Visualization, also known as mental rehearsal, is the process of vividly imagining a future event, task, or performance in your mind before it happens. It’s not about wishful thinking—it’s a form of mental training. When you visualize, your brain engages the same neural systems that would be active if you were physically performing the task. This primes your nervous system and enhances both readiness and execution.
Neuroscience research supports this. A landmark meta-analysis by Driskell, Copper, and Moran (1994), published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, found that mental practice significantly improves performance—especially for tasks involving decision-making, communication, and problem-solving. Visualization strengthens the brain’s predictive coding system, helping you anticipate challenges, regulate emotions, and respond with clarity and composure.
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Here are 3 ways to use visualization at work…
1. Daily Mental Reviews: Before opening your inbox or diving into meetings, take just two or three minutes to walk through your key events for the day. Visualize yourself entering a meeting room, speaking confidently, listening attentively, and concluding with a sense of progress. This kind of mental priming engages your motor and sensory cortex, preparing your brain for smooth performance. Research by Jeannerod (2001) found that imagined actions activate the same brain areas involved in real movement, increasing readiness for the actual event.
2. Preframe High-Stakes Interactions: Before a sales call, presentation, or team conversation, picture how you want to show up—grounded, clear, and emotionally steady. Visualize your tone of voice, your body language, and a successful outcome. This mental simulation increases self-regulation and decreases anxiety. In a study by Taylor and Pham (1996), individuals who visualized not just the outcome but the process of achieving it showed improved performance, greater confidence, and reduced stress.
3. Rehearse Obstacles and Recovery—not just success. It’s powerful to visualize everything going right, but it’s even more effective to also picture yourself navigating adversity with poise. See yourself recovering from a dropped call, a negative comment in a meeting, or a tech failure—staying calm, refocusing, and adapting. Research from Schacter and colleagues (2012) found that simulating future negative events increases cognitive flexibility and improves our ability to regulate emotions under pressure.
Visualization isn’t an empty motivational tool—it’s a deliberate practice that rewires your brain for better performance. By consistently engaging in vivid, goal-directed mental rehearsal, you can strengthen the neural circuits that support adaptability and success.
So go be a rockstar in your mind. Play it out. See yourself being at your very best and reaching your goals. Create a mental movie of yourself achieving at the highest level. When you do, you will experience a boost in your confidence and your performance like you’ve never experienced before.
RESEARCH CITATIONS:
- Driskell, Copper, & Moran (1994)
Driskell, J. E., Copper, C., & Moran, A. (1994). Does mental practice enhance performance? Journal of Applied Psychology, 79(4), 481–492.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.79.4.481 - Jeannerod (2001)
Jeannerod, M. (2001). Neural simulation of action: A unifying mechanism for motor cognition. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 24(2), 349–364.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X01003976 - Taylor & Pham (1996)
Taylor, S. E., & Pham, L. B. (1996). Why thinking about goals and process matters: The effects of mental simulation on goal-directed behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 22(3), 247–258.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167296223001
4. Schacter, Benoit, & Szpunar (2012)
Schacter, D. L., Benoit, R. G., & Szpunar, K. K. (2012). Episodic future thinking: Mechanisms and functions. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 17, 41–50.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2017.06.002