In a previous discussion, the topic of what is vitality of thought was discussed. Now the subject of how to execute vitality in thought arises. After all, who doesn’t want to attain high levels of confidence in personal pursuits like career and play?

Whether you’re anguishing with free throws like my personal hero Ben Wallace, or stuck in a particularly unappealing career due to paralyzing fear from public speaking, or stuck on the dieting yo-yo, vital response means different outcomes because the physical, emotional, and mental programs—the software stored in the body and mind—have been reprogrammed in a way that produces different results.

Ingredients for Vitality in Action
Three ingredients crucial to making vital thought happen are as follows:

1. Imagination

2. Repetition

3. Instruction

Imagination forces your mind to create possibilities. To the extent that current outcomes appear normal in your mind, imagination opens pathways to create different expectations. For example, if you’re is afraid of going back to an old undesired weight after putting forth great effort to lose pounds or if you feel much frustration at the thought of your putting game, then by imagining different outcomes your baseline of expectation will gradually shift.

Of course, this newly established baseline will stand a better chance of becoming “real” with repetitive imagining. This means practicing until your goal’s attainment is as within the realm of expectation as the sun rising in the morning. Doing something over and over makes the neural pathways strong. The more a pathway is traveled the more it is likely to be traveled. It’s like practicing the piano: the more you do it the easier it becomes.

Affirmations are a familiar way to initiate and establish new viewpoints that are consistent with vital thought execution. If you’re like me, then you probably feel that affirmations are a stupid, new-age waste of time. The thing is that affirmations work by the FEELINGS they create and not the works spoken.

Therefore, if you have an affirmation like, “I maintain my perfect weight” but underneath the statement you have feelings of fear about gaining it all back… or if you’re a businessman proclaiming to yourself “I am a confident and compelling speaker,” but actually feel anger and frustration over not feeling compelling and confident at all, then the affirmation will actually backfire, proving much more than a stupid waste of time but keeping you in with the feeling you don’t want to have.

This is where proper instruction comes in.

Often when seeking to strike off into the unknown realms of vital thought we get stuck, unable to see the trees for the forest. An instructor can’t do it for you, but thay can offer suggestions, support, and encouragement on getting there. Think of a lighthouse guiding the ship through unfamiliar waters.

An instructor should provide more than pep-talks. They should also give you techniques that can help you make your journey as efficient as possible. In other words, instead of only using the pickaxe and shovel of will, you will want them to show you how your will can be efficiently applied with your imagination to pave road to vital thought execution.