Increase Creativity With Visualisation: How Just 10 Minutes a Day Can Boost Your Creative Output

Visualisation is a technique we can use to boost our creativity by playing in our heads powerful images of how we want to be, at our most creative, productive and happy.

Here’s how it works: Every time we see an image we give it some meaning and then associate emotions to it. For example, what would the following pictures make you feel? A Caribbean beach in a holiday brochure? A set of dentist’s tools? A brand new Porsche? A giant cockroach?

With visualisation we can imagine images that trigger within us states that are most conducive to our creativity. Images that we picture inside our heads can be as powerful as those we actually see with our eyes. And the great thing is, we can produce these images whenever we want.

Many people think they can’t do visualisations. Here’s a simple example to try:

Imagine you’re standing at the front door of where you live. Think about the following things –

What colour is the door? Are there any windows or panels in the door? What type of handle does it have? Where’s the keyhole? Is there a knocker or a bell? What’s the letterbox like?

Ok, now how did this exercise feel?

That was an example of a simple visualisation. Once you can do this then it’s just a case of expanding it to whatever you want. Let’s try adding a few more details.

Go back in your mind to the image of your front door. Imagine your key in your hand. Is it cold or warm? How heavy is it? Put the key in the lock. How smoothly does it go in? When you turn the key, what do you hear. As you open the door, how easily does it open? What can you smell? What else can you hear?

How did it feel this time to add more detail the image?

Now you have the basic format for powerful visualisations. Think about how you can adapt this to boost your creativity.

For example, you might want to visualise yourself sitting at your computer typing away furiously at your novel, writing 1000 words an hour or more. Or you might wish to see yourself opening a letter to reveal you’ve been offered a 3 novel publishing contract.

You might see yourself out in nature somewhere painting landscapes, feeling highly inspired, creative and alive. Or at the opening night at your new exhibition at a national gallery, soaking up the atmosphere and praise all around you.

Maybe you’d like to visualise yourself dancing, putting on a flawless performance, being totally in the flow and at one with the music? Or the audience’s reaction at the end, delighted, amazed, spellbound.

Whichever you choose, make it something that you really desire, that you’d love to be experiencing for real in your creative life. Put simply, visualise yourself doing your greatest creative work.

Once you’ve picked something, set aside at least 10 to 15 minutes, go somewhere quiet where you’ll not be disturbed, get comfortable, close your eyes and begin your visualisation.

Imagine every detail you can, bring in each of your senses as fully and vividly as possible, until you feel as if you’re really there.

Practice your visualisation every day, and very soon you’ll find it easier and easier to slip right into and enjoy.

If you find you’re not quite fully connecting with your visualisation, then maybe it’s not the right one for you. Adjust some of the details until you find one that is most rewarding and that you look forward to returning to time and time again.

What you’ll also notice over time is how your creative life will begin to move closer to the images in your visualisation. The more you practice, the more you make your mind familiar with the visualisation, the more powerful it will become.

:: Share Your Experience ::

Try your own creative visualisations, picturing yourself doing YOUR greatest creative work, and share your comments and experiences by just clicking on the comments link below.