Thank Goodness It's Finished...Fridays!

There is a "tool" that successful business men and
several famous athletes use...
that quilters could use to get their projects
FINISHED!!

(yep...this is my finished March project)

This "tool" is called
 visualization...

Many athletes and successful businessmen

use this technique.  

...And, it can be used to help us

 finish our projects...

In simple terms, visualization is creating a

mental image

of what you would like to see happen.
Would we LIKE to see our projects FINISHED?
yep, yep, yep...

Can I give you an example...?

A basketball player visualizes

himself standing at the free throw line shooting baskets.


 

In his mind, he sees himself making the basket every time...

...maybe making a hundred baskets in a row! 
The athlete uses as many senses as possible
 during his visualization.  He sees it...

feels it.. and even hears the audience cheering

 his "perfect" shooting skills.

"Good for the basketball player!" you say...
"But, how does that translate to a

to a finished quilt for me???

First, I believe, that you can't call projects in progress...

UNfinished...

IN PROGRESS...is a more positive description

next...
PRACTICE ...visualizing...
(for best results...practice in a quiet place)

1) Take a simple (maybe family?) photo and for about
30-60 seconds try to

look at as many details as possible.

2) Now, close your eyes and "visualize" the photo

with as many details as possible.

3) Open your eyes to see what you might have missed

when your eyes were closed. 

4) Close your eyes again...visualize...30-60 seconds

5) Repeat these steps until you see the photo with your

 eyes closed...
exactly as you see with them open.

But..you say...
"I STILL don't see how this is 

going to help ME to get MY projects finished!

Well.. please, follow me here?...see what you think...yep...

literally... SEE what you THINK... 

1)  Do you have a completed picture of a particular PIP?
Maybe you have the pattern or a drawing?

If the picture is different colors than the

one you are making...
you need to visualize the pattern in

YOUR colors...your fabrics

2)  It's best to visualize right before you start to fall sleep... or
just as you begin to wake in the morning...
These are most productive times to visualize...Not,

that you can't visualize at other times, but,
 it's important to be in a quiet place.

    3)  Visualize with as much detail as possible.  See yourself...
IN your sewing area...

What time of day? Is sun coming in the windows?
What do you hear?...Is your radio on or tv?

See your project...is it on a design wall?...

or laying on your cutting mat?  Are you sewing?...

 cutting? get out your rotary cutter if you need it
....you get the idea..

4)   Visualizing is a sort of mental rehearsal. 
It helps the mind and body

become more skilled... feel more

 comfortable performing tasks. 
Being comfortable with a task builds confidence.

In turn, that confidence creates stronger belief
 in one's ability...
... to finish a project.

I have just recently tried visualization...

I really didn't think it would do much.
To my surprise it did help me to finish the PIPs
I focused visualizing about.  

 I do most of my visualizing right before
I fall asleep at night. Lights are out...it's quiet.

If I "rehearse" what I want to work on...
it seems the actual cutting, sewing, etc....
 go much more smoothly and considerably faster!

When , I make mistakes or there are glitches
in the process... 

I have already visualized the project finished. 
That visual... keeps me from quitting...
quitting in the middle of progress.

I would LUV to hear any and all opinions!

Have you ever tried something like this

before?  Do you know of anyone

that has used visualization to

bring about success...?

Stay tuned for another TGIF...Friday post
later today...

It will include this week's
 pictures for FYPC...March.