'Then Let's See You Do It!'

When I was 11 years old there was a movie released in Australia that would go on to become one of the most iconic movies of our generation. This movie was called Gallipoli. It is the story of several young men who enlist in the Australian Army during World War 1 and end up being sent to the peninsula of Gallipoli to help fight. While it is not entirely historically accurate it does represent Australian culture at the time, and the value of mate-ship within this culture. If you haven’t seen this movie I highly recommend you do.

As a young boy the opening scene from this movie has always stayed with me. It starts with one of the main characters Archy Hamilton (prize-winning sprinter) being coached by his Uncle Jack in one of the paddocks of the farm where they live. Archy is completing a series of 100-yard sprints and Uncle Jack is helping him focus his energy and attention on what he needs to be doing and how he needs to be doing it. Uncle Jack is talking Archy through a focusing exercise that goes exactly like this…

(Uncle Jack) “That's it. Now, on the spot. One, two! One, two! One, two!

 (Uncle Jack)  “What are your legs?”

 (Archy) “Springs. Steel springs.”

 (Uncle Jack)  “What are they going to do?”

(Archy) “Hurl me down the track.”

(Uncle Jack)  “How fast can you run?”

(Archy)  “As fast as a leopard.”

(Uncle Jack)  “How fast will you run?”

(Archy)  “As fast as a leopard.”

(Uncle Jack) “Then let's see you do it.”

The scene ends with Archy running his 100-yard sprint flawlessly and at record pace! Archy did what he needed to do!

Now as a young lad I could run. I can recall before running my own 100 metre races I would take myself through this exercise, I use to know this transcript verbatim (like most Australian kids of my age). I remember I would always focus in on what I would look like while running, it was not only about speed, it was also about technique. It used to help me fight the distractions, and not worry about what my competition was doing, just focus on what I needed to do!

Well, my knees ending up giving up on me, and my running career was over just as quickly as it had started. Yet the exercise of focusing my energy and attention prior to an ‘event’ stayed with me through many other sports and well into my working career.

As a young Sales Representative I can remember sitting in my car prior to a customer meeting and mentally walking myself through the sales process I would be using. I would visualise introducing myself to the customer, asking the questions I wanted to ask, responding confidently to the customers potential objections, and asking for an order.

Even these days prior to facilitating a workshop or conducting a coaching session I take the time to focus my energy and attention on what I need to be doing and how I need to be doing it. Especially when preparing for workshops I find this practice just as beneficial (if not more) than actual rehearsing.

My interest and intrigue around the science of visualisation led me to the story of Colonel Hall, which is a story most of you may have heard. Colonel Hall is a Vietnam War Veteran and P.O.W who was held at the infamous Hanoi Hilton in North Vietnam. Colonel Hall was shot down September 27, 1965 and was held in captivity till 1973. The conditions that he and other P.O.W’s had to endure was horrendous, suffering through extended periods of time in isolation and with little food.

Prior to the Vietnam War Colonel Hall was a handy golfer, and while in captivity it would become his escape from the harshness of the reality he was undergoing.  He would use visualisation. He would imagine himself playing on the golf course he played on prior to the war. He would mentally walk himself through each step, including getting dressed, preparing his clubs, and standing on the first tee getting ready to tee off. He would envisage himself playing each hole, setting up for each shot, taking every putt. He imagined how he would feel emotionally in the moment and would employ strategies mentally to help him handle it. He even went so far as visualising himself writing down his score on his scorecard as he virtually walked around the 18 holes. If he couldn’t physically play golf he would at least mentally play golf. He focused not only on what he was going to do but how he was going to do it!

In 1973 when Colonel Hall was finally released from captivity, not surprisingly he was keen to find a golf course. Remarkably after not playing golf for over 7 years he was able to shoot a round of 76 while competing in a P.O.W Pro-Am. Which was exactly his handicap prior to leaving for Vietnam. Even though he didn’t have the physical conditioning he would’ve liked, through years of mentally conditioning he was ready to play.

Colonel Hall’s experience emphasises the power our focused thinking can play in the things we need to do, our goals, our tasks and our projects. Visualisation is a powerful tool and almost as powerful as the real thing given your brain cannot differentiate between something real or imagined. Research shows that anytime you are thinking and visualising physical activities, you are engaging and thus building and strengthening neural pathways. Every time we think on an activity it stimulates a neural pathway, the more we focus our attention on that activity that pathway is strengthened. The stronger a neural pathway is, the easier it is for our brain to automatically use that pathway again, and again. Colonel hall throughout his time in the P.O.W camp wasn’t just playing golf in his head, he was actually building and strengthening neural pathways. The key to his success was not in the activity alone, but in the quality of the activity. The attention to detail. He focused not only on what he was going to do but how he was going to do it!

When we visualise ‘what we need to do and how we need to do it’   our brain cells form new connections improving our memory and our skills. This knowledge is stored in our brain and as we learn it and practise it, it becomes automatic, it becomes easy, it becomes habitual. Visualisation is the key to building sustainable high quality habits.

Are you maximising the power of your thinking? Are you taking the time to slow down and mentally walk through what you need to do and how you need to do it? Imagine yourself performing how you would like to perform, each step, focusing your energy and attention on the quality of your actions. Imagine the emotions that you might experience and how you will feel and respond in the heat of the moment.  

Have a go this week, find an area of your professional life that would most benefit from the practice of visualisation and start building those neural pathways!

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.” 

Henry Ford

Regards,

Peter Edwards