How to Coach Yourself and Others Better Coaching Through Visualisation | Page 13

1. Definition and Use of Mental Imagery
1.1 What is Mental Imagery?
Mental imagery, also called visualization and mental rehearsal, is
defined as experience that resembles perceptual experience, but
which occurs in the absence of the appropriate stimuli for the
relevant perception.
Whenever we imagine ourselves performing an action in the absence
of physical practice, we are said to be using imagery. While most
discussions of imagery focus on the visual mode, there exists other
modes of experience such as auditory and kinaesthetic that are just
as important.
A mental image is a picture, scene or event that you see in your
mind. You construct mental images in your mind all the time, albeit
unconsciously. The mental images that you often visualize affect
your life, whether you are aware of this or not. I am not talking
mental images that you visualize once or twice, but about the mental
images that you often repeat in your mind.
Mental images have the power to change your life. The subconscious
mind accepts these images as reality, and gradually you start to
believe what you imagine, act accordingly, and unconsciously work
toward making them a reality in your life. This is the secret of the
law of attraction creative visualization.
Mental images, if repeated often can make great changes in your life.
If you visualize negative situations, difficulties and problem, and
continue doing so, your moods will gradually become negative, you
will alienate people, you will close your eyes to opportunities, and
your self-esteem will go down. How can you achieve success if you
are so negative?

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