David Wylie

While discussing a business plan over lunch with a good friend, she asked me a simple question I hadn’t thought through.

“What does success look like?” she asked.

I’ve been thinking about strategy, tactics, objectives, risks – but hadn’t spent any significant time picturing success.

Admittedly, I had been spending perhaps a little too much time picturing failure.

Some of the world’s top athletes have learned first hand the benefits of picturing sinking a three-point shot or hitting a 300-yard drive down the middle of the fairway. Canadian Olympian Lyndon Rush pictured cruising through curves 7 through 14 on the bobsled track in Sochi while sitting in an airport in Russia.

It’s something I’ve since started to spend time doing. For example, while getting my summer tires put on my car, I waited in the lobby daydreaming about triumph – it sure beats fretting about failure.

I’m in good company. A smattering of people who use visualization include Jim Carrey, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Oprah and Will Smith.

A few tips on visualizing your triumph:

• Be specific. Think about success at certain tasks, like finishing a story, snapping a great picture or nailing a cold call.
• Push out your doubt. This is a time to focus only on positive thoughts. Don’t let fear or doubt ruin the moment.
• Repeat. Practice makes perfect. The more you picture your success, the more successful you will be at picturing it.

So what does success look like to you?

(Photo courtesy flazingo.com)