Visualise!
It was all very well for the trainer to say this, yet I had little idea of what they meant at the time. New to business, the seminar I attended provided some exceptional material to assist me to move forward, yet the idea of visualisation stumped me for some time.

It was suggested that I get a picture of what I wanted and then go for it. Fine, but first the picture had to come. I was lost. The principle seemed good yet I had to watch others get the ball rolling. My challenge was apparently common, and took time to solve, however I soon learnt that my major problem was understanding just how relaxed I needed to be to free my mind to get satisfactory results.

I was busy with my business at the time and the seminar was a last minute opportunity. My mind (when asked to visualise) kept thinking of all the things I felt I should have been doing and so limited the results.

Making it work.
Later on I worked on the idea individually with a quiet time some weeks later on a train trip. I was listening to some classical music on my tape player and reading the notes from the seminar. This time the results were more effective. I was able to see or ‘imagine’ what business could be like in the future.

I started to walk around in the business that I had visualised and as the images faded in and out I found that the experience was rewarding and at times very special. Some people would say, this is not a vision of the future, as that is perhaps more accurately a premonition, the stuff of magic. More to the point, it is your mind making up things that you desire.

To either description I say Yes. I feel as though the mind has the ability to do so many wonderful things that we cannot full understand all of its workings. Some times there is very little logic and scientific proof of things, however it something works. Perhaps we should not get tied up in how a thing does what it does but merely accept it and move on. Thus can be particularly the case when someone gets a hunch, and intuitive feeling about a thing. Try and put some scientific logic to that.

The images
After working on the visualisation exercise a few times, some of the images became stronger and before I knew it they became compelling. I have no idea of how this works other than to say I was in a place that I know I have never seen. The office areas that opened up before me were exciting, fresh in their concept and very much a stimulating environment in which to work.

As my business moves through various phases, I am finding that some of the other images I have had are starting to come to fruition. In time the grand picture can be worked on, at present I am happy the way things are heading and certainly do not expect any miracles to take place.

In time I have developed the visualisation skills further and now advocate the same for people that want to find a new way of exploring their business or personal futures and provide a stronger environment for creative development of their business ideas.

The Method.
There are many options here, a skilled professional can lead you into a state of relaxation and assist you to explore the ‘inner’ images much like a form of meditation. Others would say you need only your favourite relaxation method and pose a simple question while relaxed. Whatever way you choose it will take time for any method to work.

In history there have been numerous people that have utilised this to advantage. Mahatma Ghandi apparently spent from Friday evening to Monday morning fasting and clearing the mind so that a more enlightened state could assist his concept development.

Thomas Edison said his ideas came to him in his sleep and with many patents and ideas to his credit who could argue.

It may take you a while to tackle this project to get good results, however if you want to find a way to give your business the edge, this might just be the way for you.

Stumble it!