How To Use Visualisation Techniques To Give You Confidence In 2020

If you’ve missed out on opportunities in 2019, I want to show you how the use of visualisation techniques can stop this happening in 2020.

Visualisation techniques have been used by high achievers to help them succeed for many years. So if you’re struggling to tackle a challenge, mental practice using visualisation is a great way to help you focus and move forward with real confidence.

If you imagine (visualise) doing something in a certain way, you stimulate the same regions of the brain as you do when you actually perform the action. So it’s no surprise that visualisation is an element of most really successful peoples’ preparation process. It’s used by professionals in all walks of life; athletes, entrepreneurs, politicians, CEOs of multinationals, and even world leaders.

What exactly is Visualisation?

The dictionary describes visualisation as ‘the formation of a mental image of something’. Put simply, it’s all about freeing your mind and using your imagination to picture success. It might sound wacky but it works.

People who use visualisation get into a mindset that channels their thoughts towards physical and mental actions that help them to achieve their goals. So it’s a great technique to use during the New Year because it is very effective for any lifestyle related goals you’re aiming to achieve in 2020.

You can also use visualisation for specific day to day goals like a challenging work situation or a social event. And that’s exactly what I want to concentrate on here; how to use visualisation to help you come across confidently and charismatically when you’re speaking in public; it could be a formal presentation or speech, an important work meeting or an interview for a new job.

Visualisation can have some dramatic benefits

You’ll find that your instincts start to expect success, not failure.
You’ll feel more positive about tackling the challenge; bad memories get replaced by positive aspirations.
You’ll notice that your nerves reduce; they are tempered by a sense of excitement at the prospect of putting your imagination into practice.
And you’ll notice that when you start to speak, the sense of shock or fear that you might normally experience when people are staring at you is dissipated; you’re much better prepared for it.

Visualisation techniques in practice

1. Preparing yourself
Think of people you see as confident when they speak in front of a group. Try to work out what they actually physically do for you to describe them as confident and charismatic. Then, drill down, be more specific; look at their body language, their facial expressions and their posture. Try to identify exactly what they are doing. Watch particularly for subtle mannerisms. How often do they smile? Who do they look at? How do they use their notes? What do you notice about their posture? Do they move around or stand still? Or if they’re sitting down, how do they sit? How do they use their hands? What do they do with their hands when they’re not being used?

Listen carefully too, not just to what they’re saying but also to how they are saying it. How fast do they speak? Do they modulate the speed? Do they have silences? When do they breathe? What’s their intonation like? How loud do they speak? Is their volume the same throughout?

Once you’re clear on these characteristics, you’ll need to visualise yourself doing exactly the same. Put simply, you need to copy them. If these things work for someone else, there is no reason why they shouldn’t work for you.

2. Linking Visualisation to the reality
Keep these characteristics you’ve identified firmly in your mind. They need to come quickly to you when you’re using this visualisation technique in the minutes and seconds before you speak.

When you start to visualise, you need to be 100% focused. You can’t afford any distractions. Be sure firstly to prepare your notes properly so that you don’t have to worry about what you’re going to say. Then you can clear your mind and start visualising how you want to be.

So from now on, before you speak in public, remember that there are two stages to preparation; visualisation is the second part and only works if your mind is clear of distractions; you’ve already thoroughly prepared the content and dealt with any other practical considerations.

If you get the first part of preparation right you’ll find it easier to put 100% focus into visualising how you’re going to look and sound. Don’t forget that you can also use visualisation techniques to help with more general lifestyle choices and goals as you move on through 2020.