Do you remember a scene in The Matrix when Neo opens his eyes and says “I know Kung Fu”?
I bet you wished you could learn that fast. I know I did.
I have wonderful news for you.
You can become an expert in a similar way, just not as fast, by using the power of your mind. You just need to learn a technique called visualization.
What is Visualization?
In laymen’s terms, it means recreating all the images, sounds and feelings in your mind surrounding an activity in order to practice in a perfect environment. Just like the small dojo where Morpheus and Neo fight in the movie.
It may sound hard, but let me prove to you that you can do it. Take a couple of minutes to close your eyes and imagine yourself going to the kitchen and getting a cup of coffee. Try to imagine every detail, even the smell of the coffee.
Were you able to imagine the cup of coffee? Maybe you were using your favorite cup, and that awesome coffee brand that you love. You may even want a cup of coffee right now. That’s how visualization works.
Don’t worry if you didn’t catch all the details, just like any other skill, you need to practice. However, it is worth the time it takes to learn it.
Some Proof That This Technique Works
This example has been used to death because it proves visualization works time and time again.
Australian Psychologist Alan Richardson made a little experiment. He took a group of basketball players, divided them in 3 groups and tested each player’s ability to make free throws.
- The first group would practice 20 minutes every day.
- The second would only visualize themselves making free throws, but no real practice was allowed.
- The third one would not practice or visualize.
The results were astounding. There was significant improvement on the group that only visualized; they were almost as good as they guys who actually practiced.
Another great example comes from one of my favorite artists. Emilie Autumn, who is a great violinist, and claims that her music writing skills were developed by playing Pachelbel’s Canon in D mentally every night just to suppress her auditory hallucinations.
She would picture herself playing it with her violin while still being very young. Imagine all the hours she accumulated playing in her mind. That could actually get you closer to the 10,000 hour mark.
How to Use Visualization
Visualization is simple, but it requires you to practice often to get the best results out if it. Just follow the steps and enjoy the process:
- Relax: Take a couple of deep breathes, let go of all the tension, and close your eyes. It works even better if you find a quiet spot where nobody will bother you. I do it right before I go to bed.
- Start imagining the environment: Let’s say you want to play guitar. Start by imagining your guitar, the shape, then the strings, the thickness of each string, until you have a clear and defined picture of your guitar.
- Third person view: Now imagine yourself coming closer to the guitar look at your hands and slowly add detail to the image. Look at how you sit and hold the guitar, always trying to add as much detail as possible.
- First person view: Feel the guitar in your hands, feel each string and also focus on the sound that each string produces. Allow yourself to start playing, just as you would do in practice with the same exercises. Imagine yourself playing through the whole set without failing or stopping, just as if you were an expert.
- Wrapping it up: Allow yourself to slowly come back. You completed your practice and the image slowly fades. When you feel ready, open your eyes again.
The steps above work because you are strengthening the paths for that skill in your brain. Your mind doesn’t even notice the difference, so practicing this way during those times where you are away from your practice environment can truly help you improve.
Start with a simple skill that you want to learn, like waking up earlier or eating slower. That way you can practice with something easier and strengthen your visualization skills before tackling the big complex skills.
On Route to Expert Status
Remember that just visualizing won’t do the trick. You can’t expect to be an expert by just visualizing, but it’s an amazing tool to improve your practice.
If you use visualization alongside actual practice you will be able to improve faster than ever and soon you will be able to speak like Neo and prove us that you know kung fu.
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Have you used visualization before? Let us know in the comments below this post whether or not it worked for you.
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There’s a question: Does this only work on physical skills? I’m not so sure I can learn, say, calculus, electronics, or a foriegn language using this technique.
Hi Matt!
I have never attempted to use visualization to learn a non-physical skill. However, I know that you can use a similar technique to learn a foreign language.
Let’s say you want to expand your vocabulary in Spanish, instead of translating the word from English to Spanish, you could start linking it to an image. Instead of repeating that dog means “perro” in Spanish, you would start linking the image of your dog to the Spanish word “perro”.
