Visualization techniques help originators ascend to top producer levels
By SAM GARCIA
5/7/2002

You can increase your loan originations by learning how to maintain higher levels of focus and intensity on demand. According to a recent teleconference organized by the Mortgage Bankers Association of America (MBA) entitled "Ultimate Guide to Mental Toughness," the Mark McGuires and Tiger Woods of the sports world work with sports psychologists to learn how to increase these levels.

The event was presented by moderator Dan Teitelbaum, introduced as "America's mental toughness coach." Mr. Teitelbaum, who is the author of three books including The Ultimate Guide to Mental Toughness, has developed his material over seven years and delivered it to Fortune 500 companies across America. His syndicated column, "Attitude of Steel," has been read by hundreds of thousands of people over the past few years, according to MBA.

The analogy of a computer was used to describe human thinking functions, where general awareness is the computer screen and
multiple tasks are multiple software programs. Top athletes and performers learn how to "uni-task" -- getting so focused on one goal that it's the only kind of software running in the background. By practicing certain techniques repeatedly, you can burn these skills in your brain's hard drive.

Visualize The Goal
Athletes visualize the goal, such as a baseball player visualizing a home run while practicing swings as the next batter up.

Certain triggers raise personal motivation. For instance, a new home, a higher net worth or a new sports car might be personal triggers. Business triggers include top performer recognition or establishment of new referral sources such as real estate agents and builders.

Jim Carey wrote himself a post-dated $10 million check, looking at it every day until he signed a $10 million contract for The Mask just days before the check came due.

Going a step further, instead of focusing on "being in the new house in one year," focus on the more emotional event of the housewarming party. Where is it going to happen? What is it going to look like? Who is going to be there? In business, the focus might be on accepting a performance recognition award.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was quoted as saying in 1976, "I'm planning on becoming the number one box office draw in all of Hollywood." When asked by the reporter how he would get to that point, Arnold said, "it's the same way I became Mr. Universe two years in a row. You create a vision of who you want to become, then live into that vision as if it were already true."

Top athletes move the future to present tense and make it intense, vivid and emotional. For instance, they use the words, "I am there right now" in their trigger moment. By making it this vivid, they start to more intensely feel the emotions they will feel when they finally do get there.

Additionally, picturing yourself adding hyperaction will add to the intensity because the subconscious computer is the kid you used to be.

Going a step further, find a song that pumps you up every time you hear it. Using an anchoring process, play the song each time you are triggering and having strong emotion during the next two weeks, turning it off if you're not triggering or your mind wanders. Your subconscious computer will start to associate strong emotion with the song and something magical will happen after you've practiced this 21 times; you'll own it for life. It doesn't matter what your mood is, you'll be up and focused saying, "I don't care what's happened to me today, yesterday, last week, this week. I can see my future and the person I want to become, the life I want to live."

Rejection
Dealing with rejection has to do with moving in the direction of fear -- whether it's an agent or a builder you're not used to calling on -- going for the win, getting into the fear zone and lowering your level of anxiety.

Theodore Roosevelt was cited as an example of learning how to face fear. After losing his wife and mother within 24 hours, he went to North Dakota to become a cowboy. A Harvard graduate, Roosevelt learned to become physically strong and mentally tough. He said, "at first when I moved out west there were all kinds of things that scared me, from bad men to wild horses to rattlesnakes. But by acting as if I was not afraid I gradually ceased to be afraid. I quit being afraid."

Moving in the direction that you fear automatically weakens the effect on you and strengthens your ability to perform under pressure.

Power Talking
When you talk and act as if you have absolute confidence you will achieve your goals and automatically raise your internal levels of belief, which will change everything you think and do. When you're talking to yourself, talk as if you're the most indomitable person you know -- even if you don't feel that way.

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