This is the idea that you hold a mental rehearsal for something, be that running a 10K, giving a presentation or making a difficult phone call. If you make it as accurate as possible, it can help you achieve a positive outcome. Scientists believe we experience actual actions and imaginary actions in similar ways, activating the same neural networks.
Gold medal magnet Jessica Ennis-Hill is a fan, saying: ‘I use visualisation to think about the perfect technique. If I can get that image in my head, then hopefully it’ll affect my physical performance.’