This exercise would help you strengthen the path linking the knowledge and the image of your dog, helping you remember easily, This is to some extent an use to visualization for learning.
I will have to research if you can learn calculus, that would be useful for everyone.
That sounds like Rosetta Stone…or using flashcards….most people probably give up on visualization as they can’t see it working. The active part of your brain wants to be measuring and comparing things. You kind of have to believe visualization before it will work maybe.
Why Not?
By learning and visualizing at the same time . . . why not? How would a person visualize something they know nothing about? Visualize theory? Hummmm, interesting thought.
I have the same question as Matt. I wonder if the training of those brain pathways can still facilitate the learning and/or work. However, I’d love to see a study on it!
I will continue my research on this topic to find a research that supports or denies the sue of visualization for learning non-physical skills.
We could say that writing music is a non-physical skill and Emilie Autumn got it by using visualization to practice, the problem here lies in the fact that she could already read music, which means she already had a solid foundation to launch the writing skill.
Maybe, if we have a strong enough knowledge on the basics of calculus, we can move forward faster by replaying how we can solve calculus problems or difficult exercises.
If I find a study that proves this, I would gladly come back and link you to it.
Visualization had defianately worked of me.
One of the most recient successes I have had with it envolved wanting to turn myself into a morning person. I will never truly be one, but I practice visualizing waking up in the morning at the designated time and then thinking about the details of getting ready for the day.
It has helped me so much that I now can actually enjoy the morning!
Brooklyn
I believe it would work for calculus. I remember drilling arithmetic in my mind till multiplication tables became automatic. While calculus is more complex the principle remains the same – rules for solving an equation can be learned that way too.
Wonderful point Charlie!
Once we learn the rules for solving equations, we could really strengthen the paths to success using visualization methods.
We don’t know the limits of the effects of visualization to effect events. We also don’t know HOW it works BUT 1) it is part of what i like to call our ‘psychological immune system’. Children use it all the time; see http://bit.ly/HJTX96. 2) Cancer patients visualizing PacMan gobbling up cancer cells had higher rates of remission. 3) Sports Psychologists have golfer’s visualize their next shot. 4) There are indications that visualization of future events effects the likelihood that that future event will indeed occur. Ahhh. Have i got your attention now? We’ve just crossed a threshold and are talking about mind at the intersection of the quantum domain. Are we having fun yet?
Oh yes, we are having a lot of fun Diane!
You really add some amazing points to this discussion. not only visualization is a powerful tool to add some good skills to our toolbox, but it is also a way to unlock some of the most interesting facts of the mind.
I believe you would agree with me that investing some time learning to visualize is a wonderful investment in our success.
Adding to your fourth point, if we visualize future events, we are creating a gap in our minds, and our minds hate those gaps. If the visualization is strong and plausible enough, the mind will take it as truth and will do everything in it’s power to close the gap between our present and the future we created with our visualization efforts.
It’s not an exact science, but it is certainly possible.
Do you think visualization is possible through lucid dreaming?
Hi Ryan!
I think visualization or more like practicing inside a lucid dream would be like a very advanced technique. It would be like visualization on steroids.
If you are already in a lucid dream state, you can control some aspects of the dream, in essence you could practice directly the skill to perfection.
Of course I have never experimented such thing, but if you do, let me know!
I’m fascinated by this process and use it in my deep practice coaching sessions. Rarely do we work on anything physical. So yes, you can use it to solid results in the non-physical arenas.
Ian H. Robertson writes extensively on this topic in his book Mind Sculpture.
I played golf at a very high level growing up and I can say from experience that it does work but obviously not all the time.
It’s more than anything used to get you in the right mindset of positive thinking. Golf is a game riddled with self doubt and fear. I used and taught golfers to use visualization to simply think about a positive outcomes so that they could play a shot freely and confidently.
After watching The Secret and recently reading Think and Grow Rich, I have been trying to use visualization to help me with my new goal.
