The Benefits of Positive Visualization

Can We Be Too Positive?

Photo by Patrick McGregor on Unsplash

Many successful athletes do something called “positive visualization”. Before they lift a weight or do their sport, they visualize successfully completing the move. This is unbelievably helpful for the very simple reason that if you don’t believe that you can do something (in other words, if you don’t have faith in yourself), then there’s no way that you can actually do that.

“Believe in your infinite potential. Your only limitations are those you set upon yourself.”
Roy T. Bennett

This is very clear in the gym. If someone “attempts” a weight, but they aren’t at least 60% confident that they can do it, they don’t even have a chance.

When Failure is a Surprise

There are some weightlifters that believe in themselves so much that when they actually do fail a lift, they are in complete shock. Some of these moments are caught on video, and it’s fascinating to watch.

Photo by Victor Freitas on Unsplash

And this does point to one drawback of too much positive visualization: it can cause you to be…