Why does this work?

The last two times I tried and succeeded in having a lucid dream, I attempted to use the MILD method after being awake for a bit. I repeated to myself that I would recognize when I was dreaming, and I visualized being in a dream and realizing I was dreaming. Both times I eventually felt the heaviness associated with sleep paralysis. When I felt this, I knew that I was about to slip into the dream state and therefore became lucid.

So, is the technique I'm using actually the MILD technique or a WILD technique? I'm not sure if the reason this has worked is because I focused my intent on having a lucid dream or simply because I stayed mentally alert long enough to consciously enter the dream state.

it's a WILD you're probably doing... you're focusing so hard and for so long that you basically end up falling asleep while your mind is still alert.

and i have to say, you're one of the lucky ones who can actually do a WILD in no time (or so it would seem)... some people take as long as 40 minutes or one hour to do a WILD, so it becomes challenging to keep your thoughts from trailing off and just falling asleep... but you seem to have it, so yeah... keep doing it :D