MVP stands for meditation, visualisation and positive self-talk. Practicing them regularly helps us think more clearly and gives us more energy.

Developed by Todd Astle and Innerspin, each exercise offers specific benefits, so doing all three gives you all-round value. If you’d like to learn to combine them into one exercise, watch our short video on being your best.

Being your best under pressure

Meditation is systematically focusing on one thing. The many benefits of meditating include:

• increased productivity because we concentrate better, have more energy and think more clearly
• greater calm because we’re happier and less anxious
• better sleep.

Meditation for beginners

Here’s how to start meditating:

1. Sit upright in a chair or lie on your back. Close your eyes if you like.
2. Breathe in deeply through your nose, then breathe out through your mouth. Notice your breath moving in and out of your lungs, and your chest rising and falling. You don’t have to change how fast you breathe.
3. Keep focusing on your breathing. If you get distracted, bring your attention back to your breathing. Accept the distraction and don’t judge yourself for getting distracted.

Start by meditating for two to three minutes a day. If you can only manage a minute, that’s fine. The important thing is to meditate regularly.

Make meditation a habit by tying it to your routine . For example, you could meditate as soon as you wake up in the morning, after brushing your teeth, or before bed. Once it’s a habit, you can meditate for longer, say five to ten minutes or more, whatever suits your lifestyle and schedule.

You can also meditate many times a day to focus on the present, think more clearly, and feel calmer.

Apps you could try

If you like apps, these two might inspire and guide you.

Free Guided Meditations(external link) — Ten Percent Happier

Guided Meditation(external link) — Insight Timer

Visualisation is picturing yourself successfully doing something in the future. Imagine yourself taking practical steps to prepare and rising to the challenge.

Visualisation helps you build the confidence you need to perform well and increases your chance of success. Many top athletes and high performers visualise.

Visualisation for beginners

Here’s how to start visualising:

1. Be clear about what you want. Is it giving a talk? Selling to a new client? Having a difficult conversation? Write a sentence to describe it.
2. Go to a quiet place.
3. Imagine the scene step by step. Picture it turning out exactly as you’d like it to. Be specific about who and what is there. See the people. Hear the noises. Use all your senses of smell, taste, sight, sound and touch. Imagine your confidence and energy too. Make the picture as real as possible.

Spend about a minute visualising, at any time before the event, even 10 minutes or an hour before.

When you first start visualising, the picture may be fuzzy, but it’ll get clearer with practice.

An app you could try

If you like apps, this one might inspire and guide you.

Guided Visualisation(external link) — Insight Timer

Box breathing to calm yourself (optional)

If you want to do something else to get into the best headspace before the event, you could try box breathing.

Relax in four minutes with box breathing(external link) — First Steps

We all talk to ourselves in our heads, consciously or not. Our inner voice affects what we feel, think and do.

Invest time to learn positive self-talk. Talking to ourselves positively gives us confidence and self-belief, which are crucial to doing well and being happy. Talking to ourselves negatively tears us down and holds us back.

Positive self-talk for beginners

Here’s how to get better at talking to yourself. (Adapted from 7 Steps to Positive Self-talk.)

7 Steps to Positive Self-talk(external link) — The Wellbeing Works

Be aware of what you’re saying

You can’t improve something you’re not aware of. Make notes of what you’re saying, if you like. If you’re negative, ask yourself what evidence you have for thinking that way.

Use positive “I am” statements

Describe what you want to achieve. Make your statements short, believable and focused, like “I am good at sales”. Saying “I am” is more helpful than saying “I want to be”.

Imagine yourself achieving

Visualise your success regularly.

See “Visualisation helps you achieve” above

Replace negative influences with positive ones

What makes you think negative thoughts? If certain people are constantly negative or often put you down, minimise time with them if possible.

Spend time with positive people who empower you if you can. Think about people you admire and how they are positive.

Focus on what’s in front of you

When everything feels too much, stop. Ask yourself, “What’s most important right now?” Do that thing, then move to the next most important task.

Learn how to take control when you’re overwhelmed (6 minute video)

Ask “So what?”

Fear and doubt can stop us from being our best. Next time you think “What if something goes wrong?”, ask yourself “So what?” Try to see the situation more positively. For example, can you learn from the experience, get new ideas or meet new people? Can you see mistakes and failure as steps to success?

Focus on the good times

Being positive is much easier when you focus on good times instead of bad ones. Go ahead and acknowledge difficulties, but don’t dwell on them. Life is made up of good and bad times, and sometimes bad times make good times possible.

Think about why you enjoy what you do. Remember the good times and see if you can make them happen again.