Visualization: A Half Concept
Visualization is the act of using mental imagery and evoking specific feelings to imagine yourself participating in some upcoming event, like a sports game you might you have.
You visualize the event actually unfolding with the intention of stimulating the muscles associated with the range of motions and emotions you expect to go through.
Jack Nicklaus, the legendary golfer, famously said that he didn't hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in his head. "It's like a color movie", he described.
However, this practice is not thorough if you are only visualizing the outcome you want to happen.
Preparing for the motions and emotions in case the event does not go as planned is equally crucial. This is called Negative Visualization and it's an ancient tradition dating back to the Stoics in Seneca and Marcus Aurelius.
Why is this helpful?
You can reverse-engineer the undesirable paths and solve for them beforehand.
You've subconsciously accepted this outcome, preventing you to potentially downspiral into worse ones.
Truly knowing what Not Winning looks and feels like gives you even more desire to Win.
A common critique to this is that if you focus too much on these undesirable outcomes you might end up manifesting them.
This implies the exercise ends with the visualization when in fact that's when it starts!
Novak Djokovic, in the post-match interview of the game that would have crowned him the winningest Grand Slam champion in the history of tennis said he visualized himself in both winning and losing scenarios.
In his losing speech, he really said "I am the happiest man alive!". This thing is powerful.
Next time you are about to visualize, remember to think through the undesirable outcome as well.
Go through the motions and emotions of what not succeeding looks like.
It's old wisdom that has been used and proved by Emperors of Rome and legendary athletes. It's readily available to you too.
The paradox is: by thinking through what you don't want to happen you'll increase the odds of it actually not happening :)