Too often people have a mistaken notion about visualization — that all we have to do is visualize and things will magically appear in our lives. That is not necessarily so. We need to do more than visualize. We need to connect to our vision and values and use visualization to show up as the best version of ourselves. Then we need to take action. Visualization is based on neuroscience — how the brain works. When combined in the context of vision and strategic action, it can seem like magic, but it is just the results of us using more of our brain’s potential in a structured, practical system. That system is EnVision.

The best reason for having a visualization practice is because it works! You don’t need to trust us on that one — science has already well documented the effectiveness of visualization extensively. Whether improving the side effects of chemotherapy, improving postoperative outcomes in surgical patients, improving athletic performance, or enhancing memory and academic performance, the science is clear — visualization works! It has a profound impact on performance, health and success. And this impact is measurable, not just a subjective opinion. It is an amazing tool that is part of EnVision’s Daily Success Habit. We have seen its impact in our lives and we hope you will give it a try so that you can see it in yours too.

The power of visualization is often not well understood. Too often there is a concept of visualization being just fantasy or mood-making. When we have a broader understanding of how the mind works and the impact of the mind-body connection, then we can comprehend the amazing science of visualization. For example, a study of building muscle mass contained two groups. One group participated in actual physical exercise and saw a 30% increase in muscle during the study. The second group visualized performing exercises in their minds only and showed a 13.5% increase in muscle mass. Not only that, this increase persisted even three months after the visualization training. This is concrete scientific evidence of the power of visualization.

Visualization isn’t just about the mind. It is about using more of the brain. When we visualize, particularly when we have created a scene in our mind’s eye, we use more of the right brain. We tap into more of the creative, intuitive and holistic parts of ourselves. And we integrate these with the rational, analytical, verbal parts of the brain. In other words, we use more of ourselves and our potential when we visualize. Visualization is a powerful way to activate more of our potential. And that is what we do with the EnVision app.

Visualization doesn’t just tap into under utilized parts of the brain. It doesn’t just activate more of the right brain. It uplevels our brain’s functioning by integrating more of the right brain’s creativity, intuition and inner peace with the left brain’s analytical and strategy building functions. Integration means that these parts of us are working together when we visualize, creating a more powerful effect and upleveling our productivity and efficiency. That allows us to show up as our best self and create the success we want, one day at a time.

Analysis and planning, predicting the future from the past, developing strategy and tactics — these are all left brain functions for most of us. The right brain deals more with a holistic perception of things, with networks and flows, and with the “big” picture. The right brain offers us a reservoir of inspiration and resilience in seeing beyond the details. As neuroscientist Jill Bolte Taylor said of her stroke that took her left brain offline temporarily, “When I lost my left brain, years of emotional baggage disappeared in a flash.” The right brain has untapped potential for most of us. It is creative and intuitive. And visualization is a great way to use more of the right brain and more of our potential.

Our brains are quite complex and like many complex systems they divide up functions into specific areas. When we think using words, we engage the left brain. This is where analysis, strategy, planning and our concepts of reality reside typically. Visualization, on the other hand, makes more use of the right brain. When we exercise more of the right brain we tap into more of our potential, more of our creativity, intuition and direct perception of reality. Visualization helps us to use more of our right brain and integrate its functioning into the left brain functions. The result is we use more of our potential and create greater success with greater ease.

Our brains react to what we visualize as if it were happening in real life. From the subconscious mind’s perspective we don’t just live once. When we visualize and replay a success scene from our past or rehearse a perfect performance in the future the subconscious mind reacts as if it were happening right now. It doesn’t know the difference. We can use that to train our subconscious mind to show up as our best self in each moment. And that makes visualization an amazingly powerful success tool.

In explaining how visualization works, we can talk in abstract terms referencing the subconscious mind and neuroanatomical functions. Regardless if that makes sense or not, the real value of visualization is in the science that proves that it works. Scientific research demonstrates that visualization can improve immune system functioning, relax the body and improve athletic performance, improve memory and academic performance and more. The proof is in the pudding as they say, and with visualization, the proof is voluminous.