Bringing Sports Psychology Into Your Life: Visualization and Mental Rehearsal, Part 2

Improving Your Ability to Image

One of the reasons that athletes fail to develop good imagery skills is that they do not practice them until it's almost time to perform. They wait until the competition has already started and then try to think their way through it. Anxiety disrupts the imagery and therefore becomes counter-productive. So the first thing yo need to do is to start the imagery process early and under relaxed conditions. Then when it's time to perform, it will feel as if you have done this a thousand times before - because in your mind you have!

Develop some structure by deciding whether you will be in the audience or actually performing. Start by practicing both of these and later you can combine them. Decide what feelings you want to pay attention to and rehearse the ones you want to experience. Most people imagine themselves failing or worrying or stumbling rather than actually having the experience of ease and flow and success. Worry is the misuse of imagination.

Develop some memory aids in external cues and internal images to help you recall the physical sensations you want to experience. It may be tied in to a particular scent or sound or texture. If it's something you want to purchase, experience it in person - go to the new car showroom, visit a model home, gather travel brochures and information, go to a professional sports arena where you hope to compete.

Allow yourself to fully experience this engaging all of your senses. And then use the "replay" button in your mind to experience it over and over again at an even deeper level. It does not matter how something will come about. The secret is knowing without a doubt that it will.

Next Week: Athletes and Visualizations