What happens when…
It’s the success-maker cited by many an athlete and entrepreneur. Could visualisation be your secret weapon? Time to use your imagination
01 Watch and earn
Sure, it may sound a bit ‘woo’, but visualisation – vividly picturing a positive outcome to a situation – has proven effects, especially for those struggling with self-belief. ‘Visualisation allows people to “watch” themselves completing tasks that may feel impossible,’ says Dr Emma Azzopardi, a psychotherapist at Physis Consultancy. Tempted to give up on your marathon dreams, for example? Picture yourself flying over the finish line, hugging your family and collecting your medal. The more detail you can add, the more possible it will feel.
02 Dream on
Want to develop some mad skills? ‘Even without physically carrying out a task, if you go through it step by step in your mind, your neurons actually modify their structure,’ explains Dr Josephine Perry, author of Performing Under Pressure. ‘This supplements your physical practice, without the additional fatigue.’ This can also make potentially complex moves (think: playing the piano or nailing that winged eyeliner) feel more automatic, as well as reducing anxiety through familiarisation.
03 Mind over muscle
Oh, and making your mind stronger is the least of it. Visualisation can grow your muscles, too. A study by researchers at Germany’s University of Giessen asked participants to practise calf raises, leg presses, benches and triceps extensions for four weeks. For the next four, half of them were told to replace ever
