Today I’m going to answer an email from a man
who says he cannot imagine. Glue your eyes to
the screen on this one:
Dear Matthew,
My name is L and am reading The book The New Psycho-
Cybernetics.
I like it very much and want to adhere to everything –
but I have a problem. In 1992 I had an accident and
I fell on my head on concrete from 6 meters and I
lost 100 % my sense of smell, taste and I can not
imagine or visualize anything because all my front
lobe is damaged.
I have more injuries from that fall but they are not so
relevant as the above. As well I have diabeties insipidus,
my Pituary gland is damaged. I’d like to have back my
imagination.
I have dreams and can see people in them and remember some.
I’d like to ask for an advice what to do to get back my imagination,
because you write in your book about the imagination and visualization.
When I close my eyes I see only dark and as hard as I want I cannot visualize,
please help if you can.
Thank you very much.
Regards,
L
Hello L,
Thanks so much for writing. Let me begin with the obvious:
I am not a medical doctor and cannot give medical advice
on your situation. All I can do is take some mental pictures
of your words and reflect them back to you to see if something
makes sense to you. So let me begin.
In order to have written the email you sent to me you had to
imagine it first. In order to have bought the book, The New
Psycho-Cybernetics, you had to see a mental picture of
yourself doing this first. This means you had to imagine it.
I understand that when you close your eyes and try to imagine
that everything is dark and you cannot come up with anything.
Fair enough. But somehow or other you are able to do so
with your eyes open – otherwise we wouldn’t be corresponding
right now.
Moreover, your memory appears to be in good shape as you
described your condition with a fair amount of detail.
So here’s what I think you can do: Instead of closing your eyes
to imagine or visualize – keep them open. This is a valid and
powerful way to imagine. I use it often and teach it in my
coaching programs. The idea that you must close your eyes
to imagine or visualize is totally wrong. All great athletes
must imagine with eyes open. Same goes with all writers,
artists, and so on.
In fact, all people visualize and imagine with their eyes
open most of the day. Therefore, I think you’re fine.
Craft some goals for yourself on paper then read and
reread them each day with your eyes open. See what
you want. Imagine you already have it – and then watch
how your world opens to bigger and better things.
Also, make sure you send an email to my office about
getting a copy of The Trump Card – a special report I’m
putting out in a day or two.
Make it a great 2008.
Matthew “Matt” Furey
Zen Master of the Internet