How to Use the Magic of Mental Contrasting to Achieve Your Goals
That new-goal feelingâŚItâs pretty good, right?
You're pumped, ready to dive in, and then, reality sinks in:
â ď¸ The single goal you set is actually, like, five goals
â ď¸ Every time you start, you get side-tracked by the last goal you set
â ď¸ âŚWhen are you going to have time to do this, anyway?
Motivation wanes, triggering a negative feedback loop that prevents you from picking yourself up and trying again. Eventually, you find yourself with yet another half-baked project weighing on your conscience - and maybe even the depressing wish that you never tried in the first place.
There is a better way with mental contrasting, a scientifically backed visualization technique that is proven to boost your chances of success when setting goals.
Mental contrasting ensures that your goals aren't just castles in the sky, but attainable milestones grounded in your actual situation.
Whether you're eyeing a promotion, aiming to master a new skill, or just looking to make your daily to-do list more achievable, mental contrasting can help bridge the gap between where you are right now and where you want to be.
Keep reading to find out how.
What Is Mental Contrasting?
Mental contrasting is a type of visualization technique that can help you achieve your goals by combining positive visualization with practical evaluation. Mental contrasting can help you to avoid setting unrealistic goals and boost your motivation to overcome challenges.
Let's say your goal is to become a skilled guitarist. In the first step of mental contrasting, you can close your eyes and imagine yourself on stage, playing your favorite songs, feeling the applause from an excited audience, and experiencing the thrill of musical accomplishment.
After this, you move on to the second step, which is contrasting. You open your eyes and take an honest look at your current situation. Maybe you realize that you haven't been practicing consistently, and there's a lack of structured learning. Recognizing these challenges is like tuning into the reality that some work must be done.
In simple terms, mental contrasting combines positive visualization with a practical look at the challenges, helping you set realistic goals and boost your motivation to overcome personal obstacles.
Why Does Mental Contrasting Work?
Mental contrasting works by harnessing the motivational power of positive visualization and coupling it with a realistic acknowledgment of obstacles. When paired with the strategic implementation intentions, the technique is known as Mental Contrasting with Implementation Intentions (âMCIIâ). MCII is highly effective in transforming your goals into reality. It's not just wishful thinking; it's a practical roadmap that empowers you to navigate challenges and triumphantly reach your aspirations.
The science backs this up: A study from a 2021 Social Psychology Bulletin delved into the effectiveness of MCII, proving that it is indeed a potent strategy for goal attainment. š In line with results from previous studies, the research highlighted the positive impact of mental contrasting with implementation intentions on enhancing goal pursuit and achieving desired outcomes.
Setting the intention to accomplish a goal alone isn't always enough to boost your chances of success. You need a plan. The most effective plan specifies exactly when, where, and how your actions will lead to goal achievement - and this is where implementation intentions come into play.
Implementation intentions bridge the gap between intention and action. They're like a detailed script for your journey, guiding you on what to do when faced with specific situations.
So, the next time you set a goal, consider employing mental contrasting with implementation intentions as a powerful combination to enhance your path to success.
Visualization As A Technique for Changing Behavior
There are various methods to plan and achieve your goals such as goal setting, autonomous planning, and solution-focused planning. However, two scientific studies have shown that careful planning alone may not be enough to secure your chances of success. ²
Visualization techniques (including mental contrasting) can support behavioral changes. Visualization typically involves creating a vivid mental image of yourself achieving a desired outcome. You imagine the benefits of reaching your goal and think about potential roadblocks.
If this sounds a lot like daydreaming to you, you are probably underestimating the power of an image to promote goal-directed behavior.
Creating a sustained mental image is actually quite challenging - itâs the equivalent of cognitive workout. Visualization works by activating the brain in a way that simulates the actual experience of achieving a goal.
When you vividly picture yourself successfully completing a task or overcoming a challenge, the brain engages similar neural pathways as it would during the real accomplishment.
Isnât this amazing?
This mental rehearsal not only strengthens the neural connections associated with the desired behavior, but also boosts motivation and self-confidence.
Mental contrasting is just one of many visualization techniques that work in this way, including guided imagery and hypnosis. Both guided imagery and hypnosis leverage the power of mental imagery to influence thoughts, emotions, and, ultimately, behavior.
