“See it, believe it.”

Imagery, sometimes called visualization or mental rehearsal, is widely used by athletes, business professionals, musicians, and almost anyone looking to enhance their performance. It involves creating mental images of your performance to help you perform better under pressure, improve skills, evoke emotions, or create an immersive mental experience (Ramsey et al., 2010). I should also emphasize that Imagery is a mental skill; like all skills, it requires practice.

How does Imagery foster confidence and enhance performance?

The more often we practice and can execute a skill successfully, the more confident we get! Imagery is an effective way to rack up more successful repetitions since the brain has difficulty differentiating between what you visualize in your mind and what you are actually experiencing (Ramsey et al., 2010). When you rehearse a skill or performance repeatedly in your mind, you are “tricking” your mind into thinking that it has completed the performance numerous times before, which will enhance your confidence. 

During Imagery or mental rehearsals, you also get to familiarize yourself with the demands of a situation and practice refocusing on what you can control when you get distracted or under pressure. By mentally preparing yourself for these stressors and distractions, you are more likely to be composed when facing them. This reduction in anxiety leads to increased self-assurance in high-pressure moments.

Some basics for effective imagery

We have discussed what Imagery is and how it helps with performance enhancement. Now, let’s focus on how you should do it…

One of the most common mistakes that beginners often make is that they are only concerned about scripting and creating pictures of themselves running a perfect race or playing under par for every hole. Remember, competition is dynamic, and things almost never go according to plan. It would be best to write a script of what could go wrong and how you will overcome them. For example, you want to see yourself maintaining form when fatigued or recovering from missed shots, covering all bases and possibilities.

“The mind can’t tell the difference between what is real, and what’s imagined…”

Billy Mills, winner of the 10,000-meter at the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games, considered as one of the biggest upsets in Olympic history

To make your mental rehearsals more vivid, engage all five senses—sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. For instance, a golfer vividly visualizes a swing by seeing and feeling the club’s weight, hearing the ball’s impact, and sensing the turf beneath their feet. This multisensory approach reinforces neural pathways, enhancing motor skills and performance under pressure.

Finally, note that Imagery is often applied with other mental skills, such as self-talk and breathing techniques, or as part of a focus routine. Depending on your sport, there may be slight variations on how you should practice Imagery. I will be happy to have a chat with you should you need some support with imagery!

Coach Hansen

References:

Ramsey, R., Cumming, J., Edwards, M. G., Williams, S., & Brunning, C. (2010). Examining the emotional aspect of PETTLEP-based imagery with penalty taking in soccer. Journal of Sport Behavior, 33(3), 295-314.