Hello everyone! Have a great Sunday 🙋🏻
What is this concept of mental rehearsal? It is an active visualisation technique through the individual’s mind to demonstrate the performance of a particular task just as the way he wants it to be. By doing it repeatedly, there can be subjective learning and actual performance improvement. Researches in performance psychology have been using visualization techniques through mental rehearsal methods to improve the performance in case of athletes and other areas of sports.
Well, it has proved successful in case of sports but also been tried for other areas of psychotherapy to treat mental illness. Can this technique be used in a normal person like us? Can you tap the huge potential of this technique of mental rehearsal and bring improvement in some areas of your life where you lack? Say, any tasks like performing on stage, appearing an exam, public speaking, or trying long-distance running, staying fitter, healthier, overcoming fear so on. The answer is absolute yes. The more we visualize ourselves, the more we perform for success.
Interestingly, neuroscience researchers have shown that by the mental rehearsal of a particular activity, the thought alone (not performing the task physically ) and having it repeatedly can build up new circuitry in the brain. This can bring about objective changes in that particular area of a person’s life. This happens because when the person perform the particular task with focused attention in mental rehearsal (just the thought of performing) and do it repeatedly, the brain understands it as a true physical performance and start building neural pathways of the new learning. The brain cannot differentiate between a real and imaginary and takes this imaginary performance as a truly physical experience. Therefore, as the person changes his mind, the brain physically changes too and vice versa. So it becomes cyclical. The frontal area of the brain covers the larger part of the brain. It carries out all the major activities of thinking, analyzing, planning, decision making. It is in this area where, we learn, remember new things, explore new things. So, when you focus on a particular area with full attention (the thought alone), cut down all external distraction, the frontal area of the brain lowers the awareness from all external stimuli of the outside environment and the body. When the brain is so focused on that particular thought at the present moment, that’s when actual physical changes happen, new neural pathways start forming. The brain and the body believes that as an actual physical experience.
The question is how can we apply this in our everyday life? Every person or individual wants to be his/her best version. Every person loves to be successful in some area or the other. Every person wants to be happy in life. If you sit down today and start analysing your life and find out which areas in life, you lack. How can you bring about changes in those areas to improve your quality of life? You start to focus on one particular area of life at a time. Start doing a mental rehearsal of performing better in that area, or visualising a success scenario, or intentionally changing that aspect of life. Performing this mental rehearsal every day with full attention (closed eyes), least distraction from the external stimuli and environment. Doing repeatedly for days with some focused attention. Then, slowly the mind changes, the brain start to change too, new neural circuitry forms. When this mental rehearsal of the particular thought is done repeatedly for days, the new neural connections become stronger and stronger. That’s when the person’s behaviour starts changing, or the objective intentional changes start appearing in that area of his life. Whatever the area could be, like performing better in academics, in office, at work or a particular task. Or changing his/her approach or behaviour towards his health, fitness, other people, any relationship or in any areas, the person strives for.
But bringing out this change isn’t easy as it is said. But then, it is also very feasible too. The problem is that our mind is too crowded with stress, thoughts, burden and everyday events. It’s really difficult to remain focus on a particular thought or activity even for a single minute before the mind slips. To bring a change in any aspect of life, you need to have a strong intention, a strong will to make it real. Therefore, mental rehearsal of any kind needs to have a very concentrated focused mind. For, this you need to prepare your mind. This is a daily practice. Most of the time, certain practises as Yoga, meditation, mindfulness helps greatly to create a stable and a focused mind. You cannot learn it overnight. It is a practise which keeps getting better with time.
Some simple tips of mental practices are like
1. Sitting or lying in a comfortable position, keeping your spine straight.
2. Closing eyes is necessary to reduce the external distraction.
3. Breathing evenly and regularly. It is slow deep breathing.(Parasympathetic breathing)
4.Visualization, being detailed and specific of exactly what kind of change and in which area of life you want. And doing it repeatedly every day.
5. Doing mental rehearsal is only effective by being in the present moment. To learn, being in the present moment, try focusing your breath at several moments of the day. When you are at the present moment, there is no fear or stress of any sort.
6. Letting go of fear, everyday stress as much as possible. Don’t overthink.
7. While doing mental rehearsal, stay focus as much as possible.
The focus of mind can be learned by trying to stare an object for some time. The longer you learn to focus on a particular thing, the more is your mind under control and attentive. This is like muscle training. The more you practice, the more you get better with time.
I, myself believe in this practise of mental rehearsal. It did help me improve in some areas of life. Each individual has an inner world of wisdom. Each of us deserves to lead a successful, happy life or deserve to get whatever we want from life. The more we explore this untapped potential, brilliance and can implement in our daily life, the better we can be successful or at least can be the better version of ourselves in life.
Thanks for reading.
