The Power of Visualization in Sports

In this session, Coach Jackson discusses his background with visualization and how he used it with his teams over the years. Visualization is a powerful tool in sports, backed by extensive research on its neurological, psychological, and performance benefits. By incorporating vivid, goal-oriented, and emotionally engaging imagery into their routines, athletes can enhance their physical and mental preparation, ultimately improving performance. Its effectiveness is maximized when combined with physical practice, tailored guidance, and consistent repetition.

1.        Coach Jackson’s first experiences with visualization. His mom took a friend into his room: “Watch this child, I don’t know what this child does as a three year old”…She said, ‘it looked like you were catching balls, going through those motions.’ Probably there was something to that. There was some imagery going on in my brain as a child.”

2.        “One of our issues as human beings is that we’re moving on to next instead of living with now. So, living in the now is really the ideal…However, visualization has a purpose when goals are to be attained and things have to be planned, visualization becomes practical at that point.”

3.        Using visualization as a fifth grader in Great Falls, Montana. And later as a pitcher in baseball. “You imagine what it’s going to be like…It became part of my prep.”

4.        Using downtime for visualization.

5.        Coach Jackson’s brother using hypnosis on him to get him ready for pitching in high school after an injury. “I went out and had a two hitter…It was another event that led into the idea that the mind is a big participant in the athletic experience.”

6.        Tex Winter using visualization. What did he visualize? “How I would approach coaching opponents. The other team and what they liked to do. And were we prepared? And what were the necessary actions or reactions we had to have to their strengths.” 

7.        Pairing video with visualization. Show video and then tell the team: “This is the thing that we bring you as preparation for this game. Here’s their attitude. This is what they do. These are the four things that they hang their hat on. After this film session, I want you to repeat what you see in visualization. Take it back to your room and when you lay down or are getting ready for the game, or whatever your process is, bring this back and think about the images that we showed you in the video and use it as an illustration of what we’re trying to do.”

8.        The learning curve. Developing muscle memory – neurons and synapses in the brain. 

9.        A game against San Antonio in the playoffs, when things were tough. “I kept saying, ‘We’re going to win this game. You just have to imagine that we’re going to win. How we’re going to do it, we don’t know yet. But you have to hold onto that’…(Derek Fischer hit a winning shot at the buzzer)… It was more than anything, the belief and the imagination that we were going to do this regardless. And it kind of all just fell into place. I think that’s sometimes the image that you need to put into an athlete or a team’s head. ‘We’re going to find a way to win this, regardless.’ You have to see beyond whatever the plan is to make it happen. You have to have a flexible mind…It’s something beyond imagination.”

10.  Bringing other senses into practice. Touch. Sioux and the “counting coup.” Example with Pat Riley. “That feeling or touch or using physical presence is beyond the mental.”

11.  Visualizing both success and failure. Gaining perspective and context.

12.  Visualizing what is about to happen. Bulls vs. Jazz in game 6. Talking to MJ. “You know exactly what their go-to play is ... (we will get the steal vs Malone)…”

13.  “We all knew in our mind’s eye what it looked like for our opponent to do what they do.”

14.  “What you’ve been doing is dropping your hand because you’re tired.” On the winning shot, MJ held his hand high. “That was something that was just already an image.”

15.  Visualizing individually. Having a conversation with a competitive skier. 

16.  Is visualizing still a part of Coach’s routine? Yes. “One of our problems as human beings is that we’re not involved in the current moment of totally doing the task that we’re doing. And, so, as a consequence, we’re moving on to the next task…And that’s part of human nature. I think one of the things that meditation does is it puts you in the moment doing the task you’re doing fully. So, next has to take a backseat until it’s useful. Until you need to actually be prepping or planning for what your activity is going to be…To always be moving on to the next task means you don’t complete the task you’re doing. And that’s the thing that’s really important, is that you fully engage in the task that you’re doing. So that you’re completing it with nothing left undone…You need to complete the task that you’re doing fully.”

17.  Visualizing the drive from Montana to California. “Anticipating what it will be like even though I’m not there. Anticipating, What’s the situation going to be like? What’s the traffic going to be like? How am I going to get through the day?”

18.  Metacognition and visualization – how do they interact?

19.  Differences in visualizing as a player and a coach. As a coach, “It’s all about them…it’s a broader reach than just the individual…The team has to have confidence that you are looking after their whole as a coach. Your visualization of the opponent is their eyes…And then I think they become trusting and you become trustworthy.”

20.  How far ahead to you visualize? “I used to do two weeks…There’s a goal and there’s a timeframe.”

21.  Differences in visualizing between individual and team sports. Uncontrollables in team sports. When a teammate doesn’t hold up their end. “There’s always going to be people who really care and others who are just participating…If you can bring them in, great. But if they choose to stay outside the group or without commitment – and commitment’s a big thing – then you’ve got to allow them to be who they want to be. Maybe they have to go. That’s one of the keys as a coach, you have to get them involved. And if they can’t quite commit all the way, they can be forgiven. That’s their nature.”

22.  “Really good player, great players, think that they can do it alone. Their star is the brightest. And to have them share the limelight or burden of winning is sometimes harder than you think. Because they’re so used to doing it on their own or by themselves…To be able to give up some of that for the group…I think it’s really important for exceptional players to have the common touch. To be able to understand that, ‘This guy doesn’t have the same amount of talent. This person doesn’t have the same gifts that I’ve been given. I’m going to share. I’m going to share it with them. I’m going to encourage them to step up.’ One of the things that my coach always said was, ‘A star always makes his teammates better.’” (Telling MJ this.) “That really kind of struck home and it set up a relationship that I had with Michael that ended up being a really positive thing…He was willing to allow his teammates…to be behind his effort, his leadership.”