I’m a big believer that you can envision something and make it happen…..it’s something I’ve done all my life, in fact. I’m certainly not the only “visioneer” though. Most elite athletes use visioning to “see” themselves going through their competition or their games successfully. Musicians envision themselves playing a particular piece of music in their mind – going over and over the musical score, seeing their hands making the correct moves on their instrument.
In fact, “seeing” myself playing a piano piece or “practicing in my mind” as I then called it is one of the first ways I learned that I could make things happen. An early-bird piano student (I started when I was 7), I somehow realized that I could read the music and then re-play it in my head, and “watch” as my hands played the piece. In today’s world (7 was a long time ago, ha!) we call it visioning. Visioning is a key precursor to manifesting what we want to do with our life. And it’s a very handy little tool to have. I’ve used it in all sorts of ways.
- Learning music for piano, flute, and guitar for recitals and concerts
- Teaching myself how to do proofs in geometry
- Remembering positioning, draping, and treatment routines for neuromuscular therapy treatments when I took my national boards
- Seeing myself walking again after back surgery as a child
- Finding the exact piece of furniture I wanted for a room in my home
- Speaking to large groups successfully
- Finding the perfect office space for my business
There’s more (ask my husband about my “finding” the perfect car on Ebay for a song), but you get the point. Visioning leads to manifesting, and manifesting is a critical skill to have as an entrepreneur. I’m not saying that one doesn’t have to put the time in to get what one wants, but you can work with the flow of things and get there a lot faster than working against the flow. And working in the flow means having a clear vision, a picture if you will, of what you want to create in and around you as you work.
Here, then, are three ways to make things happen. You can use them to accelerate your income, build your business faster, get clear about the products and services you want to offer, and even find the perfect office space!
- Step one is to find about 15 minutes of totally quiet, alone time for yourself. Get some paper and a pen, sit or lay down, and close your eyes. Ask yourself “how exactly do I see my business?” And then wait until words or pictures form in your mind. Follow them, make them fuller. If you see yourself in an office, look around and get a detailed look. How much of the time are you there? Are there other staff members? What are you wearing? Where is this office located? Do you see people there? Make whatever pictures come to you as full as you possibly can. If you’re traveling in the pictures that come to you, ask where, how much you travel, who you are with, what you do when you get there. No matter how outlandish the pictures or words are that come to you, let them become detailed and full, and follow where they lead. Jot down anything you think you won’t remember about the words or pictures. Keep at it until you have a full vision of the things you want to manifest in your business.
- Make a vision board. You can do this any way you like. I sometimes use large poster board, sometimes just a sheet of paper. Either way, go to Google images and search for pictures that represent what you want to make happen. Get the pictures out of your mind and into the world. Print them, stick them onto your vision board, and put it where you can see it often. Your eye will go to it many times during the day, and your brain and your energy will lock on to the visions you put there. Soon enough, you’ll begin to see your way to each one of those pictures. Your energy will be so full of what you want to manifest that you literally will begin to pull the thing toward you. I’ve had completely doubtful clients do vision boards in my workshops, only to call me up six months later and report that every single thing on their board was “magically” accomplished or found. No, it isn’t magic. It’s putting your energy and intention toward what you see in your mind’s eye, and have helped to make real by creating your vision board.
- Share the vision board you made with your family, friends, and team members. If you want to put even more thrust into your vision, take the time to share what you are going to make happen by showing your vision board around. You’re not asking for help, you’re just saying what you are going for to those you spend the most time around. You’re creating a wider, broader energy for what you want, even if you don’t think anyone will actually do something to help you. The fact is, you just never know. One person might mention something in passing to another person, who happens to be just the person you are looking for to help make something happen. Sharing your vision deepens your own commitment to it, too. It helps you lose the “oh, I don’t know if this will actually happen” self-doubt that seems to always be lurking underneath us. Just make your board, share it with a few people, and go about your business. You don’t even need lengthy explanations – let the pictures speak for themselves.
The thing about envisioning is that it will become a habit for you if you do it consistently. You’ll find yourself stopping for a few seconds to envision even little things in your life – the perfect dinner one night, exactly how you want to look and speak in front of a group. Learning how to open yourself to the inner knowing, the vision inside yourself, is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself and your business. Set aside visioning time once a week for the next six weeks, and notice how your life and your work begins to change.
