What if I told you that you could get better at something just by dreaming about it?
I’m talking about becoming a better athlete, a better academician, a better musician… you name it.
Okay, so it might not be quite as simple, as dreaming a dream or wishing a wish, but almost.
It sounds like magic, but I dare say that you can increase any performance- your speed, agility, strength- with just one word. So, what is it that you want to get better at?
Be specific.
I’ll use myself as an example. My goal: to become a better racquetball player; more specifically, to get good enough to beat my husband- which means I had to start by returning serves off the back wall. We got into playing racquetball while my husband attended college. He is hands down the more skilled player and beats me every time. Fast forward two kids and 3 years of not playing- we stepped into a court and bam! I beat him. He thinks I’ve been secretly been practicing all this time. On the contraire. So how did I do it?
REMINISCENCE
By definition, “reminiscence” is 1. The process of recalling past experiences, and 2. A mental impression retained and revived. Both are important to what I’m about to tell you. Reminiscence improves your performance without you putting in physical effort by drawing on your past experiences (everything you have worked, practiced, and learned) and revives it (brings it to memory).
Your mind is so powerful that by mentally practicing, you can get better.
Using all your senses, imagine yourself being the best that you can at that “thing,” be it a test, a pull-up, or even kissing. To all his own. For me, I would replay our games in my head, each time imagining hitting the ball and returning it off the back wall. I could smell the court, I could feel the racquet in my hand and the force of the swing in my shoulder; I could hear the ricochet of the ball; I could see the ball behind me with the walls and floor in my way; I could taste sweet victory. In my mind, I was a master and did it right every time. And then I imagined this over. And over. And over.
And then I slept.
In the game of improvement rest has an important role. Not only is it needed for recovery, but if you practice reminiscence, you get better when you take a break. Rest. Recover. Reminisce.
Watch the magic happen.
It has even been noted that patients who suffer injury have a faster recovery if they imagine themselves working muscles that are immobile or limited during the healing process. Wow. The mind is a powerful thing. Want results? Take my advice: hit the gym then reminisce.
