15 The Power of Visualization

To visualize means to create an image in the mind. So, visualization is the act of
creating an image in the mind. And we can use visualization to improve our
performance in whatever we do in life.
The Experiment

How does it work? Well, lets first look to the results of a visualization experiment
performed by a doctor named Blaslotto at the University of Chicago in 1996. Dr.
Blaslotto wanted to find out whether or not visualization improves performance, and he
chose shooting free-throws with a basketball as the activity for his test. Then he
gathered together a random group of students and measured their percentages of free-
throws made. After that, he divided the students into three groups and asked them to
perform three separate tasks over a 30-day period.
The Results

The first group was told not to even touch a basketball for 30 days; no playing or
practicing at all.

The second group was told to practice shooting free-throws for a half-hour a day for 30
days.

The third group was asked to simply close their eyes and visualize themselves making
free-throws for a half-hour a day for all 30 days. They did not even touch a basketball.

So what do you think happened? Well, the first group showed no improvement in their
free-throw percentages. And not surprisingly, the second group, who practiced every
day, showed a 24% improvement. So what about the third group, the one who only
visualized shooting free-throws? Well, they showed a 23% improvement, which is
virtually identical to the group who actually practiced with a ball.

So this experiment suggests that visualization is equally as effective as doing the real
thing! And if visualization works for shooting free-throws, then it should also work for
any type of mental/physical task, including language speaking.
What About English Speaking?

What if instead of complaining about not having a conversation partner what if you
visualized yourself having a conversation with another person in English? What if you
spent 30 minutes a day speaking English in your mind, on a variety of topics? What if
you imagined yourself at a job interview, answering difficult questions? Or what if you
visualized yourself in a debate at a meeting or a discussion at a party?

In my opinion, visualization is a powerful mental activity that should not be overlooked

by English learners, especially during those moments of the day where there isnt much
else to do, like riding a train, jogging, taking a bath, etc. Start visualizing yourself as a
successful, fluent English speaker and you might be surprised at the eventual results.