If I ask you not to think of a purple hippopotamus - what is the first thing you think of? - a purple hippopotamus. This is because in order to make sense of what I am saying, you have to think about what I am asking you not to do.

This week, I ran an assessment centre where candidates had to make a ten minute presentation. I chatted to one of the candidates and she told me that she was trying really hard not to be nervous.

As before, telling yourself not to be nervous will focus your mind on the very thing you are trying to avoid. As, in order to make sense of what you are telling yourself you feel, imagine, see, hear yourself being nervous.

Resist this and tell yourself, "be confident" so that you feel, imagine, see hear yourself being confident. To make this even more powerful - think of a time when you were confident.

I asked the candidate to do this - she said her most confident time was just before she went into a Club at the weekend with friends. She felt happy, confident and optimistic about what the night would bring - see if this works for you?

Good luck!