MSS #115: How Do You See in Your Mind? Unlocking the Power of Your Inner Vision

MSS #115: How Do You See in Your Mind? Unlocking the Power of Your Inner Vision

22 Mar, 2025

🕒Read time: 3.4 minutes

🚀In a hurry? Cut straight to the heading “Harnessing Visualisation for Success” - reduced read time 1.6 minutes

What Does It Mean to “See” in Your Mind?

Close your eyes for a moment and picture a red apple.

Can you see it clearly, as if it’s right in front of you?

Or do you just sense the idea of an apple without a defined image?

Perhaps you don’t see anything at all.

This is your mind’s eye at work—or, for some, its absence.

Visualisation is the ability to create mental images, whether recalling a memory, daydreaming, or imagining a future event.

It’s a key part of how we process experiences, plan and even train our minds to perform better in real life.

But not everyone experiences mental imagery in the same way.

In my recent survey, people reported a fascinating range of inner experiences:

• 4% experience aphantasia (no mental imagery at all)

• 12% see subtle images with little or no colour, often 2D

• 32% visualise clearly with some colour

• 52% enjoy full 3D cinematic imagery

This variation shows that while some people can create rich, lifelike mental movies, others experience only faint impressions—or none at all.

But here’s the good news: whether you’re a vivid visualiser or someone who thinks more in words and concepts, you can still harness the power of mental imagery to boost performance, well-being and confidence.

The Science of the Mind’s Eye

When you imagine a place, an object, or even a future event, your brain activates the same pathways as if you were seeing it in real life.

Neuroscientific research has shown that mental imagery engages:

• The visual cortex – the part of the brain used for actual sight

• The hippocampus – responsible for memory recall

• The motor cortex – activated when imagining movement

This explains why mental rehearsal is such a powerful tool.

Whether its athletes visualising a perfect performance or public speakers rehearsing a confident delivery, practising in the mind primes the brain for real-world success.

Harnessing Visualisation for Success

Since visualisation is one of the main ways our unconscious mind processes information (the other being emotions), we can use it as a tool to reprogram our thinking and behaviour.

Try these techniques to boost confidence, improve skills and reduce anxiety:

1️. Mental Rehearsal

Before an important event (speech, interview, performance), imagine yourself succeeding.

See the details—how you look, feel and move.

Your brain will treat this as real practice.

2️. Visualising Calm

If stress overwhelms you, picture a place that makes you feel safe—a beach, a forest, or even a childhood memory.

The more vividly you imagine it, the more calming it becomes.

3️. Using “Future You”

Picture yourself having already achieved your goal. This tricks your brain into seeing it as possible, making action easier and more natural.

Even if you don’t see clear images, you can still benefit.

Engaging other senses—like imagining sounds, textures, or emotions—adds to the impact on the mind.

This is an extremely light touch on visualisation, if you want more support with this please contact me.

This newsletter introduces the idea that we all see differently in our minds eye.

Summary

Your ability to visualise varies, but no matter how vividly (or not) you see in your mind’s eye, you can use mental imagery to your advantage.

• 4% of people have aphantasia, meaning no mental images.

• Visualisation activates brain areas linked to real experience.

• Mental rehearsal improves performance in sports, public speaking, and confidence-building.

• You can train your mind to reduce anxiety and prepare for success.

Next time you face a challenge, try seeing yourself succeed first—your brain is already working to make it happen.

Optional Deep Dive: The Science Behind Aphantasia

For those who experience aphantasia, mental imagery is completely absent.

Instead of seeing pictures in the mind, information is processed differently—often through abstract thinking, logical sequencing, or verbal descriptions.

Scientists believe this is due to differences in connectivity between the visual cortex and the frontoparietal network, which controls higher-order thinking and imagination.

Research suggests that while people with aphantasia don’t create visual images, they are still fully capable of memory recall and creativity—just through different means.

So, if you don’t “see” in your mind’s eye, don’t worry—you’re not missing out.

You just experience the world in a different way, and you can still harness mental rehearsal using thoughts, emotions, and conceptualisation rather than images.

See you next week. One more thought 👇

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That's it for this week. Thanks for reading, really hope this helped. Contact me if you think I can help you further at [email protected].

Happy thinking.