Your most powerful (and most destructive) weapon

In 1996, there was a study conducted at the University of Chicago. It was intended to measure the impact of visualization.

A group of students were randomly selected to take a series of (basketball) free throw shots. Their percentages were tallied. Then, they were divided into three groups and instructed to do the following for 30 days:

• Group 1: do not touch a basketball at all
• Group 2: Practice shooting free throws for a half hour every day
• Group 3: Come to the gym every day, but just close their eyes and visualize hitting every free throw (without ever touching the ball)

After 30 days, each group came back and again went through the same series of free throws they had attempted at the beginning of the study.

Here’s what happened:

• Group 1, who did not practice at all, showed no improvement
• Group 2, who practiced every day, showed a 24% improvement
• Group 3, who did not practice but visualized making successful free throws, showed a 23% improvement

The measurable improvement in the group that had merely visualized completing the task was essentially the same as the group who practiced every day!

You have no idea how powerful your mind is. And whatever your mind is feeding you is what you’re going to create. So if you spend your days thinking about everything you can’t do or don’t have, that’s what you’re gonna get.

How often do you go about your day focusing on things like:

• Ruminating over past mistakes or missed opportunities?
• Worrying about screwing something up in the future?
• Fear of failing?

This is pretty normal. It's in the nature of our minds to do that.

But if you spend your days visualizing what you really want, then that’s what you’re gonna get. Don’t believe me? Ask Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods or freaking Oprah.

All you have to do is spend a little time every day actually visualizing what you want to create in your life, and you really can realize it. Because this act of visualization is creating an actual memory in your mind that you've already done the thing.

It's scientifically proven.

Knowing this, what will you start with? Are you going to make your mind work for you, or against you? Share one powerful vision that you want to create in the next year in the comments.

And go create it.

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Laura Honeycutt is a sought-after speaker, teacher and leadership expert on a mission to put more women in the powerful leadership positions they deserve by unleashing their power. She helps the world’s badasses fiercely believe in themselves, define success on their own terms, and kick ass in their careers and lives. Learn more at coachhoneycutt.com.