| Imagery - The Key to Unlocking Your | | | | scripts that simply became part of your |
| Performance Potential (Part 1) | | | | imagination. |
| 11th May 2007 | | | | How is it that these "imagined pictures" caused |
| Author: Jacques Dallaire, Ph.D. | | | | your body to respond in a very real way? It is |
| ""Imagination is more powerful than knowledge." | | | | important that you realize that the set of images |
| -Albert Einstein | | | | and the beliefs that you create in your mind are |
| Did you know that as children, we enjoyed a | | | | the reality that truly exists for you. This 'reality' in |
| significant mental advantage over the adult | | | | fact, serves as the mental computer program |
| population…an advantage that the majority | | | | that directs you to perform in a manner that is |
| of us let slip away as we grew into adulthood? | | | | consistent with the images in your mind and the |
| Because of a lack of consistent practice, we | | | | feelings that are associated with those images. I |
| gradually lost the ability to use an effective mental | | | | can illustrate this point with a specific example. |
| skill that most children seem to possess naturally - | | | | Imagine that I placed a wooden board flat on the |
| the skill of mental Imagery. | | | | floor in front of you. The board is six inches wide, |
| Imagery, the Language of the Mind | | | | perfectly stiff, and 20 feet long. If I asked you to |
| Because humans think in pictures, there isn't a | | | | walk the length of the board without touching the |
| single thought that we create in our mind that is | | | | floor, do you think that you would you be able to |
| not somehow associated with a mental image | | | | do it? It is likely that, not only would most of you |
| (and often, with feelings) of some sort. We | | | | be able to do it, but you could probably do it with |
| frequently talk about seeing with our 'mind's | | | | your eyes closed or even do it backwards if you |
| eye'…this simply means that when we | | | | put your mind to it! We have now established that |
| imagine something in our mind, we generally see a | | | | is it likely that you could easily walk the full length |
| picture of what we are thinking about, just as if | | | | of this 20-foot board when it is placed on the |
| we were looking at it through a camera lens or | | | | floor in front of you. |
| through our own eyes. Some people refer to this | | | | Imagine that I placed a wooden board flat on the |
| process as "visualization", but I prefer the term | | | | floor in front of you. The board is six inches wide, |
| "imagery" because it is broader and more easily | | | | perfectly stiff, and 20 feet long. If I asked you to |
| incorporates the other senses beyond vision. In | | | | walk the length of the board without touching the |
| effect, it would indeed be accurate to describe | | | | floor, do you think that you would you be able to |
| imagery as the language of the mind. You can | | | | do it? It is likely that, not only would most of you |
| confirm the truth of this statement for yourself | | | | be able to do it, but you could probably do it with |
| with the following simple exercise. | | | | your eyes closed or even do it backwards if you |
| Take a few moments to think about your | | | | put your mind to it! We have now established that |
| mother - before you read any further… | | | | is it likely that you could easily walk the full length |
| Now as you did this, you probably 'saw' (with your | | | | of this 20-foot board when it is placed on the |
| 'mind's eye') an image of what your mother looks | | | | floor in front of you. |
| like, what color her hair is, how tall she is, what | | | | Imagine if I now took that same 20-foot board |
| she looks like sitting at the dining room table or in | | | | (that is six inches wide, perfectly stiff, and that |
| front of the TV, or wearing a favorite outfit. You | | | | you know you could traverse with ease when |
| might have pictured her from the front or from | | | | placed on the floor) and suspended it between |
| the side, in profile. You may even have 'seen' | | | | two buildings, 100 feet in the air! Even assuming |
| your mother working in the garden or in a | | | | there was no wind whatsoever and that I could |
| favorite room, etc. Whatever you 'saw', it is likely | | | | make it perfectly stiff - as it was on the floor - |
| that you created a set of images or mental | | | | do you believe that you could still walk the length |
| pictures in your mind (and perhaps even an | | | | of the board between the buildings… with |
| associated emotional response) that reflects how | | | | ease? Likely not and yet, it is the same board |
