Numerous studies have shown the power of visualization, but it's something that has always been difficult for me. Even though I tend to be a fairly visual learner, I have a hard time visualizing in the abstract. As a result, visualization is a tool I have never taken full advantage of.
It's funny that, as big a fan as I am of breaking things into manageable pieces, it never occurred to me to take that approach to visualization. Fortunately, it did occur to Urban Monk's Albert Foong, who wrote a guest post on Litemind outlining five progressive exercises to train your visualization skills.
It starts out simple and small, and gets progressively robust and complex.
The visualization advice I've always read before has been, "Make it as real as possible. Incorporate the details. Feel it. Use all the senses." I realize now that that's a little bit like strapping some figure skates on me and telling me to do a triple axel. Theoretically possible, but realistically outside the range of my skill. This approach makes a lot more sense.
Maybe 2008 will be the year of visualization for me. Who knows? Stranger things have happened.
Curt Rosengren, Passion Catalyst TM
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