Have you been riveted to your television as I have for the past two weeks, watching remarkable feats of the athletes at the Winter Olympics?

I’ve been cheering on my favorite competitors, holding my breath as skaters attempt their quadruple jumps, wincing as skiers crash in that wild ski cross event, and choking up during award ceremonies as the medalists’ flags are raised.

I am moved. Seeing the athletes put their heart and soul into every moment of their performance inspires me to make the most of every minute of my life.

The Olympics bring out greatness in people. I most love watching how the athletes deal with their “inner game” to help them be at their best. In addition to hours upon hours in physical practice, athletes spend time building their mental strength.

One of the techniques they use is visualization. Have you noticed occasionally a skier at the top of the mountain will close his eyes and run through the course, moving his body as though making the turns? The other night I saw a figure skater mapping the moves of her routine with her arms before taking the ice.

And don’t you love that Visa commercial showing skier Julie Mancuso as a little girl drawing a poster of herself as an Olympic medalist? That poster hung in her room for years–and it worked!

The best athletes in the world use visualization and vision boards to help make their dreams come true (and they were doing so long before the release of the film and book The Secret). Is that what led to their medals? No, of course they worked hard and did everything humanly possible to achieve their goals. But did visualization help? I have no doubt.

Are you using visualization in your life?

I recommend starting each morning imagining your ideal day, but I’d like to add an angle I rarely hear people talk about–visualizing how happy you want to feel. Not just visualizing the outer results you want to create, but also the inner feelings you want to experience. Picture yourself experiencing deep inner peace and happiness during the day. See if you can generate that feeling on demand–for no particular reason at all!

Here’s your “happiness training” for the upcoming days:
1.  Before you get out of bed in the morning, spend 2 minutes visualizing your ideal day–include how you would like to feel through the day.
2.  Create your vision board or add to it. Use pictures that represent happiness to you–photos of you with a big smile on your face and arms outstretched at the ocean or on your favorite hike, or whatever images elicit the feeling of happiness and freedom within.
3.  If you find yourself feeling less than blissed-out during the day, put a smile on your face. It’s a way of visualizing happiness and, amazingly enough, will really lift your mood!

Imagine yourself stepping up on the podium and getting your gold medal in happiness!

Happily yours,

Marci Shimoff

Marci Shimoff is a celebrated transformational leader
and #1 New York Times best-selling author. To learn
more of her powerful techniques for establishing deep
and authentic happiness and well-being, visit
www.HappyForNoReason.com/