| you see your mother, standing there by herself | | | | with the same physical dimensions and features. |
| as if in a portrait or how she might look in a | | | | Something in the mind of most individuals would |
| variety of different situations. Consider this: How | | | | stop them from even attempting to walk the |
| would it be possible to think of your mother if | | | | length of that 20-foot board and if they chose to |
| you couldn't 'see' her in your mind's eye? | | | | try to do it, the tension level (and fear) that they |
| Now, take a few moments to think about your | | | | would feel would be much greater. Many of us |
| home… | | | | would 'freeze up' and not be able to move at all. |
| Again, it is likely that you 'saw' (in your mind's | | | | But what has changed? |
| eye) some image of what your house or | | | | The only thing that has truly changed in this new |
| apartment looks like, perhaps from the outside, | | | | situation is your perspective regarding the physical |
| what your front lawn or driveway might look like, | | | | challenge or danger that you face. Because the |
| or what one or more of the rooms might look | | | | consequences of falling off the board when it is |
| like. You may even have seen an image of your | | | | placed directly on the floor in front of you are |
| spouse or children watching television in the den | | | | non-existent compared to the consequences of |
| or of all your family members sitting down to a | | | | falling off the board when it is 100 feet off the |
| meal around the kitchen table. Again, you created | | | | ground, you think nothing of walking the plank |
| in your mind a set of images and feelings that | | | | while on the floor and indeed, can execute the |
| reflected your perception of 'home' and what it is | | | | stunt with ease! As soon as your perspective |
| like when the important people in your life occupy | | | | regarding the challenge that you face changes |
| it. It should be clear to you from this simple little | | | | (you imagine all the nasty things that could happen |
| exercise that we do indeed 'think' in pictures, no | | | | and may even 'see' yourself falling to the ground |
| matter what we are thinking about. In fact, try | | | | in your mind's eye), your ability to perform the |
| thinking of something without "seeing it" in your | | | | task changes as well. This is a really important |
| mind's eye… your car, your desk at work, | | | | point to keep in mind… |
| your favorite hat, etc! | | | | The Bad News is that we create our own set of |
| The Impact of Imagery on Our Emotions | | | | mental images, and these images directly influence |
| Images that you put into your mind directly | | | | our feelings, behaviors, and our ability to perform. |
| influence how you feel. These feelings in turn | | | | The Good News is that we create our own set |
| affect your behavior and this set of behaviors | | | | of mental images and these images directly |
| influences your personal performance in anything | | | | influence our feelings, behaviors, and our ability to |
| that you do. | | | | perform. |
| Think back to a situation where you were | | | | It depends completely on the kind of mental |
| watching a particularly sad, scary, or exciting | | | | images that you put into your mind since the |
| movie? Your body responded directly to the | | | | images you process there become the dominant |
| images and feelings that were developed on the | | | | thoughts that control how you feel, how you |
| TV or movie screen, as you watched the show. | | | | behave and ultimately, how you perform. We'll |
| Sometimes you felt tension or even fear in | | | | explore this process of imagery further in the |
| anticipation of the next scene (when the villain or | | | | next installment of the Performance File. |
| the creature jumps out of the shadows), or relief | | | | Jacques Dallaire, Ph.D is the principal consultant of |
| when the hero who was hanging by his fingertips | | | | Performance Prime. Dr. Dallaire has extensive |
| from the ledge of the tall building manages to | | | | experience gained over the past 32 years |
| swing back up onto the roof to safety. When | | | | working with more than 1000 high-performance |
| watching a particularly sad movie, you may even | | | | athletes and business professionals. More |
| have begun to cry. Yet, intellectually you knew | | | | information about our revolutionary business and |
| that these situations were not real, they were | | | | group performance seminars, mental skills |
| roles played out by actors following established | | | | products, and free access to Dr. |