Scenario Building is an activity that one of my clients – many years ago now – encouraged me to practice, as it had the potential for providing wonderful outcomes.
Here is my version of “scenario building”
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First, to quiet the mind, sit quietly with closed eyes. Do so to relax in preparation for an upcoming meeting that is 15-20 minutes away, for example. Focus on your breathing until you begin to feel calm, then scan your body for additional traces of stress and strain. Focus on those feelings without judgment until they subside. Once you feel much more comfortably relaxed, begin the scenario building process.
- Allow yourself to recall a previous and normally unrelated experience you’ve had. One that you believe you performed at a very high level. You out-performed others and “crushed it.” How does it feel?
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- Keep dwelling upon this memory. See and hear the experience in your imagination. Was this an inner experience? An external one? Were you alone or with others? Imagine all sorts of sensory details about it until you begin to experience “the feels,” as Tiger Woods calls them – exceptionally positive feelings that you can associate with your impending meeting. Now, within your imagination, immediately turn to your impending meeting.
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Imagine the impending meeting as it starts and turns toward you. Imagine what people may potentially ask or state for your response. Then, as you continue to have these exceptionally positive “feelings,” imagine yourself responding perfectly well. Your best response.
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Again, allow yourself to imagine other potential assertions and questions that could be posed to you, both positive and negative. Continue to imagine yourself responding with a perfect reply, each time, associating the exceptionally positive feelings you created with your responses.
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Continue with this process of imagining potential inquiries and your ideal retorts. The wonderful results that you receive by doing this exercise will become obvious and noticeable. You are preparing yourself for a successful meeting. For assistance with this process, an Emotional Strengths Counselor is available when you’re ready.