I have worked with people that have the word “Creative” in their job title for most of my career. They’ve taught me a lot.
I recognize patterns that they have trained themselves to do daily, which most of us could use.
It starts with a little respect for their own imagination. Most people who are paid to think creatively appreciate that they need to allow some time and space to engage their imagination. They don’t assume they will come up with the goods while standing on a crowded train, listening to other people’s head phone rumbles and being jostled around.
They also recognize that this is a discipline and not something you can try once and have the best result. You have to train your brain to allow it to imagine, visualise and fill in the detail of a new idea.
The good part is that we all have an imagination, we can all visualize something new, if we give ourselves the chance.
Why Visualization is so great
Think of your imagination as an amazing cog that syncs perfectly with your subconscious.
I’ve found in coaching that if someone can imagine the outcome they want and really fill in the detail of what that would be like, their subconscious grabs that. They immediately feel an uplift in their energy and their desire to try to achieve it.
Let’s say you’ve spotted a project that you want to lead. You think you’re ready but you don’t believe it would even occur to your boss to hand it over to you.
So, give it the visualization test: Step away from your desk for half an hour and find a quiet place to work. Focus on how you would run that project. Who would you involve, how would you keep people informed, what would give you confidence that you were making the right decisions?
Then take it a step further. Picture your boss smiling at you and saying “Go for it” in answer to your request.
Knowing, in your mind’s eye, that they said “yes,” work out how you asked for the project. Did you make an appointment or drop by their desk? How did you open the discussion? What questions did you anticipate?
Jot your thoughts down if it feels helpful. Focus on the success, don’t let your self-doubt bog you down. That’s your imagination working against you.
This is about visualising what you want, the belief that you’ll achieve it makes your subconscious work harder.
You’ve done the work, go for it
When we use this visualising process in coaching, I generally ask my clients “What do you want to do now?” It’s amazing the confidence they have in answering that they are going to ask for what they wanted.
Their imagination has led them through the whole rehearsal. They feel prepared, they’ve thought about the detail, the process and they pictured a great result.
With that confidence you become convincing, you have the resources to overcome objections and answer questions.
All that came just by letting your imagination lose.
Think of the areas in your life you could shift a little, or a lot, if you took time out to picture it and convince yourself. Just imagine…
Kathy Reeves Consulting 