You’ve probably done this before: Lying in bed the night before a gig, closing your eyes, and imagining yourself on stage. You picture the perfect performance — your fingers moving effortlessly, hitting every note without hesitation, your body relaxed and confident as the crowd erupts in applause.
But then the day arrives.
You step onto the stage, and everything feels different. The lights are brighter than you imagined. Your heart is racing. Your palms are sweating, your hands are shaking, and your mind is spinning with doubts. The fantasy you so perfectly visualised starts to crumble.
Suddenly, all you can focus on is the growing tension in your chest. Your imagined performance is nowhere to be found. So you fumble through the first few bars while your mind is yelling "Why is this happening?! I practiced this! This should be easy!"
You feel the audience’s gaze. Maybe you imagine judgment, or worse, indifference. The pressure is suffocating.
The more you try to steer back into the imagined “perfect performance”... the more you spiral into anxiety, losing yourself in the “what ifs” and the fear of mistakes.
The whole performance feels like one long battle with yourself — trying to stay on track while fighting the urge to run off stage, to escape the chaos in your mind.
But still, you don't feel relief when it’s over. You can’t stop replaying every mistake, feeling disappointed in yourself, and wondering why you’re not good enough.
But you keep doing it... after all, it’s the advice we get in music school, from mentors, or even through books and blogs. It's supposed to work.
The Dangerous Trap of “Perfect Visualisation”
This is the trap that many musicians fall into:
Expecting perfection from their performances based on an imagined fantasy.
But the problem isn’t that you’re visualising success — it’s that you’re focusing solely on the outcome.
When you only visualise the end result, you get so caught up in the fantasy that you disconnect from reality. You lose sight of the actual process of performing, and when things inevitably don't go exactly as planned, anxiety floods in.
So, suddenly, you’re not reacting to the music. You’re reacting to the gap between your imagined performance and the real one in front of you.
This disconnect is exactly what fuels the anxiety you feel.
It creates an impossible standard, and when you don’t meet it, you spiral further into self-doubt and frustration.
And that’s also why so many musicians experience a performance hangover after every show, ruminating on every slight imperfection — no matter how “successful” it may have been.
Because deep down, you’re not performing with the music — you’re trying to perform against the anxiety that comes from not matching your fantasy.
How Another Approach Can Make All The Difference
Okay, let's imagine this instead:
You’re standing backstage, feeling those familiar pre-show nerves. But this time, you don’t push them away. You don’t tell yourself that everything has to go perfectly. You welcome the nerves because you know they’re part of the experience. You take a slow, deliberate breath, and you focus on your body. You feel the tension in your shoulders, the way your fingers grip your instrument.
Instead of imagining the audience applauding or winning the competition, you focus on what’s in front of you. The texture of the music. The way the sound reverberates in the room. The small, tangible details: The air on your skin, the hum of your instrument, the slight vibration under your fingers as you start to play.
As the music begins, you stay present. No future projections, no “what ifs”... and you notice the flow of the music, how it moves through you and out into the world. When you miss a note, it doesn’t throw you off. You don’t panic. You don’t freeze. You keep going because you’re not attached to perfection. You’re here to enjoy the process, to create, and to be with the music — no matter what happens.
And when you step off stage, you feel that sense of pride — not for getting everything "right", but for staying present, for not letting your nerves hijack your performance, and for being true to yourself and the music in that moment.
The Difference: Process Visualisation
Unlike outcome visualisation, process visualisation isn’t about fantasising about the result — it’s about immersing yourself in the act of doing.
It’s about staying in the moment and reacting to what’s actually happening in real-time, not what you think should happen.
Here’s how it works:
It takes the pressure off perfection. No more striving to meet an impossible mental image. Instead, you focus on small, controllable moments — the feeling of your fingers moving, your breath steadying, your heart syncing with the rhythm.
It connects you to the present. The more you visualise yourself performing, not as a perfect musician but as a real, vulnerable person in the moment, the more confident you’ll feel.
And it builds resilience... by embracing the process of performing, you learn how to adapt on the fly — handling nerves, recovering from mistakes, and staying calm when things don’t go as planned.
Examples of Process Visualisation for Musicians
Want to give process visualisation a try? Here are some examples:
Preparing for a Performance
Visualise yourself calmly setting up your instrument, taking a deep breath, and feeling rooted in the moment.
Picture yourself tuning into the energy of the room — not as a threat, but as a space to share your music.
Imagine yourself acknowledging nerves and choosing to channel that energy into focus and presence.
During the Performance
See yourself actively listening to the music you're creating, staying curious and connected to each phrase.
Imagine shifting your attention to the physical sensations of playing — like the smooth glide of your fingers on the keys or strings.
Envision yourself gracefully recovering from mistakes, trusting that the music will carry on.
Soooo...
If you’ve tried traditional visualisation and found it doesn’t work for you — if the pressure of trying to imagine the “perfect” performance only leads to more anxiety and self-doubt — then it’s time for a different approach.
This process-focused way of visualising your performance can be a game-changer, helping you stay grounded, confident, and in control, no matter what happens on stage.
And this is exactly what I help my clients do. We work together to shift from the fantasy of perfection to the joy of the process, building your confidence in real-time and helping you perform with ease and authenticity when it matters.
I want you to become the confident and joyful performer you want – or need – to be.
If you’ve had enough of the same old advice and are craving something that actually works, let’s talk. I’d be thrilled to invite you to a tea date, where we can dig into what’s holding you back and explore how I can help you find confidence in your performances.
