Imagine That!

I was listening to a podcast this morning by happiness researchers Shawn Achor and Michelle Gielan (1). First of all, how awesome is the job title "happiness researcher?!" Anyway, they were discussing how our brains work as it relates to happiness and joy. I was intrigued by a statement Shawn made. Research suggests that while our brains are incredibly powerful machines, there are a few things that they don’t do well. One of the things that our brains can’t do well is separating real experiences from our imaginations. In the context of the podcast, they went on to discuss how integral it is to long term happiness that we think about positive things.

I’d like to take this same concept and relate it to our goals. One of the major barriers to achieving a new goal or accomplishing a new task, is the simple fact that we have never done it before. Doing something for the first time, is always harder than doing it again. And that is where we can use this “weakness” of our brains to our advantage. You’ve probably heard numerous authors and speakers talk about the power of visualization and, much like me, you probably thought they were a little bit crazy when they did. However, it seems as though these people are right! If you will actively take time to visualize yourself achieving a goal or accomplishing a particularly hard task, you can, in a very real sense, convince your subconscious that you have already done it. Not only will that increase positivity in your life, it will also make it much more likely that you will actually accomplish that goal. I’m not a psychologist so I can’t adequately describe how this process takes place in our brains, but it is real and it does work. So, what can you do?

1. Take time regularly to visualize yourself accomplishing your goals in as much detail as possible. This may be uncomfortable initially, but with practice you will see the fruit of this time.

2. Use this in your relationships. Spend time thinking about the positive attributes of your spouse or partner and even take the next step to thank them for those things. You’ll find that not only does it make them feel good, but it will increase your own levels of joy.

3. Be aware what you spend your time thinking about. Just as this skill can be used to enhance positive aspects of our lives, if you spend your time visualizing or dwelling on negative things, it can be incredibly detrimental. Choose to be and think about only the positive.

Finally, as a Christian, this concept gives me a brand new appreciation for the verse in Philippians that says, “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things(2).” This isn’t merely a request to keep us from the alternative. The writer clearly knows that we tend to become the things we dwell on and he gives us these words to guide us toward what is best for us. So my encouragement for you is to spend time thinking about and visualizing your goals and the positive things in your life. Not only will you find more happiness, but you will be that much closer to where you want to be.

1. SUCCESS Talks Podcast – January 5, 2017

2. Philippians 4:8 – NIV