The old folks used to call it, “the mind’s eye.” It is a place where dreams are born and hopes die; where love burns and crashes before it even says “Hello.” The mind’s eye is where we hold our truest perception of self. We must first win there in order to win in the real world.
We all have a mental movie that plays out in our mind’s eye. It has been in production since our first conscious memory—shaping how we see ourselves and driving our decisions. In our mind’s eye, our past, present and future are interconnected—feeding from and fueling the other.
Here’s how it works: An opportunity presents itself in the NOW. For me, it was the eWomenNetwork’s speaker contest. Immediately, NOW consults with THEN from the past. For me, THEN said, “There’s no way you are going to win that contest. You’re not good enough.” My mind referenced speaking in kindergarten over the loud speaker then coming home to be teased by my older siblings for talking “too loud.” Immediately, I felt self-conscious and inadequate to the task. I started counting myself out before the first round of the competition began.
Thankfully, other factors weighed in the balance. I have a baby sister who I believed could win. My love for her compelled me to tell her about it. But, I knew that once I did, she would insist I enter as well. I had to choose who I would be in that moment. So, I made a decision for my FUTURE and entered the contest. The experience transformed my confidence and changed my life.
Here are some things you can do to re-direct your mental movie:
1. Identify Your Character: Every movie has a heroine and a villain. Your self-image determines who you are in your life’s movie. Are you the heroine cheering on your best self to achieve your dreams? Or, are you sabotaging your opportunities for love and success? Are you standing up for yourself? Or, do you bully yourself with negative defeating thoughts?
2. Recast Your Role: We interact with our mental movies at lightning speeds, often unaware of what is transpiring. Therefore, we must be deliberate in shaping the role our self-image plays. The self-talk discussed last week will help reshape our reference points. Speaking positive affirmations will change the way we see ourselves. Not only that, it will slow down the movie because we will no longer shift to our usual points of reference without questioning their validity.
3. Dress Rehearse Your Success: This is a technique that many successful people use. They prepare and practice for success. Regardless of what it is we wish to change—it must happen in our minds first. We move in the direction of our most dominant thoughts. It is up to us to choose the thoughts and images dominating our lives!
Find out who you are in your mental movie. More importantly, invest the time in your dress rehearsal.
Do the work! Practice visualizing your success DAILY. (Yes, you do have the time.) Sit quietly and imagine yourself getting the results and living the life you want. Imagine it all from the largest to the smallest detail to enrich the experience. Practice affirming your success by saying, “The past does not define me. My present does not confine me. My future is limitless! I am destined to win!”
Change starts in our minds. Choose to see yourself as being worthy of attracting all you want into your life!
Recently named the “North America’s Next Greatest Speaker” by eWomenNetwork, Felicia T. Scott is a Certified Empowerment Coach™ who empowers her clients to turn their Worth into Wealth as she partners with them to DISCOVER their WORTH, DO the WORK and DEFINE their WEALTH. Follow her on Twitter for updates regarding her newly released seminar THRIVE! 7 Strategies for Extraordinary Living DVD and CD.