Visualization techniques are a powerful tool to incorporate into your goal-setting and behavior-change efforts that can significantly contribute to achieving positive and lasting outcomes.
Mental contrasting is more effective than many other visualization techniques because it considers potential obstacles in the image of success.
The Benefits of Mental Contrasting
Mental contrasting is a game-changer for achieving your goals. By vividly envisioning your desired future situation and acknowledging potential obstacles, it transforms mere aspirations into actionable plans. This dual process strengthens your commitment and ignites a powerful motivational drive. The contrasting of future possibilities allows for a more nuanced understanding of one's aspirations and challenges. Unlike traditional goal-setting, mental contrasting propels you to confront challenges head-on, fostering a proactive mindset that enhances your chances of success.
But thereâs more to mental contrasting than just goal setting. Here are some of the most notable benefits of visualization and mental contrasting.
Re-frames reality in terms of your goal: A pair of studies by Andreas Kappes and team, mental contrasting emerged as a game-changer in goal pursuit. Âł In line with results from previous studies, when different types of people used it and believed strongly in their success, it made them see the challenges as obstacles to overcome. It's like realizing a big party on Saturday could clash with finishing your assignment, making it feel like a hurdle to overcome. On the flip side, if someone didn't expect much success, mental contrasting had a different effect. It made them view the challenges less like obstacles, triggering a negative feedback loop between failing to work toward the goal and maintaining motivation. In our party example, it's like deciding, "I probably won't finish the assignment anyway, so let's enjoy the party." Study after study shows mental contrasting doesn't just help you plan; it changes how you see the challenges.
Regulates anxiety and reduces stress: Mental contrasting isn't just about envisioning positive outcomes; it also has a powerful impact when applied to negative scenarios. In two positive psychology experiments led by Gunnar Brodersen and Gabriele Oettingen, participants were asked to mentally contrast a negative future situation, like a potential bacterial epidemic or a personal negative event, with a positive present reality. â´ Surprisingly, those who engaged in this mental exercise experienced less stress levels and state anxiety compared to participants who only imagined the negative future outcomes or used the reverse contrasting technique.Additionally, participants who elaborated on the positive aspects of their current reality also reported lower levels of state anxiety. These findings highlight the unique benefit of mental contrasting in alleviating disproportionate anxiety related to negative future outcomes.
Improves self-awareness: Mental contrasting acts as a mirror, reflecting a deeper understanding of yourself and your aspirations. As you engage in this positive visualization procedure and obstacle identification process, you gain valuable insights into your desires, strengths, and potential stumbling blocks. This allows you to work on your Self-Regulation strategies. In goal setting, self-accountability is key. Heightened self-awareness and Self-Regulation strategies become a compass, guiding you on a more intentional and fulfilling path toward your goals.
Builds a resilient, adaptable mindset: Mental contrasting is a resilience-building exercise in disguise. By training your mind to view largest obstacles as stepping stones rather than roadblocks, it fosters a resilient mindset. This approach not only boosts your ability to overcome challenges but also cultivates a positive outlook on setbacks, turning them into opportunities for growth and learning.
Alternatives to Mental Contrasting for Setting and Achieving Goals
There are many different methods out there that claim to be the single most effective way to achieve your goals. The truth is that different methods work better for different people. Here are a couple of alternative goal-setting methods to mental contrasting, including pros and cons:
Mental Contrasting Vs. Planning
Research suggests that the efficacy of mental contrasting can surpass that of planning alone. While planning provides a structured roadmap, mental contrasting adds a layer of motivation by addressing challenges and boosting commitment. However, relying solely on planning techniques have some known weak points:
Plans may encounter unforeseen obstacles, leading to frustration and a potential loss of motivation.
Excessive planning might create a rigid mindset, hindering adaptability to changing circumstances.
A plan may lack emotional resonance, potentially reducing the drive to overcome challenges.
While planning is valuable, combining it with mental contrasting could offer a more comprehensive and emotionally resonant strategy for effective goal pursuit. Hereâs what youâre missing from planning instead of using mental contrasting to achieve your goals.
