driving a car. As you steer the wheel, your eyes take in the surrounding environment, processing information about the road, traffic, and destination. Meanwhile, your hands and feet respond to the feedback, making slight adjustments to maintain your course and reach your intended target. In a similar fashion, our mental servo-mechanism operates, constantly receiving feedback from our experiences and using that information to steer us toward our goals.
Just as skilled driver can visualize their desired path ahead, adjusting their actions in real-time to stay on course, we can consciously use the power of mental picturing to direct our thoughts, actions, and ultimately, our reality!
So, how to practice the art of Mental Picturing to find our best selves?
It’s like having a personal movie playing in your mind, where you get to be the director, the lead actor, and the scriptwriter all at once. Well, first, of course, you have to have a solid understanding of what your best self represents. What qualities, values, and achievements do you want to cultivate? Take a moment to reflect on this, as it will guide your mental picturing journey clearly.
Now, let me share the powerful practice I captured from Psycho-Cybernetics. In this excerpt, Maltz provides a practical framework:
How was that? looks easy, right? well, because it is!
I must confess that I am just an ordinary person, much like yourselves who is still learning every single day.
The reason I chose to share this excerpt instead of providing my own step-by-step instructions is because I too, learnt it from here. As someone navigating this practice, I have discovered my own unique style and approach that resonates with me. And eventually, you will too!
