Today’s job market is more competitive than ever before. A strong resume and interviewing skills are not enough. Give yourself the mental edge, however, and you just may win that job offer.

Visualization Today
Once upon a time society considered creative visualization a flight of fancy, or a desperate measure for desperate people. Today, however, Olympic coaches, highly-trained athletes such as golf great Tiger Woods, Olympic gold medal winning swimming star Michael Phelps, and corporate pioneers, all know success comes more easily and quickly when they first imagine it in detail, and expect it to happen. According to Phelps, whose coach introduced him to visualization at the age of thirteen, “The more you use your imagination the faster you go. If you think about doing the unthinkable, you can. The sky is the limit.”

Extensive research indicates that people who imagine future success outperform those who imagine future failure. Why? Because envisioning success promotes the development of plans and strategies necessary for achieving success. In the process, we become more motivated to make it happen and can often overcome any related anxiety, fear, and lack of self-confidence.

I am often asked how visualization compares to positive thinking. Norman Vincent Peale, author of The Power of Positive Thinking (1952, 1996) and Positive Imaging: The Powerful Way to Change Your Life (1982), wrote in the latter: “Imaging is positive thinking carried one step further. So powerful is the imaging effect on thought and performance that a long held visualization of an objective or goal can become determinative.”

An Example
A good illustration of this is how I connected with the publisher of my first book, The Job-Loss Recovery Guide: A Proven Program for Getting Back to Work—Fast! I had, for months, been using a number of visualization techniques to attract a credible national company to publish my book. I also took action by writing a thorough book proposal, attending appropriate conferences and meetings where I might meet editors and publishers, and sending out a few query letters—all rejected.

The connection ultimately occurred in a way beyond what I’d ever imagined. I had been invited to present my study results at a California Psychology Association Annual Conference, and had just begun speaking when a large portion of the audience began trickling out of the room. Was it something I’d said? In fact, word had spread that a high profile figure (Dr. Joyce Brothers!) was unexpectedly speaking across the hall from me. A few people stayed and a few moved back and forth between rooms. I continued my presentation as if speaking personally to each person in the audience. At that point I felt grateful to have anyone in the room.

At the session’s conclusion, a gentleman approached me and introduced himself as the editor-in-chief of a psychology-focused publishing house. He asked if I had ever considered writing a book about The Job-Loss Recovery Program. I kid you not! I had my book proposal in my car, and the rest is history!

As you can see, visualization has worked for me. I reached my goal even though it did not happen in a way I had imagined. It can work for you, too, even if the journey takes roundabout ways to your goals.