(c) Sue Painter
Hi Sue,
This year has been incredible for me in terms of manifesting – and it’s mainly down to my vision board, affirmations, afformations and every day goal setting.
One area in particular, where I’ve manifested completely easily is in personal development – I’ve won quite a few big ticket personal development seminar tickets or programmes, and I’m hopefully about to win another soon – a six month, paid trip around the world visiting honeymoon destinations – all because I’ve been visualising exactly that.
As you can tell – I’m pretty excited about dream boards and visualisations – because I know it works…
xxDenise
Sue – Great article! Visioning is very powerful…I keep my most recent one right above my desk so I can see it every day while I am at the computer.
I also write myself a letter on New Year’s Eve each year and envision that I am writing it from one year in the future and looking back retrospectively at all of the accomplishments, connections, fun and love that have occurred during that year.
Whenever I get stuck or down, I pull the letter for that year out and re-read it. It is amazing how many things fall into place with proper visioning!
Phil
Robert, I think it is SO cool that you use visioning in your chiropractic work. I’ve used it in my therapeutic massage work for years, too!
Sue P.
Thanks Mitch and Christine. Wow, Christine, since 8 years old! No wonder you are so powerful!
Sue P.
As a chiropractor I use visioning to move bones and help sick people get well. I also love the idea of the vision board. I made my first one less than a year ago…great way to keep your visions up front and center. Thanks Sue.
Dr. Robert Fenell
Sue,
After reading this article I realize that I need to make more room for visioning. I get so caught up in the day to day and don’t stop long enough to capture what it is I truly want. Thanks.
Kiyla
These are great steps to help anyone accelerate their business. I have used a vision board since I was about 8 years old (not sure how I learned) and I updated it every year. It’s such an amazing feeling to say “check” to a goal or dream. Thanks for sharing.
Sue,
You are so right about using vision boards and picturing yourself where you want to be and accomplish. Thanks for writing on this topic.
Terry,
That is a GREAT idea about the pictures!!
Sue Painter
I make vision boards all the time. I usually make one at the beginning of the year, and then put it up on a larger cork board. As the year progresses, more and more things get added to the board. It becomes very organic. I also make small boards on specific topics as needed – and always keep them in front of me.
At a retreat I led in December, I had everyone make a vision board for the coming year, and I took pictures of each of them with their boards. One week after the retreat, I mailed each of them a little fold-over case, with a picture of their board inside. Just big enough to carry in their pocket!
I love visioning Sue, especially when I get those tingles along with it. That’s when I truly know I have integrated with the energy and I can’t help but grin!
Thanks!
Lynn
I agree, Katherine! I used to think “oh really” but not any more, LOL!
Sue Painter
This is so powerful, Sue! Anyone who hasn’t tried it, DO! It shifts you from your very core, the clearer you get on your vision, the closer it comes to your reality. ♥ Katherine.
I use vision boards too! Years ago I created one and really stretched with the things on it. I put it away in the closet and when I took it out years later, I had accomplished it all! I love it!
Linda
Linda, I have heard more stories about that — and the same thing has happened to me. I dug out one while moving, probably 20 years ago, and everything on it was done!
Thanks Sue for all this great information and the step-by-step way to make it happen. Very useful for me…
Trudy
You’re most welcome, Trudy.
Really? I’ll have to check out Oprah.com. Thanks for that info.
Sue P.
Sue,
Thanks for this great reminder. I have used visioning and pre-paving for quite some time BUT I need to schedule time with myself to make this a priority. When I practice regularly the results are astounding.
Oh, I also found a cool vision board software (and it’s free) on Oprah.com . 🙂
Write on!~
Lisa
Great way to put it, Laura. Visioning is power time for me, too!
Hi Sue,
Thanks for sharing a step by step approach to visioning. I have a vision board, but it’s not hanging in a place I can see it regularly. I’m moving it tomorrow!’
Thanks for sharing!
Ellen
Visioning is one of my favorite things to do!
Being an artist this is like power time for me.
Visioning is like sculpting the reality you desire.