Focusing on the goal – what leading companies can learn from top-class sport
For many top athletes, mental training is an integral part of their daily routine. More and more top managers and entrepreneurs are learning this technique: They also use visualisation to be successful. And even in everyday life, we can use the human imagination to achieve our goals faster.
Eyes on the prize – How athletes visualise their goals
“Rocky” sprints up the stairs to the Museum of Modern Arts. Michael Jordan stuffs a basketball into the basket over the heads of his opponents. And Usain Bolt seems to be flying over the finish line. Such images of great sporting events are firmly anchored in our minds.
Images like these help many athletes prepare for competitions and develop a positive mindset. Visualisations are often an integral part of modern professional training. Athletes are also often supported by special personnel such as motivational trainers.
They visualise certain processes or results in their mind’s eye. Over and over again. The main purpose of mental training is to strengthen self-confidence, concentration and personal motivation. Many athletes use visualisation to set concrete goals that they want to achieve. This helps them to stay focused even under the greatest efforts.
How we can use visualisations successfully in everyday life
Even off the court, visualisations help us to achieve goals faster and to be successful. Through concrete “envisioning”, we can use our imagination to play out situations in the future down to the smallest detail. This enables us to create different scenarios and possible courses of action.
What is imaginable for us becomes tangible and thus also feasible. And the more detailed these visualisations become, the better equipped we are for the actual implementation. This applies to a first date just as much as to an upcoming personnel interview.
Visualisation methods may also be useful for learning new skills more quickly. This could be dance steps or mastering a musical instrument, for example. The reason for this is neurological: the relevant nerve connections in our body are already stimulated by mentally playing through movement sequences or hand movements.
What companies can learn from top-class sport
In companies, too, images are increasingly being used to communicate goals clearly and in a way that everyone can understand. And also to vividly illustrate the way to get there.
How visualisations are used in the professional world:
- Gaining valuable information about target group or brand values, e.g. by developing personas.
- Preparing for challenging conversations, speeches or pitches
- Visual preparation of data, e.g. to liven up meetings and presentations
- Coaching, e.g. through motivational training and personal development support
Conclusion: Success is first created in the mind
Visualisations help to draw a clear picture of large and complex thoughts, processes and plans. This empowers us to always keep our goal in mind and to keep an eye on what is important. Would you like to include successful visualisation in your professional training programme? Our team will be happy to help you get started – we are looking forward to your e-mail at contact@big-pictury.com