Can you complete a marathon just by imagining it? Is it possible to lose weight by thinking about it? If you dream of recovering from a sports injury, can it really come true?

Goals like these may seem beyond your reach. But you have the power to make them happen! A technique called creative visualization uses your imagination to help make dreams a reality.

Thoughts shape our life by influencing the choices we make. In creative visualization, you imagine your goal as if you already accomplished it. Once you imagine what it feels like to achieve your goal, it sets in motion the actions needed to create that reality.

Creative visualization was made popular by author Shakti Gawain. In her book (pictured above), she describes several mental strategies to help you achieve your goals.

How to Use Creative Visualization

To do a simple exercise in creative visualization, sit quietly and comfortably with your eyes closed. Start by stating your goal to yourself a few times so that it's clear in your thoughts. Then, imagine that you've already achieved that goal, and visualize every detail about it. What does it feel like? Where are you? What are people saying to you? What do you look like in a mirror?

Visualization in Sports

Successful athletes harness the power of visualization. Winners have an edge over their competition because they are mentally prepared to win.

Basketball legend Jerry West, whose silhouette is used in the NBA logo, had such a penchant for hitting buzzer-beaters, he was nicknamed 'Mr. Clutch.' When asked about his ability hit the big shot, West revealed that he had already made those shots time after time in his mind.

To prepare for a game or competition, athletes mentally rehearse what it takes to produce a desired outcome. Amazingly, research has revealed that visualization can enhance performance to nearly the same extent as physical practice.

When we achieve our goals, the sense of accomplishment is one of the most fulfilling experiences we can have. But success isn't possible without first having a winning attitude. Whatever your fitness goal--losing fat, improving sports performance, or just getting healthy--you need to think like a winner.

As a personal trainer, I help motivate my clients to achieve their goals by identifying the steps to getting results. Clients who navigate that path effectively have a winning attitude. I'd like to share some common traits from people who have found success.

What Makes a Winner?

Winners make it look easy. They've discovered how to take the most direct route from a dream to victory. Winners aren't easily distracted. It's as if they barely see obstacles in their path. For example, successful people who have an injury are able to switch gears to another activity to keep on track.

A few years ago, I saw a winner in action while at a friend's birthday party. One of the guests excused himself to the kitchen to heat up a plate of grilled chicken and broccoli. He said he didn't want the junk food at the party to sabotage his fat-loss goal, so he brought his own healthy food.

Winners feel they deserve to win. They don't listen to negative thoughts. Instead, they focus on their strengths and exploit them. For instance, when I've won sports competitions, I believed I was the best, and knew I'd win even before the event began.

Winning Strategies to Achieve Your Goal

To achieve your fitness goal, adopt these strategies that winners use:

• Think about the possibilities in the future, not the regrets of the past
• Believe you deserve to achieve your goal
• Visualize your goal and imagine every detail of how it feels to achieve it
• Plan your route with baby steps and keep moving forward
• Surround yourself with positive people who support your fitness goal
• Find a coach or mentor and get the resources you need
• Don't be thrown off course by small setbacks
• Take pride in being different--and better--than everyone else
• Spend more time taking action and less time thinking about taking action
• Don't hold back--give everything you have to give
• Don't settle with mediocrity
• Exploit your strengths
• Make sure your actions support your goal instead of sabotaging it
• Find joy in success

As a personal trainer, I help motivate my clients to achieve their fitness goals. I'd like to share some common traits from clients who succeed by setting realistic goals, then taking steps to reach them.

Start with a Winning Attitude

If you feel trapped in an unbearable situation and want to change, realize you have the power to change. You make choices every day, and you can always make different choices. Believe in yourself and the power you have!

Set Specific Goals

To achieve your goal, first clearly define it. Your goal might be to "lose weight," but this is too general and needs to be refined into specific behavior changes that are necessary to lose weight. Examples of specific goals:

"I will eliminate 150 calories a day from my food intake for the next month."

"I will perform 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week for the next two months."

"I will pack a healthy lunch instead of eating fast food twice a week for the next three weeks."

Record Your Progress

Keeping a record of your eating, exercising, and behavior habits will allow you to periodically evaluate how well you are progressing toward your goals. This way, you can document your rate of change and add a sense of accomplishment.

Be Action Oriented

When you set goals, it's not enough to just think or talk about making changes. Achieving your goals involves action. Focus on specific steps that move you toward your goal. Don't waste energy just thinking about your goals any more!

Be Realistic

If your goals aren't realistic, you'll set yourself up for failure. Long-term goals are achieved by reaching numerous short-term goals. You'll gain confidence as you take baby steps. Setting goals which require drastic reductions in food or increases in time exercising will ultimately result in failure.

Set a Time Frame

Setting a specific time frame can help motivate you and sets the stage for readjusting or setting new goals. A series of timed, short-term goals can serve as stepping stones to the long-term goal.

Do you have a friend who might benefit from beginning a fitness program with me? If so, I'll give you the opportunity to earn free training sessions for yourself.

Here's the deal . . . I'll give you a free training session for each new client you refer to me. To qualify, the new client must schedule a package of 10 sessions.

I appreciate your referrals! If you'd like me to contact your friend, call me at 202-232-1773 or email me at steven@stevenreichert.com