Let’s take manifestation out of the hooey and ground it with researched & proven methods.

To manifest means to bring something tangible into your life through you attracting it and believing in its possibility. If you can think it, you can help make it come true.

Numerous studies show the awesome power of our mind. In fact, we experience the world through our individual minds.

Brain imaging research over the past decade shows that the same brain areas are active during a real experience AND an imaginary experience. That means that we have similar internal experiences during an actual event as we do when we are simply thinking about an event.

The holidays are a perfect example of this phenomenon in action. We anticipate the coming holiday with just as much – maybe more excitement – than we have during the actual event. People say it all the time: the anticipation of Christmas morning is just as satisfying as the real thing.

Going back to the brain imaging (via fMRI machines), our mind processes the imagined the same as the actual. We feel the same feelings in anticipation as we do during the real thing.

Now, bring this mental power to our goals. We have goals for the coming year. Things we want to do and achieve. For most of us, the goals include achievements we’ve not done before. More sales, bigger organizations, new roles & responsibilities.

To manifest our goals, we must attract it by believing in its possibility. Using mental imagery, we can actually experience that goal in our mind even before we achieve it. It’s the same sensation as the excitement of the upcoming holidays before the actual events.

Visualizing it will allow your mind to know your goal is possible by having the sensation of achieving it. When you can experience the achievement in your mind, you can realize the achievement in reality, hence the manifestation.

One key to visualization is immersive mental imagery. You need to be able use your full range of senses in your practices to make it realistic and believable to your mind.

The other key to manifesting from the visualization is to dissociate from the mental image. The dissociative  perspective allows for motivation to remain high.

As explained earlier, the mind has the same experience imagining as it does having it in reality. Therefore, if your mind experiences the feelings of having achieved the goal, you’ll have already received the internal benefit or satisfaction of having already achieved it. It can lower motivation to push to earn the big goal.

How to do a goal getting mental imagery exercise

First, establish a singular goal. Make sure it’s a SMART goal – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic that you will do it, time bound. Examples like money earned, winning a specific prize, achieving a health metric, finding a partner, etc.

Next, close your eyes and use deliberate breathing where you focus on your breath to clear your mind-space. 

Then, ask yourself “what’s the last thing that has to happen so that I know I’ve hit my goal?” When you ask that, notice the mental image that pops into mind.

Fully experience that image. Be sure to “drop into it” like you’re looking at the scene through your own eyes. Take in the full scene noticing what you see, sounds that are present and feelings that you have.

Adjust the visual elements of the picture: making it bright, clear, large like a full panoramic. Make it feel real like you already have it. Notice any sounds that are important and adjust those to make it real. Do the same for any feelings, smells or even tastes. Really immerse yourself in this image.

When you’ve made it the most real and intense – float out of the image and float above it to take the perspective that you’re looking down at yourself in this scene.

Tap into the belief that the image is true and the inevitable culmination of the work you’ll take to get there. Then let the image go by opening your eyes and clear the screen.

You’ll be left the feeling of positivity and belief in yourself to achieve the goal – making it feel real and within reach.

Be sure to take the immediate next steps of developing an action plan to get and very quickly take the first tangible action step. The action of physical movement towards the goal will help to lock it down and ultimately manifest into reality.

You got this! Make this next year yours to achieve the biggest and most audacious goals you’ve got. Happy visualizing, friends.