250 Developing Mental Toughness So, it seems that for us to improve our focus, we must practise those tasks that we are looking to perform. But, does practice need to be physical or mental? It appears that both are effective. Physically practising something assists in the learning process, which leads to improved automaticity and improved attentional allocation. The focus moves from being on step-by-step components of a task (slow and effortful focus) to the outcome of the task (fast and effective focus). As such, deliberate practice is essential if individuals are to be able to effectively focus their attention on relevant information whilst performing a task. Further- more, increased expertise allows individuals to make quicker judgements and rely on `gut-instinct' ­ an approach that is often effective and does not demand conscious focus. Practice that closely resembles the task being prepared for assists the in- dividual in dealing with distractions in the environment and in identifying relevant information to focus upon. However, mental practice can also help individuals develop skills and their concentration. Appropriate visualization can help identify what they need to be focusing on when it comes to per- form. Visualizing performances or tasks can assist learning, and it provides a situation where control over distraction can be practised. Visualizing a task whilst under pressure from distractions (eg, music or noise) can help develop the ability to focus in the face of such distractions.