Does visualization work for clients? Visualizing a goal can feel good in the moment, but on its own it may not get your clients there. There is some research that suggests positive visualization alone can actually backfire, because picturing the goal starts to feel like enough. If a client can’t picture a better future, start by asking what’s blocking the view.
This was a Q&A episode of Not Another Mindset Show, with questions pulled straight from listeners through my question form and my Instagram stories. I don’t over-prepare for these, because the whole point is a more off-the-cuff conversation where we’re just hanging out.
If you’re a health or fitness coach with a client who can’t see themselves reaching their goals, or you’ve wondered whether visualization can actually work for your clients, this one’s for you.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- Why positive visualization on its own can backfire
- The question to ask when a client says they can’t picture a better future
- How to praise effort instead of ability
- Why choice matters so much for long-term behavior change
- The fixed mindset belief I’ve struggled with most, and how I talk myself through it
Can Positive Visualization Backfire?
Visualization can feel great, but there’s a big difference between picturing a goal and actually doing the thing. There is some research that suggests positive visualization alone can actually backfire.
Being able to picture a positive outcome feels good in the moment. It’s relaxing, and you can see your future so clearly with all of these changes and achievements.
The problem is that when you feel so good about thinking through your goals, and what it would take to get there, that almost becomes enough. Your brain gets the itch scratched and decides you don’t actually have to do the thing.
If you listened to my vision board episode, a lot of this will sound familiar.
How to Help Clients Who Can’t Visualize Their Goals
Often it’s not that a client can’t visualize a better future, it’s that they don’t see a world where it could be possible for them, so they won’t even allow themselves to picture it. The best first step is to ask them why.
That’s the first place my brain goes with this question. Can they really not see a future where they achieve their goals, where things look different and they’re happier and healthier? Or do they have so little self-belief that they won’t let themselves go there?
If it’s the second one, that’s kind of enemy number one. When someone has no ability to say “I could see myself being this person,” you have to work on that part first, otherwise they will likely never get there.
So if a client says, “I can’t see it, I don’t even see how that would ever be possible for me,” I’d literally just ask them why. What’s blocking the view? There’s no reason they shouldn’t be able to picture it, because visualization doesn’t require them to do anything yet. Your job is to better understand what the block is.
How Should Coaches Praise Clients for a Growth Mindset?
Praise effort, dedication, and hard work instead of innate ability.
This question actually came in about parenting. I’m not a parent, but my dissertation was a program I built for kids ages 8 to 12, deployed in childhood obesity clinics, to help cultivate more of a growth mindset around eating behaviors. A lot of this carries straight over to how we talk to clients.
Saying “you’re so strong” or “you’re so talented” isn’t very supportive from a mindset perspective, because you’re praising what feels like innate ability, as if they just are strong or just are talented.
Compare that to something like, “You put so much effort into this, and it’s so cool to see how much you’ve achieved because of how hard you’ve been working.” That tells them they did this, because of the time and energy and effort they put into it.
Why Does Choice Matter So Much in Behavior Change?
When people feel like they’re being made to do something, it’s coming from a controlled place, and they’re so much less likely to actually do it, especially long-term.
Just like with clients and coaching, we don’t want to make people do things. Offering a few options lands very differently than telling someone they have to do one specific thing, because it lets them feel like they’re the one making the decision.
A question I’d ask yourself is, “How can I make this feel like it’s their choice, where they get a say in the matter?” You can still guide them and nudge them toward the healthier decision while it stays their decision.
Do Mindset Coaches Struggle With a Fixed Mindset Too?
Absolutely. Spending my days knee-deep in behavior change and psychology research does not make me immune to the old fixed mindset game.
A big one for me has been the belief that I will never be taken as seriously as other people in my industry. At its core, that comes down to a fear that I’m not good enough.
So I do what I’d ask anyone to do and look at where it’s coming from. I went straight from undergrad into my PhD program in psychology at NC State, and I was the youngest in my program, often by many years. Many of my classmates had master’s degrees and industry experience, and I immediately felt like a small fish in a big pond.
The evidence against that belief was right there, though. They wouldn’t have brought me into the program if they didn’t think I could handle it.
I’ve also gotten plenty of comments on paid ads from people who don’t know me, saying things like a piece of paper doesn’t make you an expert. These days I mostly use that as fuel. Oh, you think you can underestimate me? That’s cute. Have a seat.
Key Takeaways
- Visualization on its own may not work for clients, because some research suggests positive visualization alone can backfire when picturing the goal starts to feel like enough.
- When a client can’t visualize a better future, the real issue is often that they don’t believe it’s possible for them.
- The best first question for a stuck client is simply why, meaning what’s blocking the view.
- Praising effort and hard work supports a growth mindset more than praising innate ability.
- People are much less likely to stick with a behavior long-term when they feel forced into it.
- Even mindset professionals deal with fixed mindset beliefs, and the work is looking at the evidence for and against them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Visualizing a positive outcome can feel good in the moment, but there’s a big difference between picturing it and doing it. Some research suggests positive visualization alone can backfire, because it starts to feel like enough.
Yes. Spending my days in behavior change research doesn’t make me immune to the old fixed mindset game. What helps is looking at where a belief is coming from and the evidence that goes against it.
Praise their effort, dedication, and hard work instead of traits like being strong or talented. That way the result is tied to what they did, not who they supposedly are.
Make the decision feel like theirs. When people feel forced, they’re much less likely to follow through long-term, so offer choices while still nudging them toward the healthier option.
Next time a client tells you they can’t see it, ask them why and really listen to what comes back.
Links & Resources
[NEW FREE GUIDE]: Best Questions for More Clients and More Sales Conversions
Health Mindset Coaching Certification
Follow Dr. Kasey Jo on Instagram: @drkaseyjo
AUTHOR BIO
Dr. Kasey Jo Orvidas, PhD is a published mindset and health behavior change researcher with over a decade of health and fitness coaching experience. She is the founder of the mindset and behavior change coaching program: The Health Mindset Coaching Certification.
