John Sammers' Success Tip #3
John Sammers' Success Tip #3
If you're in a rush scroll down to the summary. If you can make the time to write down the answers to these questions, you'll get more from them.
Following on from Pt. 2, we are now going to look at an NLP technique called 'future pacing'. Many self-development guides instruct you to get a clear image of a specific goal; that is, to know exactly what the desired state or achievement is that you are working towards. Certainly it is important to instruct your unconscious mind about what you want, but it's also easy to lose sight of the process (I made this mistake a few times when first working on improving areas of my life). You will not achieve your desired goal until you feel good about and are confident about the process; if something doesn't feel quite right, it is unlikely you will achieve your goal.
Keep in mind that often, as soon as you have defined something (that may be causing difficulties at an unconscious level) the healing/change process begins. So you are, in effect, helping a change that has already begun.
Start at your desired state (your goal)
Imagine what it is like to get what you want. Imagine that there is a line on the floor and over the line is what you want. Step over the line and see what it is in clear detail, in a way that you are absolutely clear what will be required to get this. If it's a beautiful/handsome partner, it isn't a great idea to imagine a face but you can see what they're wearing, their shape, where you might meet them, things you may have in common, their voice, their scent etc.
Focus on the process, not the result
Use all your senses to see how you will achieve that goal. When you are absolutely clear on your goal the process should begin to become evident.
The final step of the process is to see the goal achieved as a result of the process. For example, to mentally rehearse a great tennis serve, look down through your eyes and see yourself in your tennis kit, pick up the ball and your racket, feel the racket in you hand and smell the binding. Feel the fur of the ball. Look down at the point on the court where you want the ball to land, setting your feet on the baseline, feeling your balance and go through a complete rehearsal of the serve, watching the ball land just where you want it to. This is mental rehearsal, not daydreaming and focuses firmly on the process.
Be very specific
The richer the detail and the more senses you use the more powerful the process. Where are you? How does your balance change? How does it sound when you strike the ball? What muscles are involved? etc.
See, hear and feel perfection
What you see (and feel, smell and hear) is what you get. Don't be satisfied with less than you want by accepting a good enough version. You are much more powerful than you think
Be realistic
You're not going to serve like Andy Roddick if you're a 100 kilo salad dodger - your body isn't tuned up enough to respond to your imagination. If you want to serve like Andy Roddick, the process will need to include all the technical, muscle and fitness training to be able respond.
Summary
1) Start from your goal. Physically step over an imaginary line into your future and imagine, in detail, what it is like to achieve it.
2) Focus on the process, not the result. Use all you senses to see how you achieved the goal. The last step is the goal achieved.
3) Be specific. Incorporate as much detail as possible - clothes, location etc. Again, use all your senses.
4) Don't accept second best (for you). Imagine everything exactly as you would want it to be.
5) Be realistic - you will have a few problems imagining you are richer than Richard Branson be the end of next week if you are just starting your florist business
Next week in Part 4 we will learn another method of acquiring a skill or new behaviour using your mind.
Best,
John Sammers
The Rock 'n' Roll Coach
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