Lack of Personal Connection: Relying solely on planning has a significant drawback. It may not consider personal values and desires deeply. Planning usually focuses on practical aspects such as timelines and tasks, but it may overlook emotional and intrinsic aspects that mean something to an individual. In contrast, mental contrasting emphasizes envisioning a positive-future visualization and connecting with personal aspirations. This brings a deeper sense of self-awareness to the goal-setting process, making the pursuit more meaningful and aligned with individual values.
Difficulty in Adversity: Relying solely on planning can have its downsides, especially during challenging times. Plans are usually created assuming everything will go smoothly, but real-life can be unpredictable and deviate from the original plan. When faced with adversity, individuals who rigidly follow a plan may struggle to adapt, leading to frustration and a lack of motivation. On the other hand, mental contrasting acknowledges potential obstacles and equips different types of people with a resilient mindset, preparing them to face difficulties and persevere in achieving their goals.
Limited Adaptability: Along the same line, relying solely on planning can limit your ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Life is dynamic, and unexpected opportunities or obstacles can arise, requiring adjustments to your initial plan. For instance, if not done mindfully, the resolutions you set in January might be pointless in September. This is where mental contrasting comes in. By encouraging a dynamic interplay between envisioning success and identifying obstacles, mental contrasting promotes adaptability and flexibility. This means that you can reassess your goals, rethink them if they are unattainable to reasonable goals, tweak your plans, and seize new opportunities that align with your aspirations. Ultimately, this approach leads to a more responsive and effective pursuit of your goals.
Mental Contrasting Vs. Positive Thinking
The power of positive thinking has a strong hold on Western culture and individualist cultures. The idea that you can achieve success simply through the will of can-do attitude alone is compelling, but critics argue that positive thinking alone cannot lead to tangible results without a solid foundation.
While positive thinking may give you the confidence to pursue your dreams, it overlooks essential elements of planning, realistic assessment, and strategic approaches. Without these, positive thinking can create a gap between aspirations and actual reality. With mental contrasting, however, you can visualize your success while being mindful of potential challenges.
Manifestation: Manifestation is a popular concept that revolves around the idea of positive thinking. It emphasizes the significance of our thoughts and beliefs in shaping our challenging reality. The process involves visualizing and affirming desired outcomes to attract them into our lives. While proponents of positive thinking swear by the manifestation process, critics argue that it might oversimplify the complexities and variance in goal commitment.
Affirmations: Affirmations are statements that are repeated to reinforce a positive mindset or belief. People use them to promote optimism and concentration. However, affirmations alone may have limited effectiveness. Mental contrasting suggests combining positive-future visualization with a practical assessment of potential obstacles of reality can produce more robust results.
Vision Board Creation: Another popular positive thinking technique involves the creation of a vision board. You might compile images, words, and symbols representing, for example, your health-related goals or aspirations on a physical or digital board. The idea is that regularly viewing the vision board reinforces positive thinking, aligns the subconscious mind with desired outcomes, and fosters a sense of motivation. While vision boards can be visually inspiring, experts argue their effectiveness may be limited without complementary effective strategies for addressing potential challenges.
No matter which positive thinking method you choose, they all have some drawbacks. Understanding these limitations is essential for a more balanced approach to personal development. Here are a few of the major drawbacks of positive thinking techniques:
Overly Optimistic Bias: Positive thinking may lead to an overly optimistic bias, where you focus solely on the desired outcomes, potentially overlooking realistic obstacles.
Lack of Actionable Plans: Positive thinking often emphasizes the power of belief without necessarily translating it into actionable plans.
Limited Resilience: Relying solely on positive thinking may result in a lack of resilience when faced with challenges, leading to procrastination or burnout.
How to Achieve Your Goals Using Mental Contrasting
Achieving your goals demands a strategic and intentional approach, and mental contrasting provides a robust framework to guide your path. Let's explore each step, accompanied by reflective questions to get to work on your own reasonable goals and examples to enhance clarity:
Step 1: Define Your Outcome
Begin by precisely defining what you wish to achieve with mental contrasting. Youâll need to differentiate between goals and outcomes here.
The first step in mental contrasting is to define the specific outcome that you wish to achieve.
