There is no better way to ensure business success than to see yourself attaining it. For some reason, men have been given permission at an early age to believe that they can be or do anything they want in life. On the other hand, too often, women have been encouraged to only color within the lines, in other words, limit their dreams. Every successful woman entrepreneur or woman in business I have ever met believed that she would achieve her vision of success and when asked how answered using her mind's eye. 
The concept of the mind's eye refers to the human ability to visualize circumstances or to see with the mind. The word visionary often comes up in discussions on what quality is necessary to be a successful entrepreneur. The fact is most successful entrepreneurs are visionaries. For example, the late Steve Jobs is probably the best known visionary in the world today. He was able to imagine products and applications for products that did not exist. Of course, seeing into the future does not guarantee success because timing still plays an important part in every business. What is critically important for business success is the ability to envision outcomes.
When I meet with my women business clients I ask a lot of questions. My experience has shown me that there are a variety of ways to create success in business. What really is important is that the entrepreneur be able to see the beginning, middle, and end effects that the decision(s) she makes will have on the business.
A perfect example is when a client made the decision to open up a second location for her business. She had been extremely successful in the first location and profits were high so she had an opportunity to invest in expansion. My question was, "Why a second location?" "Why not choose to expand products or services in the current location?" There are plenty of ways to expand a business without opening another location. Her answer demonstrated that her mind's eye provided a a step by step pictorial of exactly what the second location would look like, who would make purchases there, and the successful branding opportunities that would come with a new location. Before spending a dollar in expansion, she had successfully planned out exactly her path to more than doubling her profits and downsizing her expenses. Over the next six months, we worked together on bringing her vision to reality step by step making sure her vision was in sync with her plans. Within three months after the new location was opened profits at the first location had almost doubled due to the branding campaign and a lot of free public relations. Many of the expenses for the second location were absorbed by having two locations so margins had also grown.
The mind's eye is a powerful tool for those who use it successfully. It can be used for anything you do in life. The fact is no matter how much you dream that something will happen it can't until you can actually see yourself there. The 'believe it to achieve it' or 'see it to achieve it' mottos can be absolutely transformational if you work on them.
Close your eyes. Now, ask yourself "what does success look like for me?" The more detailed the picture in your mind's eye the more likelihood you will attain the vision.
Please try using your mind's eye today and practice using it with everything in your life and then send me an email with your success stories. In my mind's eye I see you reading this and promising yourself you'll try it. But as Yoda said, "There is no try, only do."
