How to Create the Life You Want in 3 Easy Steps

Athletes have been using visualization for years. They see the ball going into the hole (or the hoop or the goal, or wherever that ball needs to go). They envision the track and feel themselves crossing that finish line. They taste the dirt as they slide into home. They smell the grass as they score the winning goal. They feel the weight of the medal around their neck, imagining just where they're going to hang it once they get home.

Scientists also use visualization to help to design and create their inventions. Before you build something, you have to know what it is you're trying to build, or how it will react when poked, prodded and used.

Nikola Tesla (famed scientist, creator of the Tesla coil and often considered Edison's greatest adversary), said in his autobiography, "When I get a new idea, I start at once building it up in my imagination, and make improvements and operate the device in my mind. When I have gone so far as to embody everything in my invention, every possible improvement I can think of, and when I see no fault anywhere, I put into concrete form the final product of my brain.”

Visualization can also help you (and me) in our day to day personal and business experiences.

Since my husband got laid off just over six months ago, I've been actively using visualization (and affirmations) to design and create the kind of business that can provide for both of us while he focuses on his new start up. At the same time, I've also recently started using visualization to create the perfect job (yes, I said J.O.B. - I have an interview with Disney tomorrow...wish me luck!!).

When you come down to it, visualization is easy. You don't need any special gadgets or doohickeys. You don't need any special skill or even any real know-how.

You just need to carve out five to ten minutes each day. You can do it in your car, at your desk, while taking your shower, or while lying in bed before you nod off to sleep (or even before you start your day and get out of bed to help set the tone of the day).

There are just three simple steps to the process:

1. Imagine every possible detail. Get as specific as possible. Imagine in vivid detail what things look like. Take notice of the colors, what's going on around you. Hear the sounds, smell the smells. Feel what it feels like to be there, or to have that one thing you're dreaming of. Don't leave anything out.
2. Which brings us to the next key part...always put yourself in the vision. As you're imagining every small detail of what you want, make sure you include yourself IN the vision. If you want that new Porsche, don't just imagine the car, imagine what it feels like for you to drive that car. Imagine yourself on stage, speaking before thousands - what are YOU wearing. This is very important part of the visualization process. Without imagining yourself IN the vision, you will receive exactly what you're asking for...maybe a toy Porsche that looks exactly like the one you envisioned or you being one of thousands in a crowded room listening to a speaker instead of being the speaker.
3. Focus entirely on the end result, what you actually want. Be sure you don't get caught up in the how or the process. You're job isn't to tell the Universe how to make it happen. Your job is just to sit back and expect that somehow, maybe even magically, that which you want, crave and imagine, will come to be easily and effortlessly. Trust that it will happen and be ready to act upon it when it does. When you tell the Universe how to do it, you open the door to doubt. You get caught up in wondering if it could really happen just the way you imagined it to happen. How it happens isn't important...what happens and allowing for the desired result is.
That's it.

If you can commit to a few minutes a day and imagine the life you want to live, the car you want to drive, the new job you want to have, the dream vacation you want to go on...you name it...you can create it.

And even if you don't believe it can be that simple, what's the worse thing that can happen?

Worse case, you found something fun and pleasing, that brings you joy to daydream about. Sounds quite the win/win and not such a bad worse case scenario if you ask me.

What are you going to spend a few moments visualizing today?