How to visualise a better future

5 MINUTES

From sports to business, mental imagery can boost outcomes

Can ‘visualising’ successes really lead to better outcomes? In this short from BBC Ideas, Radha Modgil, a doctor and presenter, Ashley Pople, an economist at the University of Oxford, and Jennifer Cumming, a sports psychologist at the University of Birmingham, draw on their areas of expertise to explain mental imagery methods backed by research. They detail how these techniques work at the brain level and discuss studies that have demonstrated their efficacy in fields ranging from exercise to entrepreneurship. The video then offers practical guidance on using mental imagery effectively in everyday goal-setting and decision-making.

THINKING AND INTELLIGENCE GOALS AND MOTIVATION TRAUMA AND PTSD

Video by BBC Ideas

Animator: Adam Proctor

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Photo of an athlete in a white jacket with a gold medal, smiling with hands on face against an Olympic rings backdrop.

GOALS AND MOTIVATION

Here’s how to use your imagination to prepare for any task

From sport to public speaking, the link between mental imagery and actual performance is undeniable – and you can harness it

by Jonathan Rhodes

A photo of a woman puckering her lips in a pub setting with drinks on the table and a hand holding a smartphone.

MEMORY AND NOSTALGIA

It’s possible to help more positive images pop into your mind

Images that pop into our minds spontaneously are like a background track – and we can make it more positive and uplifting

by Simon Blackwell

A person drinking next to a large poster depicting steaming coffee cups on a green background.

A way to enjoy more positive mental images

Psychologists have tested a way to seed ‘involuntary positive mental images’ in the brain. You can try it for yourself

by Christian Jarrett

Photo of a grey car parked by a purple brick wall on a rainy day with an industrial building in the background.

This is how your brain distinguishes reality from imagination

In terms of brain activity, imagining something is very similar to seeing it, so why don’t you confuse the two more often?

by Shayla Love

Pastel painting of a smiling man with a moustache and a cat on his shoulder, set against a yellow background.

When the mind is dark, making art is a thrilling way to see

For aphantasic artists with no mind’s eye, creating paintings is a way to experience the mental pictures they can’t see

by Adam Zeman

Photo of a ski jumper in blue gear at the top of a snow-covered ramp preparing to jump at night.

GOALS AND MOTIVATION

There’s a way to avoid the slippery slopes of over-optimism

Optimistic people tend to enjoy more success, but that’s only when they put the effort in – wishful thinking is not enough

by Heather C Lench

Collage of animal photos with progressively simplified line drawings of a flamingo, giraffe and cat.

THINKING AND INTELLIGENCE

From cave art to subatomic sketches – how drawing has accelerated human progress

Video by MIT Quest for Intelligence

Colourful mural with a baby floating on water, a woman, a tree, and birds’ eggs. Abstract shapes fill the background.

I saw my baby as a river flowing through me, and gave birth

Daoist wisdom and fMRI data show that mental images alter our bodies, from easing childbirth to enhancing sports performance

by Anna Hennessey