I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.
Thomas Jefferson
A visualization of the future you.
You are in a room full of people. There is a stage at the front of the room. Everybody is excited, expectant, happy.
Onto the stage steps a person. It’s you, but an older version of you. It’s your future self. The future you begins to speak, and soon you feel a shift in the room. Soon you feel a shift in your self. The future you has created something with their words, and impact on the crowd, you included. Soon the speech is over and the crowd disburses, some quiet and thoughtful while others are even more excited and abuzz.
What impact did the future you have? In what ways are the people around you different as they exit the room? In what ways will you forever be changed by what the future you said?
What does it mean?
Write down what they said, or if you don’t remember the words; write down the feeling that they created in you and in the crowd. Identify the impact – how will all of those people’s lives be different after hearing that speech?
Somewhere in your notes will be a key. This might be a key to a current obstacle that you are facing. It might be the key to letting something go that you’ve been holding onto for too long. Or it might be the key to chasing the dream that you’ve always put on the back burner. Only you will know which lock the key fits.
What is this?
This is what’s called a visualization. It’s one way to help people like you create meaning and tap into that powerful and knowledgable self which is sometimes hiding right under the surface of your day to day life. Like most things in life when we are creating change – you get out what you put into it. For many, the thought of doing this strikes them as silly. They believe that if they knew how their future self would act then they would already act that way, or they “can’t imagine their future self”. For those who are willing to suspend their apprehensions though, visualizations like this can help unlock some great wisdom from within far faster than making goal and values lists.
Are you willing to give it a shot?