When I began coaching baseball in college, I would have my teams visualize for 10 minutes before practice twice a week.

The method most effective was when I would have my players find a spot of grass in the outfield and lie down in a comfortable position. I would give them a few minutes to relax and clear their head.

I would verbally walk them through game situations and ask them to use all their senses. I wanted my players to see, feel, smell, taste, and hear themselves being successful.

I’d ask them to hear the crowd cheer, smell the leather from their glove, taste the sweat on their lips, feel the thrill of the moment, and see themselves making great plays, getting big hits, and striking out hitters.

My players spent time mentally being the greatest version of themselves.

Everyone needs a mental picture of the type of person they desire to become. First, you must see it and believe it before you will achieve it.

Just recently in the Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament, Caitlin Clark of Iowa scored 41 points against Louisville leading her team to the Final Four. After the game she said, “I dreamed of this moment as a little girl, to take a team to the Final Four and be in these moments and have confetti fall down on me.”

Caitlin Clark played in the Final Four years ago in her mind. Her vision of confetti falling down on her when she was a little girl became a reality.

I have a mental picture in my mind of the type of person I want to be in 5 years. I know exactly what I want to be doing for a living, the type of vehicle I want to be driving, and even the style of house I want to be living in.

I try to spend a little time every day reminding myself of the “future me” tucked away in my head. Somedays the vision is blurry, and I have to hit the believe button by leaning on God’s promises in Jeremiah 29:11 to get it back in focus.

In some areas of my life, I am doing exactly what I told my “5 year ago self” I would be doing. However, I am not completely where I want to be, so I continue to grind and visualize myself doing the things I have yet to do.

If you don’t visualize winning those championships, building that dream home, landing that job, buying that land, going on that trip, overcoming that challenge, learning that skill, etc. then you never will.

Just like artists before they put brush to canvas, they have a vision in their mind of what they intend to create, and every stroke has a purpose. Our lives are no different, every day we are painting our “future self “ by what we say and do, so why not paint a masterpiece?

I want a celebratory future and to be able look back and be satisfied of the life I created.

My Granddad put it this way, “If you aim for nothing, you’re bound to hit it.”

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Todd Howey is a columnist for BrownwoodNews.com whose articles appear on Fridays