Eye on the prize part 2

Science says that the body cannot tell the difference between a vivid visualization, thought or dream and a real experience. 

For example: Take the “120” medal.   I visualize myself projected into the future on a certain day, say May 1^st. I see myself receiving that “120” medal. 

1.       Scale:   I mentally see myself standing on the scale that morning. I allow myself to feel how I felt when I saw the reading of 120. I savor the moment.

2.       Backwards Walk:   Now I begin the backwards walk in my mind.

3.        Skinny Jeans:    How it felt to put on those skinny jeans that I’d been waiting to wear.  I see myself in the mirror.  I check myself out. 

4.       How does it feel? What did I do to achieve that goal?

5.       The food I ate that day, all very healthy meals.  I imagine smell of the food, the feeling of the food in my mouth.  How it tasted. I imagine myself chewing it, swallowing it, enjoying it.

6.        Exercise:  I visualize myself exercising, allowing my body to actually feel the blood rushing through my veins, as my core temperature rises.

7.       Mental State:     What was my mental state? My positive responses to temptations to eat or drink something that was not on my plan.

8.        Everything I see in my mind is in the best possible scenario.  All Positive.  I work backwards in fast motion from that moment to the present.

9.        Hour by hour, day by day, all the way back to the present day. 

10.   With the present day being the most vivid, it’s almost as if it was a memory. 

11.   Now I slow the tape down and begin to play it forward in real time from that moment on. I begin living out what I just mentally practiced. 

I asked myself, “If I were to do this every day, for every one of those medals, what are the chances that it just might work out the way I visualized it?”  Hmmm?

Well there is another part of that scripture that I didn’t mention before.  Here Paul says: “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  I beat my body and make it a slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”               

It’s not just talking about focusing the mind here.   It’s talking about DISCIPLINED FOCUS.  Yes, this type of visualization must become one of my daily disciplines.  

But it’s the ACTION, the “Strict Training”, and the actual practice of doing those things that I vividly visualized that will get me the outcome that I want. 

I came up with a simple formula to help me remember.  And I invite you to use it as well:

 A Vivid Vision + Valiant action = Victorious Results.   Or in other words,

“Run in such a way as to receive the prize..