Blessings and much love to all 💐
Some interesting thoughts here!
Thank you so much 😊
You are very welcome 🙂
Thank you for this. It’s very useful information 😊
Thank you so much for your kind words😊
As an athletic coach, I used positive visualization before games…purely subjectively, I think it worked.
Yes, it does work when done properly. Anyway, thank you so much for the like !
♡ Acceptance is Accepting Things Turning Out in a Way We Did NOT!!! “Visualise”; it’s Crystal Clear Clarity that We Often Shackle OurSelves with Rigid, Inflexible “Visualisation”
…♡♡♡…
Thank you so much for the like and comment 😊
Interesting!
Is there a time factor involved? They say it takes about three weeks to learn/unlearn any habit. Does something like that come into play with visualization?
Good post!
Yes, I read it too that it takes 21 days approx. But, I am not sure about it. I think if you keep doing properly with conviction, sooner or later , you see changes in your own behaviour and thinking. Anyway, thanks a lot for the like 😊
My daughter was a ballet dancer in NYC. She would visualize her choreography multiple times before performances. She said this was one of her greatest tools in dancing.
It’s really wonderful to hear about your daughter. I am glad you have mentioned it. Yes, visualization does wonders when done with conviction. Anyway, thank you so much for the like 😊
I had a friend who used to do this years ago. He is an attorney in New York and he would visualize himself skiing down a mountain and landing successfully. Whenever, I faced a stressful event, he recommended doing this. He is still a practicing attorney, so I guess it works for him.
It’s wonderful to hear such stories. I appreciate your kindness. Yes, visualization do wonders when done with conviction. Thank you so much for the like 😊
His advice helped me often as I was from a small town living in a very big city.
Ok, that must have been a great help for you. Indeed, you have a wonderful friend.
Born creatives may come by this trait naturally, since we can not produce a physical work of art without visualizing it first. That being said, it’s not impossible for others to learn. It is my firm belief creatives don’t just use one side of their brain, a topic I explored in “Creatives Are Whole Brain People”. Being a curious person has meant I’ve learned a lot of things over my life-time, because I made a choice not to fear failure and persevere until I succeeded. People tend to find “over-achievers” threatening, but there is no reason for them to do so, when they can become one too. It’s a choice, another topic I covered in the “Year of Being Extra.” However, it does mean getting beyond the need for instant gratification.
Thank you so much for your wonderful views. I appreciate it truly. Thank you so much for liking my post too.
Love it. My biggest problem is making the time. And it takes emotional resilience to maintain focus—because when we start visualizing our dreams, our doubts and fears come to the surface. Visualizing 20/20
Yes, that’s so true because the mind is so preoccupied by stress, fear and day to day events that we hardly get time to focus. But, then you have a strong intention to bring about a change in your life, you take out time to focus in that area. Anyway, thank you so much for the like 😊
This is a very interesting post – will have to try this out.
Thank you so much for your kindness. I truly appreciate!
My pleasure 😊
wow.. i am so happy to hear this.. I know that whenever i am imagining myself doing something, I feel difference in my body chemistry… specially if I really do have intention to do it… then I feel like I did it even if I still havent done it
Yes, that’s so true. Thank you so much for liking my post !
This is amazing! I’ve done visualization before, but I didn’t know it could be so powerful. It’s especially nice to know this is information backed up by science!
Thank you so much for your appreciation 😊
I employ positive visualization before starting a new woodworking project. I rough-out, mill, and assemble a piece hundreds of times in my mind before taking tools to the wood.
That is so wonderful and inspiring to hear. Yes, visualization does work when done with focus and conviction. Anyway, thank you so much for the like !
I’ve also used positive visualization when ”drawing” plans. Not only has this technique saved wood, but it has also saved me a great deal of paper over the years. Thank you for the post!
Thank you so much for your kind words and appreciation.
I do think visualization works, both in things like athletic events and in intellectual achievements.
Yes, it does work when done with convictions. Anyway, thank you so much for the like and comment.
Very useful
Thank you so much 😊
You’re always welcome,😊 do check my blog too
Sure 😊
It’s is a very riveting post. Thank you very much for the ideas Ive been aware of the “visualisation” techniques since I was 25 and even tried some exercises. But it was like a game for me and I didn’t know that this “exercise” wasn’t only limited at physical goals to perform successfully but could have been employed for reviewing/ revising/ reconstructing etc.
Thank you so much for your kind words and appreciation.
Thank you so much for wonderful feedback. 😊
very interesting article. I will try and do some visualization.
Yes, it’s worth trying. Thank you so much for the like.
I found this article really interesting. I’ve utilized some techniques in past to memorize and study better, but this insightful post has opened up a whole lot of areas in which I can use them .
Thank you so much for liking the post. I am glad you found it useful.