Thriving in Business with Aphantasia Using Five Powerful Strategies
- Brainz Magazine
- 8 hours ago
- 5 min read
Written by Lynda Sunshine West, Book Publisher
She ran away at 5 years old and was gone an entire week. She came home riddled with fears and, in turn, became a people-pleaser. At age 51, she decided to face one fear every day for an entire year.
Many entrepreneurs are told they must “visualize success.” But what if you can’t form mental images at all? Visualization isn’t the only path to success. Entrepreneurs with aphantasia are building powerful businesses by trusting action, strategy, and the brilliance of their unique minds.
Discover how living with aphantasia can actually be a hidden advantage in business and life, plus strategies to thrive without traditional visualization techniques.
Understanding aphantasia
Aphantasia is the inability to voluntarily create mental images. While most people can visualize a red apple when prompted, those with aphantasia experience a blank canvas. This doesn't mean a lack of imagination; rather, it's a different way of processing information. Many people with aphantasia excel in fields requiring logical reasoning, abstract thinking, and strategic planning. For me, this explains why I was able to take a daunting and complex process of publishing a book and distill it down to a process that makes it fast, fun, and easy for our clients and for us.
Recent studies, including one published in Scientific Reports, have highlighted that individuals with aphantasia often excel in tasks involving factual recall and spatial memory (Nature, 2020). This shows that while the traditional "visualization" muscle may work differently, other cognitive muscles are just as strong, and most likely stronger.
Discovering aphantasia
You're told to "picture your goals," "visualize your dreams," and asked, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" But, to your surprise, you don’t "see" anything at all. Does that sound familiar? If so, you might have a condition called aphantasia, where individuals are unable to form mental images. This unique cognitive style doesn't hinder creativity or success; in fact, it can be a hidden asset in business.
If you're curious whether you might have aphantasia, the Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire (VVIQ) is a helpful starting point. Developed by psychologist David Marks, the VVIQ measures how vividly you can picture scenarios in your mind. You can access a free version of the test through The Aphantasia Network.
Self-awareness is key. Understanding your cognitive style allows you to work with your brain’s natural strengths instead of struggling against them. I highly recommend taking the test to find out where you fall.
Aphantasia in entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurs with aphantasia tend to shine in different ways:
Strategic action: Instead of "visualizing" success, they build success through action steps, strategic mapping, and measurable goals.
Conceptual creativity: Many think in concepts, systems, and big-picture frameworks rather than imagery. This can lead to innovative solutions others might not "see."
Fearless innovation: When you don't get caught up in overly vivid "worst-case scenarios," it's often easier to take risks and move forward.
Focus on doing, not daydreaming: While others are still visualizing, aphantasiacs are often already in motion.
The vision board dilemma
Vision boards are a staple of goal-setting culture, especially in the entrepreneurial world. "See it, believe it, achieve it!" they say. But for those of us with aphantasia, traditional vision boards don't always "click."
When I create a vision board, I usually put more words than pictures on it. I only add pictures because that's what people told me to do. Truth be told, it hasn't worked for me (at least not yet). I don't "see" those pictures in my mind later, only when I’m staring at them. They don't stir vivid feelings or mental movies for me in the way they might for someone with phantasia or hyperphantasia.
If you're the same way, consider a different approach:
Use words, affirmations, and intentions that ignite emotion.
Focus on feelings and actions rather than images.
Create goal maps and action boards instead of traditional vision boards.
It's not about what your vision board looks like; it's about what it sparks inside of you.
Breaking through the fear of being different
At first, realizing you experience the world differently can stir up fear. Will I be less successful if I can't visualize? Will I miss out on opportunities because I don't think like everyone else? These questions used to keep me up at night.
But fear, as always, is just a feeling, not a fact.
I started asking myself: If I break through this fear right now, will it adversely affect my life a year from today? The answer was always no. In fact, embracing my aphantasia was the best thing I could do for my entrepreneurial journey.
Owning your difference is where your real power lies.
How to harness your aphantasia for business success
If you're an entrepreneur with aphantasia, here are a few strategies to help you thrive:
Plan with precision: Break your goals into step-by-step actions instead of trying to "visualize" the endgame.
Use words to inspire: Replace vision boards with "mission boards" full of powerful statements, milestones, and affirmations.
Lean into systems thinking: Build workflows, frameworks, and processes that align with how you naturally organize information.
Focus on feeling the outcome: Even if you can't "see" success, you can feel the excitement, the pride, and the fulfillment.
Embrace conceptualization: Create mind maps, charts, and models that make your ideas tangible.
Join the aphantasia life community
If you're someone who wants to better understand yourself and are curious about aphantasia, I invite you to connect with others on the journey.
Aphantasia Life is a supportive, empowering community built for people living with aphantasia. Inside, you'll find resources, lively conversations, and heartfelt support that celebrate the beautiful diversity of how our minds work. Whether you're newly discovering aphantasia or have known for years, you're welcome here.
Closing the book on this topic
Aphantasia isn't a flaw; it's a different kind of brilliance. In business, in life, and in creativity, there's room for all kinds of minds. When you stop trying to "see" and start trusting yourself to be, you open doors that mental pictures could never have painted.
You don't have to visualize your dream life to build it. You just have to create it action by action, day by day. We Don’t See It. We Live It.
Lynda Sunshine West, Founder & CEO of Action Takers Publishing
She ran away at five years old and was gone an entire week, came home riddled with fears and, in turn, became a people-pleaser. Lynda Sunshine West is the Founder & CEO of Action Takers Publishing, a women-owned book publishing company that is dedicated to empowering 5 million women and men to share their stories with the world to make a greater impact on the planet. Specializing in collaborative book projects, Lynda Sunshine’s journey from fear to fearless living inspired her mantra, "Do It Because You're Scared." At 51, she embarked on a transformative journey, breaking through one fear every day for an entire year. A rock band bassist and passionate speaker, Lynda Sunshine helps others turn their dreams into reality and their stories into lasting legacies.
