Our imagination will stretch to any scenario, but people lacking in confidence
usuallyimagine themselves as failures. They do not realise that they cannot suc-
ceed at anything if they cannot imagine themselves doing so.
How you imagine yourself may bear no relation to the truth, but it is this, rather
than the reality, which governs your feelings and behaviour. Changing what you
imagine about yourself can bring about a profound growth in confidence. When
you imagineyourself as a good, capable, confident person, it becomes easier to
thinkandbehave like one.
Imagination is one of the cornerstones of the I-T-I-A Formula©. To understand
why it is so important we must consider the subconscious mind in more detail.
The mind is often compared to an iceberg, with more than 90% floating below
the surface. This hidden mass is the subconscious, a vast storehouse of thoughts,
memories and ideas.
The subconscious is always listening, watching, soaking up your experiences like
a sponge. It then acts as a kind of database to which you constantly refer for guid-
ance and support. Once your subconscious has accepted the idea that you are
confident it makes sure your thinking, feelings and behaviour are brought into
line;it makes confidence your reality.
You can talk to your subconscious, but it responds even better to mental images
and emotions. Use your wonderful imagination to build confidence, by feeling
and imagining yourself as confident until it becomes a natural part of you.
Who do you imagine
yourself to be?