If you visualize your goals as though you have already achieved them, you will increase your chances of success dramatically. Olympic athletes do this on a daily basis. They imagine themselves completing the feat they need to accomplish, whether it’s the perfect dive, a record-setting high jump, or crossing the finish line first. A great example of this is the accomplishment of Roger Bannister.

In 1954 Roger Bannister was the first human being to run one mile in under four minutes. At the time doctors claimed it was impossible, that the human body was not physically capable of maintaining such speed over the course of a mile. Bannister was a medical student and he absolutely believed it was possible. He was obviously endowed with great athletic ability, and he studied the physiological aspects of running and incorporated it in his training. Banister was also disciplined and extremely dedicated to his goal. But when asked by a reporter how he was able to achieve what was considered humanly impossible, he didn’t credit any of those things. Instead he explained that he imagined himself breaking the ribbon in under four minutes over and over until he felt that he had already done it! Visualization as a technique was unheard of in 1954, but that’s exactly what Bannister was describing. Once he believed he could do it – that he had actually done it already, he could achieve the supposedly impossible.

In 1955, 37 people broke the four-minute mile. In 1956, over 300 people broke the four-minute mile. Bannister had proved it was possible and their perspective about their own abilities shifted! It had nothing to do with their physical ability – only their outlook!

Today athletes at all levels use visualization as a matter of course. It’s crucial for top performance. Now you may not be striving to break athletic records, but you still have goals and accomplishments that may be difficult for you to believe in at first. One of the ways you can harness the incredible power of visualization is by imaging your goals as though you’ve already accomplished them. A tool that helped me to successfully do this was a vision board.

In December of 2010, I had set a goal of $150000 in gross commissions. I figured with all the other responsibilities I had I would do 60 deals at $2500. I created a visual board and visualized achieving the goal. Forget 2010, I achieved the goal in less than five months. Then I set a Goal of $150000 for May and June, once again I did $152475 in May and June. I wake up in the morning and visualize doing a deal that day. When I meet the client, I expect them to submit an application and sign the lease.

As soon as I meet a client I visualize them filling out the application. It does not even cross my mind that they may not qualify, not have good credit or it’s just one roommate I’m meeting. I continue to visualize success all the time.

Visualization is a Universal force that works like magic. Now be careful, you cannot visualize your way to riches. You have to work hard and become skilled at what you do. However, visualization is one of the skills you need to learn and embrace.

Try it for 21 days. Hey you never know!