VISUALIZE YOUR FUTURE
10 Questions To Help You
VISUALIZE YOUR FUTURE
I’ve talked a lot about how visualization
helps you create the future you
want. This powerful tool has made a
difference for me in my own life, when
as an out-of-work-lawyer-turnedexecutive
life coach, I saw myself on a TED
stage one day, sharing with others how I
changed my life.
In my vision I was wearing a better color, my
neck was not so blotchy, and my pits weren’t
so sweaty, but seeing myself on that stage
was the catalyst that got me doing the work
to get there. That vision was the reason I
kept such a laser focus toward opportunities
that presented themselves, and it’s that
vision that got me to take a few chances and
step outside my comfort zone.
Having a vision changed my expectations,
and that was key.
I began to EXPECT better of myself. I knew
that if the future I wanted was going to
become reality, I had to change what I was
doing now.
Since that TED talk, my life and business
have blown up and now I’m on my way
toward the vision I started while still in high
school to hosting a daytime talk show.
Which means a whole new set of
expectations has arisen for me.
So I’m back to visualizing.
Does visualization guarantee that your
future will turn out exactly as you wish?
I wish.
Life has no guarantees, unfortunately, and
success is a combination of hard work, grit,
and even luck. But the more you stay the
course, the more likely you push yourself
further down the line and learn a hell of a lot
about yourself in the process.
But I get that visualization is not easy for
everyone and it does take practice.
To help you see your future, I’ve put together
this list of questions to ask yourself. Whether
it’s one year or five, use this list to jumpstart
your personal expectations and next steps.
Some of them may be challenging to answer,
and that is on purpose. Each question is
designed to help you visualize the PROCESS
for getting to where you want to be, as much
as the outcome.
Answer each question as if you are living
your ideal future in five years:
1) WHEN SOMEBODY ASKS WHAT YOU
DO FOR WORK, HOW DO YOU RESPOND?
2) DESCRIBE YOUR PHYSICAL
SURROUNDINGS IN AS MUCH DETAIL AS
POSSIBLE. WHERE ARE YOU WORKING?
WHERE DO YOU LIVE? WHERE DO YOU
SPEND YOUR FREE TIME?
3) DESCRIBE THE PEOPLE SURROUNDING
YOU–IN YOUR BUSINESS AND PERSONAL
LIFE.
4) WHAT IS THE ATMOSPHERE IN
YOUR BUSINESS AND PERSONAL LIFE?
HOW DO YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THAT
ATMOSPHERE?
5) WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?
6) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO
SPEND YOUR DOWNTIME?
7) WHEN SOMEBODY ASKS YOU FOR
MENTORING ADVICE, WHAT DO YOU
TELL THEM?
8) DESCRIBE THE STEPS YOU HAD TO
TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE.
9) DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS?
EXPLAIN.
10) WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE
DIFFERENTLY TO GET HERE?
Once you have your vision, tap into some
powerful research out of UCLA.
Researchers found that visualizing yourself
doing the steps it takes to reach your vision
makes you more likely to succeed. In the
study, people who visualized themselves
studying received better scores than those
who visualized a positive grade.
You can apply this research to your own
visualization and goals for the future. Once
you answer the questions above and have
your vision, write down or think about the
steps that you will need to take to get there.
What exactly will you need to do?
Then, it’s time to tap into the power of
visualization. Each day visualize BOTH the
future that you want–and picture yourself
doing the steps to get there. +
Mel Robbins is the host of the new daytime syndicated talk show with
Sony Pictures TV, The Mel Robbins Show, which airs nationwide.
Mel is currently one of CNN’s most popular on-air commentators
and opinion writers; her articles drive tens of millions of page views
for CNN.com. Mel has an extensive television résumé as an expert
on human behavior and motivation for Good Morning America, Dr.
Phil, Dr. Oz, Oprah, The Today Show and Fox News.
MelRobbins.com
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