Although I haven’t been doing this recently because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I am in the process of thinking about the person I want to be so I can visualize having the skills needed to achieve my goal.
Hi Jordan!
You are already placing yourself ahead of the curve. If you have a clear vision of who you want to be, you can start moving forward and changing some of your habits using a visualization exercise.
As you said it about golf, you are placing yourself in a positive mindset. Growth is always faster in a positive environment.
Absolutely agree Alejandro!
This helps erase a lot of the fear and doubts one might have.
Jordon, I can see why positive thinking would be useful with golf, but it’s not at all the same as visualization.
I have worked with 2 professional golfers and being positive can be crucial. However, visualization LITERALLY rewires the brain.
There has been some recent research that showed people could actually build muscle by visualizing working out. They have to really, really get into it as though they were working out, but it has worked.
There has also been research by Dr Nick Hall on using visualization to help cure cancer. Results are mixed but encouraging on that,
Great post Alex! I’ve always loved sharing that study with clients when they question the effects of visualization.
I think while it may not be as powerful with non-physical skills, it can’t hurt and at the very least will have some positive impact. So why not give it a shot?
I fully agree with you Sandi, In the worst case, it will create a powerful environment for growth. That is never a waste of time.
Now were talking my language! I’ve been studying this topic the past few months with my partner who is a Sports Performance Coach and works with sports teams and golfers like myself. He wrote a few books about his philosophy – PSI Factor http://bit.ly/HgrTO9. Were working on updating his site & business.
Visualization is very powerful especially in sports when you see yourself achieve your goal or outcome before performing it – Sports Psychology.
The only problem lies in when you are dealing with personal issues (ex: Tiger Woods) that lower your self image and distract you from focusing and using visualization techniques effectively. “What takes place off the golf course, takes place on the golf course”
The visualization techniques (what my partner found in sports like golf) don’t work unless you have a high sense of self and your life is in harmony. After you deal with these issues and stop withholding, your performance will increase because you will feel better about your self. The visualization / sound technique will take your game to the next level.
Tiger will do very well at the Master this week because he is finally getting his life back to the way it was. You can see it in his EYES “Tiger Eyes” that he is feeling better about his SELF & game.
Sean have you got any links too research done on that, because I’ve read quite a lot on it and never heard what you said.
In some respects it makes sense if you can’t concentrate you can’t visualize effectively, but many people do not lose their ability to concentrate because they have other issues.
If they did heaven help anybody being operated on by a doctor who’s going through a marriage break up
Sean, you are right, visualization techniques are harder to perform when the mind is not calm.
That’s why I think people should stop dividing their lives, for example, work life, social life, family life. All those divisions are not helpful, after all if you have a problem in one, it will creep to the other parts.
If we start looking at our life in a whole way, it’s easier to spot and deal with problems in the most holistic fashion possible.
Just as you describe with Tiger Woods.
A couple of things to add.
You need to know the activity so that you can visualise it in this way. So the examples usually used are physical ones – where we know the activity to be improved intimately: hitting a ball, running a race and so on.
Which means that it doesn’t work for things you don’t know how to do. And it does not apply to outcomes. Imagining your dream lifestyle or job or whatever.
To visualise in this way you need to do it until your muscles are ready to move.
Visualisation can help speed up learning tremendously – but it is about improving the process of what you are already familiar with – not other things
Completely true Evan.
I would love that it worked to learn new things, “The Matrix” feeling would be awesome, but I guess we will have to do with just improving our skills.
Evan,
I have to respectfully disagree you with. I’ve been practicing what everyone in the West refers to as visualization, but my practice is steeped in Hindu and Yogic traditions. I can thank the practice for numerous fantastic things in my life and none of them are “physical”. Example, I’ve used the technique to land plum assignments and jobs, meet my husband and give birth to my son after a battle with an infertility issue. We’re now using the practice to assist with our business and results are beginning to unfold. There is so much more to all of this and the possibilities are endless once we release ourselves from our self-imposed restrictions and limitations.
