How to Fantasize Effectively

As I was reading my Psychology textbook recently, I was surprised to come across a section about imaginary practice. Apparently, those with some skill at a task can keep their practice up even by just visualizing it. Granted, some actual practice is beneficial, too, but visualizing practice had an additional, assisting effect.Yet, the textbook noted that visualizing practicing was far more helpful than visualizing succeeding. On page 321, the textbook says, "The point to remember: It's better to spend your fantasy time planning how to reach your goal than to focus on your desired destination."

Some people say that one way to help reach a goal is to visualize that goal, to think about accomplishing that goal and focus on how it'll feel to do so. While this can have some helpful effect, it seems that picturing the process is far more helpful than picturing the desired result. Thus, if we want to improve a skill like scoring free throws, then in addition to actually practicing, we should imagine the process of practicing, and not just imagine the ball going through the hoop.

We all have a goal that we would like to reach, a desired destination, and it's fine to imagine what it might be like to reach that goal, but it's likely even more helpful to mentally practice doing what it will take to get there. If we focus too much on our destination, we may lose sight of our path, and we may never actually make it. Yet, if we visualize our path and ourselves following it, then actually following that path will become easier, and reaching the destination will ultimately take care of itself.

Naturally, it's good to have a clear vision of what you hope to accomplish, but it's also very helpful to have a clear vision of how you are going to accomplish it.