Prime: See it before it happens
The situationYou're about to perform: a sales meeting, a conference talk or a difficult meeting with a client. You've got the content under control, but not how it will feel to stand there.
Most of us prepare thoroughly. We know our points and have the numbers in place. And then we stop. But preparation only gives you the content. It doesn't teach you how it feels to be in the situation.
Preparation gives you the content. Visualisation lets you rehearse the experience.
THE SCIENCEThe brain trains even when you only imagine it
When you imagine an action, you activate many of the same networks in the brain as when you actually perform it. In a study at the Cleveland Clinic, mental training alone increased little-finger strength by about 35%. Physical training gave about 53% (Ranganathan et al., 2004).
That's why athletes, pilots and special forces use visualisation. When you've played the situation through in advance, you're not meeting it for the first time when the stakes are high. The brain recognises it, and the alarm reacts less.
TECHNIQUE 15-10 minutes before it counts
Close your eyes and see the situation going well. See the room and the people. Hear your first sentences. Imagine a difficult question, and see yourself pause and answer calmly.
Feel free to go a step further and see what happens afterwards: the decision being made, the deal being agreed, or the team leaving the room with new energy.
TECHNIQUE 2Write it down in the present tense
"I take the floor calmly …", "I solve …". When you write in the present tense, the brain practises as if it's already true.
TECHNIQUE 3Choose one word for your attitude
For example "calm", "curious" or "sharp". Let the word guide how you walk through the door and how you answer. One word is easy to remember, even when the pressure rises.
Prime: The whole technique on one page, with exercises and your own plan.
Download the sheet (PDF)Want to train it with your team? That's exactly what my workshops and talks are about.