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