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Visualization has a reputation for being a difficult skill to master. It’s commonly thought of as something you either have a natural knack for, or you don’t. It’s restrictive and rarely helpful if you don’t have the right visualization tools at your disposal. And it can feel like an esoteric topic that most people won’t understand unless they spend weeks poring over articles and conference talks on the subject. This isn't necessarily true, though. The majority of challenges people associate with visualization are actually caused by the things we tend to struggle with instead – lack of training, awkward subject matter or complex problems that aren't easily broken down into smaller pieces. Even so, there are many ways to overcome those challenges and make effective use of visualization in your work more often. Let's take a look at several self-care strategies that can help you get over any obstacles and start using visualization in your everyday life.
Train in visualization
One of the most common reasons people don’t know how to use visualization effectively is that they try to use it before they’ve been trained on it. Often, visualization is presented as a quick, easy solution for all types of problems. But without any training or experience, it can feel like a big failure – and you may not even know why. This can lead to people limiting their use of visualization to very specific circumstances and never expanding their understanding of what visualization can do.
In order to use visualization effectively, you need to be trained in its strengths and weaknesses. You also need to know when and how to use it, based on each situation. If you don’t have this knowledge, you may be better off using another approach.
Be aware of your surroundings
Before you start trying to visualize your ideal end-state, take a moment to step back and get a sense of where you are right now.
You may be surprised at how much you can learn by simply paying attention. If visualization is new to you, you may be surprised to discover that most of what you don’t know is right in front of you. Visualization is a form of creative problem-solving. But like every other form of creativity, you’re better off not letting yourself get too caught up in showing off or “messing around.” You’re here to solve problems, not create artwork. If you get distracted from this goal, you may miss some really important details (ie: what people are saying, what’s important about the problem at hand, and how other people are feeling about the topic). When you’re stuck on a visualization problem, try turning off the music and trying to pay more attention to the people around you. If you can, try to step outside the bubble of your current problem and get a sense of what others are feeling about your work and the topic you’re working on.
This can give you valuable insight into what’s important, what people are feeling and what they’re saying.
Understand what’s important before you dive in
A crucial aspect of visualization is that it’s a process, not an end-result. In addition to being trained in visualization, it’s important to know what you’re getting yourself into. Sometimes, visualization is presented as a quick, easy solution to a problem. But you shouldn’t pursue visualization just because someone else says it can do something. You have to understand the problem you’re trying to solve, and what your visualization process is actually like.
Why is visualization a helpful tool for solving problems? Visualization allows you to simulate how a system works, and what might happen if you change the underlying conditions of the system. It’s like a model for the system – it looks at the system as a whole, and not in small parts.
Simulating the system’s behavior can help you see how the system works and how it might respond to any changes you make.
Be willing to iterate and abandon projects
Some visualization challenges are caused by a lack of training. Some are caused by a lack of experience. And some are just an inherent part of the process of solving a problem. While visualization can be a very helpful and powerful tool, it’s also a series of knowledge-building challenges.
You may have a great visualization idea that you think will solve your end-state challenges. You may have spent hours building it and iterating on it. But you may find that when you try to use it, it just doesn’t have enough power to solve your problems.
When you’re trying to use visualization, you have to be willing to abandon projects and start over.
Visualizing a great solution to a problem may sound great in theory. But as you start to use visualization, you may notice that it just doesn’t have enough power to solve your problems – and you may have to abandon it entirely and start over.
If you’re stuck on a visualization problem, try turning off the music and trying to step outside the bubble of your current problem and get a sense of what others are feeling about your work and the topic you’re working on. This can give you valuable insight into what’s important, what people are feeling and what they’re saying.
Embrace the uncertainty and be prepared for change
You may have to abandon projects in order to use visualization more effectively. This isn’t a problem, and it’s actually a great thing. After all, you’ll be forced to abandon your current way of thinking and build a new mental model that works better for what you need to do.
This may feel like a scary process. You may be afraid of how your work will look and feel if you make these changes. And you may be afraid of how your team will react to a person who just changed their way of working.
All of these fears are completely normal. They’re also completely unfounded. No one will get angry at you, and very few people will even notice.
When you’re trying to use visualization, you have to be willing to embrace uncertainty and be prepared for change. Visualizing a great solution to a problem may sound great in theory. But as you start to use visualization, you may notice that it just doesn’t work. You may even have to abandon it completely and start over.
When you’re stuck on a visualization problem, try turning off the music and trying to step outside the bubble of your current problem and get a sense of what others are feeling about your work and the topic you’re working on.
This can give you valuable insight into what’s important, what people are feeling and what they’re saying.
Conclusion
Visualization has a reputation for being a difficult skill to master. It’s commonly thought of as something you either have a natural knack for, or you don’t. It’s restrictive and rarely helpful if you don’t have the right visualization tools at your disposal.
This isn’t necessarily true, though. The majority of challenges people associate with visualization are actually caused by the things we tend to struggle with instead – lack of training, awkward subject matter or complex problems that aren't easily broken down into smaller pieces. Visualization may seem like a complex topic, but there are many ways to overcome those challenges and make effective use of visualization in your work more often.
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