Visualization Made Simple: Confidence Edition
- Megan Monfredi
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
By Coach Megan
Athletes are always searching for ways to prepare their minds as effectively as they prepare their bodies. One powerful tool for this is visualization.
Sometimes, the sheer number of physical reps in practice can take a toll on the body. So how can athletes keep preparing while also giving their bodies the rest they need? The answer is visualization.
Visualization allows your body to rest while your mind stays active. When you mentally rehearse, your brain activates many of the same neural pathways it uses when you physically perform the skill. That means every mental rep counts toward your preparation. It’s also a great tool for competition—helping ease nerves by giving you a chance to “get reps in” before it’s go time. Whether it’s on the bus ride to the arena, in the dugout before your at-bat, or during warmups, visualization can sharpen your readiness.
How to Visualize
Visualization is simply creating the events in your mind as vividly as possible. Start by picturing your surroundings—where you are, what’s around you, and the environment of your performance. Then, walk yourself through the skill or action in detail.
There are two main types of visualization:
First-Person Visualization – Seeing the event through your own eyes, as if you’re doing it in real time.Example: I see the ball coming into my glove as I catch it.
Third-Person Visualization – Watching yourself complete the skill from an outside perspective, almost like watching a highlight video of yourself.Example: I watch myself catch the ball, seeing my form and movement from the outside.
Questions to Guide Your Visualization
To make your mental reps as effective as possible, ask yourself:
What and who is around me?
Where is my focus?
What do I feel?
What do I see?
What are my focus cues?
Putting It Into Practice
Begin walking yourself through the skill or action and follow it through to completion—just as you would physically. Like any skill, visualization takes practice. The more you do it, the more natural and powerful it becomes.
At the end of the day, it’s all about finding what works best for you and your performance. Use visualization to rehearse mentally, prepare with confidence, and step into competition knowing you’ve already seen your success.
You’ve got this!
Megan Monfredi, M.S.
Mental Performance Coach
Psych Me Up Consulting
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