The Power of Visualization
Posted: November 02, 2020
Two years ago I competed in the U.S. Open, a national karate tournament. My name was called and I squared off against a guy that stood quite a few inches above me. The moment the judge said "Fight!" I was immediately grateful for the advice I had recieved beforehand. I was told "don't just train mindlessly, visualize! Visualize not just winning the fight but also the worst case scenario. Picture the one technique that you have a hard time blocking and imagine what you would do in response."
For me the technique I was most afraid of being attacked with was the sidekick. And lo and behold the guy I was sparring loved to throw them. Since I had imagined this specifc scenario in my head, I was able to stay calm, and put up what I think, was a good fight. To me, this scenario proved the power of visualization. When you take a goal and picture it in your head, you become so much more prepared for any obstacle that may stand in your way. I encourage everyone to not only visualize their goals, but also visualize potential obstacles that may arise. Then if we picture solutions to those obstacles we give ourselves the gift of confidence. And with that confidence we can go out and accomplish anything we put our minds to.