This article/technique is wonderful in it’s simplicity.!. Yes, I’ve studied, practiced and taught guided meditation(s) for a long time and find that the skill has assisted me in many many areas of my life.(as well as witnessed the successes in others) Thank you for this concise methodology. I will share the article with my students from now on to assist newbies in relaxing into the process. Namaste. DL
Great post. I read a while back about a study that compared strength training to visualization. 1/3 of the group would do strength training, 1/3 would do nothing, and 1/3 would sit at the weight machine, all ready to go, but not do anything but visualize. The result was the same as you suggested, the actual training and visualization were very similar in improvement while the other 1/3 that did nothing had very little if any improvement.
In that same study, I believe that the researchers did brain scans of people doing a skill and scans of people visualizing the skill. The result of the study was that the same parts of the brain were lit up or in use when actually, physically doing the skill as it was when the people just visualized the skill.
A great book along those lines is The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle. It talks about practice and visualization to improve skills.
Nice post. I use these techniques daily to create and construct my days. I imagine something similar to a garden where I place things in the garden.
I think its important to start from the end, that is to say I’ll imagine the endpoints of exactly I want in detail.
I then experience this by feeling what its like. I make the concrete assumption that what I am experiencing is real.
The iPhone, Facebook, and the changes that are taking place in healthcare and technology were once imagined.
Thanks
Yes it works. I have used visualization for many years. I use the same methods of seeing whatever it is you want or need in every detail. The more you can fill out the sceen the better it works. For me I need to keep the visualization as clear as possible. A very good Visualization for these times would be visualizing World Peace. See all people happy with all their needs met. Visualize the planet whole with clear air and water. There is balance back in the world like we have never seen in our lifetimes. I have used visualization to assist my healing for cancer. also for a spacific design I wanted for an art project, for my garden layout, for healing sick animals along with Reiki healing, and many more. Blessings
This stuff works for sure. Search for articles on high level Olympic athletes. I used visualization in my own life and when I can “see” or anticpate things before the event I am more prepared.
I believe in this! The only way you can be better, and can beleive in youself is through visualization. To some extent, writing your mission-vision is similar. But visualization is putting your imagination into action by making it graphic.
I just love the power of the mind. Visualization is the most incredibly powerful catalyst for success. Getting this right is probably the single best way to become totally successful in life. Tony Robbins teaches this really well
This has worked for me many times in my time…
I wanted to be a college graduate so early and my visualization helped me a lot..
Also I wanted to have a near death experience and I really had one.. (Thank god I didn’t die)
So using the subconscious mind is a very powerful tool if you use it in right way. Also you need to think the way you want. Otherwise you mind will do any good or bad thing to get it achieved.
I saw a brilliant documentary in the UK a few years ago with Professor Robert Winston (Medical Professor at Impreial College London and MASSIVELY respected medical figure in the UK – not just a celeb doctor). As part of the documentary, he watched a female gymnast working on a very difficult routine. She was finding it difficult, so the coaches took her off the bars and got her to sit down and visualise workin on the routine. She went back onto the bars after twenty or so minutes and nailed it. If my memory’s correct (and I think it is) Professor Winston hooked the gymnast up to a Cat Scanner as she visualised, and the same brain-areas fired off as if she was practicing for real. The whole thing was pretty incontravertible evidence for the effectiveness of visualisation.
Visualization works. Trust me. or I should say, Trust yourself.
I’m starting to visualize myself as a renowned pianist like Yiruma, be a football/soccer player and joined the national team, and have my own food business. My biggest challenge right now is visualizing to grow 12 inches at the end of the year. Pls. Don’t say I can’t because science said, doctor said, experts said..blah blah you can’t. NO, I . CAN. All I need is to believe and visualize it every night before I sleep. I have evidence it works. A friend of mine. He’s pass 21 last year. He is now 5’9. Before 5’4. Anyway, great post and goodluck u all. Never doubt just believe.
”What the mind can concieve and believe, the mind can achieve.” – Napoleon Hill