Visualization is such a great practice to get into the habit of doing consistently. When you can visualize an outcome, you are developing the habit of beginning with the end in mind. Years ago, when I set the lofty goal of owning and operating my retreat center, I used this specific practice to imagine my future vividly - and then I wrote out every detail.

When I created this goal, I didn’t have a location for the retreat center. I didn’t have the capital or resources to purchase the facility. I didn’t have a marketing plan to attract clients to the facility. I didn’t have the curriculum developed for the program that I would instruct there. I didn’t even have the team members in place to staff the program or the center itself...

What I did have was an essential resource for my dream to one day become a reality - a visualization of what I wanted to accomplish.

When I closed my eyes, I could vividly picture what the facility looked like, and I could hear the sounds of the vehicles entering the property on a long tree-lined driveway. I could also hear the sounds of teams in the fields participating in team building activities. I had a distinct moment of clarity when I imagined hearing the “Level 10” and “We are One” mantras, echoing off of the mountains in the distance.

When you conceive a goal or dream in your mind’s eye – when you believe in it, with your heart and mind – when you think about it, as if it’s already real – you will achieve what you have visualized.

Now, here’s the amazing thing. Fifteen years after I began to visualize that amazing goal, I actually purchased the property known today, as The Level 10 Retreat Center in Wildwood, Georgia. What’s inspiring about the story is that the property features everything that I had written out years earlier. I visualized the exact outcome for nearly 15 years. What I conceived and believed, was what I ultimately achieved. Here’s the list of things that I had visualized:

A minimum of 50 Acres of rolling pastures
The property would be surrounded by mountains as a backdrop
A beautiful antebellum home would be used as a guest lodge
A long winding drive lined by trees would welcome our guests
A mountain creek winding through the property would add to the serenity and provide a place for deep reflection
A 12,000 square feet educational facility to conduct our high-intensity events would look out on the mountain
A pavilion deck for team building would have a view of the rolling fields
Volleyball courts would be added for team building events
A barn and riding arena would already be on the property
Horses in the pasture to add to the experience

If you were to come to the Level 10 campus today, it would give you chills,because everything I had written down, before I saw the facility, is exactly as I wrote it. Little did I know when I visualized my retreat center and wrote out this massive dream of mine at Covenant College while attending a seminar, the property I'd eventually purchase was right below me! To make things even weirder, the highway that takes you to the facility is called Cummings Highway.

Here’s the lesson. When you want something badly enough and if you have total faith in your dreams... you will attract the people and the resources that you need if you are simply willing to trust in God's sense of timing. You must believe in your dream even when things seem impossible, and you must be able to see and visualize your goals as if they were already real.

So, what big dreams and goals are you going to begin to visualize for yourself today? When you do, just remember this quote:

“Make no little plans; for they have no magic to stir men’s blood.
”

— Daniel Burnham

Not sure where to start your visualization process? If you'd like help creating a five-year plan designed to help you get everything you want out of life - you'd love the Visualization Toolkit. This dynamic toolkit will help you to create a visual representation of all of your goals to give you the clarity, accountability, and daily motivation that you need to pursue your biggest dreams with passion.

If you enjoyed this article, and want to receive more stories from me, you can join my newsletter here . Find out about Paul Cummings University demos here.