Itâs likely that you already have a long list of short-, medium-, and long-term goals in mind when you begin. But in order to get the most out of mental contrasting, youâll need to zero in on a very specific outcome that you can clearly visualize. Review the full process of setting achievable goals to make sure youâre starting out on the right foot to define outcomes, and then focus in on one goal that is most important to you right now. From there, identify a specific action and timeframe that will move you toward achieving your goal.
For example, if your ultimate goal is to run a 10K next month, one outcome could be running for 60 minutes every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 7:00.
Step 2: Envision Success
Once your goals are clearly defined, immerse yourself in the positive-future visualization of success. Picture the positive outcomes associated with accomplishing your health-related goals. Imagine the details of what your ideal performance looks, feels, and even sounds like. Visualize yourself with increased energy, improved overall health, and a sense of accomplishment after consistent adherence to your exercise activity and dieting goals. This mental imagery helps reinforce your regulation of commitment and sets a positive tone for your journey.
Picture yourself enjoying physical activities effortlessly, whether it's a brisk morning jog, a yoga session, or engaging in activities with friends and family. Success in your fitness journey is about reaching dieting goals and enhancing your overall well-being and embracing a more active and fulfilling lifestyle.
To help yourself envision success clearly, reflect on:
What specific benefits do you associate with the successful achievement of your goals?
How would your life improve, and how would you feel?
Step 3: Identify Obstacles
Anticipate potential obstacles that may stand in the way of your goals. What challenges might arise during your commitment to goals? Recognize potential hurdles such as time constraints, external commitments, or internal resistance to change. Identifying these obstacles is crucial for developing a strategic plan to overcome them and stay on course.
You might identify a busy work schedule as a potential obstacle. Anticipation of challenges that might arise allows you to plan your workouts during less hectic times or explore shorter, high-intensity routines.
When identifying potential obstacles to your success, ask yourself:
What are the most likely obstacles or challenges that could hinder your progress toward achieving your envisioned success?
How can you foresee and address these challenges proactively?
Step 4: Connect Obstacles to Actions
Once you've identified obstacles, connect them to actionable steps. How can you proactively address and overcome the obstacles you've recognized? Creating a direct link between obstacles and actionable solutions enhances your problem-solving approach.
If time constraints are a challenge, consider planning specific workout sessions during less busy periods or breaking them into shorter, more manageable intervals throughout the day. This could involve dedicating specific time slots in your calendar, prioritizing physical activity as an essential part of your routine.
When considering how to link obstacles with concrete actions, reflect on:
What specific actions or adjustments can you make to mitigate the impact of the obstacles you've identified?
How will you turn challenges into opportunities for growth?
Step 5: Implement with Intentions
Now that you have a plan in place, it's time to execute it with precision using implementation intentions. Define the specific conditions under which you will carry out the actions outlined in the previous step. Formulate implementation intentions, such as, "If it's a weekday morning, then I will engage in a 30-minute workout before starting my workday." These intentional effective strategies solidify your commitment and increase your chances of successfully navigating some of the biggest challenges on your journey.
If your goal is to exercise in the morning, create a clear Implementation Intention: "If my alarm rings at 6 am on weekdays, then I will get up and start my morning workout." To follow through with this final step, ask yourself:
How can you structure your implementation intentions to seamlessly integrate your planned actions into your daily life?
What specific cues or triggers will prompt you to follow through with your intended actions?
Sources
Wang, G., Wang, Y., & Gai, X. (2021). A meta-analysis of the effects of mental contrasting with implementation intentions on goal attainment. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 565202.
Abdulla, A., & Woods, R. (2021). Comparing mental contrasting with implementation intentions against solution-focused and autonomous planning. School Psychology International, 42(4), 398-421. https://doi.org/10.1177/01430343211000399.
Kappes, Andreas, Mike Wendt, Tilman Reinelt, and Gabriele Oettingen. âMental Contrasting Changes the Meaning of Reality.â Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 49, no. 5 (September 1, 2013): 797â810. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2013.03.010.
Brodersen, G., & Oettingen, G. (2017). Mental contrasting of a negative future with a positive reality regulates state anxiety. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1596.