Can you begin to live your best life ever by applying a series of simple mental techniques in your day-to-day life?
Personally, I’ve been on an evolving journey when it comes to mindset strategies for success. In my twenties, I thought it was all hogwash and I just wanted to learn practical tactics—things to do. In my thirties, I began to realize the importance of slowing down and how the right psychology can lead to the right activities. Now in my 40s, I’ve come to understand that the inner game is the true driving force to the outer game.
In Visions to the Top: A Millionaire’s Secret Formula to Productivity, Visualization and Meditation, Justin Ledford shares his methods for achieving success in every area of life. He explains how readers can tap into their dreams, and begin using them as the driving force for goal attainment. Himself no stranger to struggle, Ledford personally used techniques of intention, visualization, meditation, and planning to overcome many obstacles and to build several multimillion dollar businesses. Here are his top four practices.
People who achieve greatness in their lives don’t get there by chance–they know their purpose when they start their personal journey, and they kept that intention alive as they proceed. He writes:The Power Of Intention
“Precise intentions are like looking through binoculars. You must know what you are looking for, and in order to spot your target you have to have a general idea where it’s located. Even when you are looking straight at your target, in order to see more detail, you need to zoom in. That is what precise intention does, it locates and magnifies that which you want. If you are focused with laser precision on what you want, and are taking action to move towards it, you’ll get it.”
Ledford refers to a study by Dr. Masaru Emoto, which revealed that our words and thoughts impact every cell in our bodies. Words are very powerful, with the ability to effect our entire being in either a negative or positive fashion.
Whatever follows the word “I” will dictate our feelings and actions. Therefore, Ledford suggests that instead of saying weak comments like, “I don’t know if I can get this done”, start using empowering statements such, “I am committed to having the best month of my life.”
Visualization
With a few decades of experience under my belt, I truly believe that our outer world is just a reflection of our inner world. We are where we are in life, because for the most part that’s exactly where we want to be.
Ledford advocates the use of Visualization–a practice which he believes helps to rewire the subconscious mind. While he presents an overview of the many different techniques for using mental imagery, Ledford suggests:
“By getting in the habit of tapping into where you will be one year from now and going to that spot through visualization, you will be rewiring your subconscious– increasing your belief in yourself and seeing your success as possible. Believing in your intentions, and taking the appropriate action towards attaining these goals will ensure that a world of opportunities open up–you will begin to meet the right people, and will find yourself being in the right place at the right time.”
Meditation
Meditation has grown rapidly in recent years as more and more studies show that it can help reduce stress levels, lower blood pressure, strengthen your body’s immune system, improve cognitive functioning, increase productivity and stimulate creative thinking.
Ledford believes meditation is also a powerful strategy for success, allowing you to easily and effortlessly go after that which you seek. He suggests that when meditating, we should, “Bring an image of your dream or goal to mind so that it can be planted in the fertile soil of the subconscious, programming plans for you to achieve it.”
Stop Being Busy And Start Being Productive
Most people make the mistake of confusing busy work for being productive. While checking your emails, and listening to voicemails are important, they are not activities that directly impact your goals. In order to be successful, it is extremely important that you learn to prioritize.
Ledford recommends, as I do, that you should be identifying your daily Most Important Task (MIT), and tackling it first. This is the thing that will move you towards your goal, and is usually handled best in the morning when your energy levels are high. Doing so will provide you with a sense of accomplishment, which will then set the tone for the rest of the day.
He also suggests setting a timer to limit the time spent on a task, in order to further increase your productivity. For most of us, more time is not the answer, it’s about using the time we have more effectively. We tend to be more motivated when a task has a defined end point, and more focused when we know our time for completing something is limited.
The visualization and subconscious programming techniques laid out in Visions to the Top are simple, and accessible to anyone prepared to put in the work. They will go a long way to making sure your inner game is right, which will influence your outer behaviors and ultimate success.
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Kevin Kruse is the author of 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management and How Millionaires Plan Their Day: A 1-Page Plan.
Photo: Amazon/Justin Ledford
