We need to perceive or sense time and while we have 5 senses how do we actually sense time? We can hear music. We can taste chocolate(Yum!). We can see a clock and feel a soft blanket. But how do we see and sense time? Our perception of time is how we distinguish between our external representation of time and our internal grasp of it.

We ask students imagine themselves across space and time. In fact, 90% of the time task planning happens in a different space from where you execute the plan! This imagery is a mental anchor that allows the student to better resist distraction and maintain a pace to a to reach a goal. When forethought guides an individual's actions, they can carry out tasks more successfully.

When coaching students to develop executive function skills we help them to go from intention to action by teaching them to perform a mental dress rehearsal or to do a "dry run" of the task in their mind before they begin to carry out the plan. In other words, we teach them to be a 'Mind MIME' and act out in their mind the intended action. 

As an illustration, when children with weak executive function skills hear the instruction "get ready for school!", they hear the word, but do not pre-imagine the task or the steps to be ready. Even if they respond, "Okay!" they do not initiate any action to move toward the goal. When these children finally enter their room, because they have not pre-imagined the task, they are only starting to ask themselves, "Okay, what am I doing?" Without the vision of the outcome in mind, they are open to distraction. When these children go into their bedroom and see books, Legos, and a laptop, they easily disengage from the goal of getting ready. This Mind MIME imagery is a mental anchor that allows the child to better resist distraction and maintain a pace to a to reach a goal. Forethought is rooted in seeing oneself across space and time!