Do you have goals you would like to achieve but don’t know how to get there? Maybe you feel like you’re stuck and don’t know how to make a change. If this sounds like you, future self visualization may be the solution that you’ve been looking for! In this blog post, we will discuss future self-visualization and how to use it to create the life you want. We will also provide tips on visualizing your future self like a pro to reach your desired goals.
When we were young, we used to get asked a lot:
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
We used to spend a lot of time daydreaming about who we wanted to be and pretending to be them. We would imagine ourselves as successful businesswomen, teachers, doctors, world-famous authors, singers, TV presenters, or even the president of the United States.
While these ‘fantasies’ were fun to indulge in, they also helped some of us to develop a clearer picture of who we wanted to become. As we got older and began to explore our interests and talents, we may have found that many of our ‘fantasies’ were not as far-fetched as we had initially thought.
Through our ‘fantasies’ we were able to gain a better understanding of what we wanted out of life. In truth, those “fantasies” were the earliest glimpses of our future self visions.
In recent years, future self visualization has become a popular tool for self-discovery.
Why?
By picturing ourselves in the future, we begin to understand our deepest desires and biggest fears. We also get a better sense of the choices we need to make in the present to achieve our future goals.
So, if you are feeling lost or uncertain about your life path, future self visualization may be a helpful tool for you to use on your journey of self-discovery.
>>Read more: The Self Discovery Process That Will Change Your Life
What is future self visualization and How does it help you achieve your goals?
It’s no secret that the future can be a scary place. But what if you could get a glimpse of your future self?
A future self visualization is a powerful tool that can help you on your personal growth and self-discovery journey. By picturing yourself in the future, you can start to see what’s possible for your life. You can envision your ideal future and your higher self and begin to take steps toward making it a reality.
Future self visualization can also help you identify your values and priorities.
- What kind of future do you want for yourself?
- What kind of person do you want to be?
Asking yourself these questions can help you gain clarity about who you are and what you want out of life.
>>Read more: Powerful Questions To Ask Your Higher Self to Help You Figure Out Who You Need To Be To Succeed In Life!
So, what is exactly future self visualization?
In a nutshell, future self visualization is the act of seeing your future self to create a better future.
But what does that even mean?
Seeing your future self can mean different things for different people. Maybe it means visualizing yourself in a successful career, traveling the world, or picturing yourself happily married with kids. Perhaps it’s a combination of them all! Who knows! The point is, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.
Whatever it is that you want for your future self, you can use visualization to achieve any goal, big or small.
Just see it, believe it, and make it happen!
By visualizing yourself achieving your goals, you can create a roadmap to follow and stay on track. In addition, future visualization can help you stay motivated and focused on what you want to achieve.
Science proves future self visualization does influence reality.
I know what you are thinking; that this is just some new-age mumbo jumbo but it’s not! In fact it’s completly backed by science.
Indeed, several neurological studies have demonstrated that visualizing stimulates activity in particular brain areas.
Research on Olympic athletes found that those who visualized their performance beforehand improved by an average of 23%!
Also, a new study has shown that visualization for future does indeed influence reality. The study found that people who visualize themselves achieving their goals are more likely to achieve them.
What’s even more interesting is that, according to Dr. David R Hamilton:
“what you imagine to be happening is actually happening as far as your brain is concerned.”
How?
Yep, I had the same reaction the first time I heard this!
But the thing is that when you visualize something, what happens is that your brain automatically records it as a memory; as something you have done, regardless of whether it has really occurred or not.
That is because the same parts of the brain are activated when you’re doing something and when you’re imagining doing something – your attention, perception, memory, motor control, and planning are all affected by visualization.
That is why you are more likely to manifest the things and the life you want to have when you supply yourself with mental imagery of what it is you desire. Because when you see your future self, you’re training your brain to create a visualized reality. And what happens is that when you try to execute it in real life, your brain is already prepared because that has already happened in your brain. As a result, there is no need for your brain to panic.
Therefore, when you visualize something, for your brain that is something that really happened (even if you just imagined it).
This is the power of visualization.
When we can see what we want, we are much more likely to achieve it.
So, visualization is a powerful tool that you can use to increase your chances of success at anything—from getting a promotion at work to finally quitting smoking. And the best part is, it’s free and easy to do.
How to create a future self visualization
Now comes the fun part!
How to visualize your future self and start manifesting your goals?
Well, you’ll have to put in a little work if you want to see results. But don’t worry, it’s not as difficult as it sounds. And I promise it will be worth it in the end.
Remember, the more effective your visualization technique is, the better your chances of achieving your goals.
So let’s get started and learn how to make this process work for you.
Tips for Visualizing your future self like a Pro
#1 Write it down.
You must first begin by outlining in great detail what it is you hope to accomplish or who you hope to become.
- What does your future self look like?
- What are they doing?
- What do they have that you don’t have now?
- What does your life look like?
When you write out your visualization rather than just visualizing it, it becomes more than just a mental exercise; it becomes something tangible that you can refer to and read aloud daily. This can be done through journaling.
If you're still unclear about who you are, why are you who you are, and what you would like to change in your life you can read these articles The Unexpected Ways Our Lifes Journey Defines Who We Are, The Self Discovery Process That Will Change Your Life, and Here Is What You Need To Know On Why Is Self Discovery So Important For Personal Growth.
#2 Be specific.
The future is a foreign country; they do things differently there. That’s why, when you’re writing your dreams down and trying to visualize them, it’s important to be as specific as possible.
The more detailed and vivid your description, the easier it will be to see yourself achieving those dreams.
After all, if you don’t know what you want, how will you ever get there?
So, take some time to really think about what you want out of life, and then write it down in as much detail as possible. Only then will you be able to truly see yourself achieving your dreams.
#3 Be thorough and real.
Future self-visualization is not just about dreaming but putting those dreams into action.
For example, if you want to be wealthy, you need to save and invest your money. If you want to be healthy, you need to exercise and eat right.
It’s also important to be as realistic as possible.
For example, it is not enough to visualize yourself becoming wealthy; you must also imagine yourself managing your new wealth wisely. That means thinking about how you would spend your money, what kind of lifestyle you would lead, and how you would give back to others.
Future self-visualization requires you to think about the future as a whole, including all the changes that would result from achieving your goal. Doing this makes your vision real enough to have significant effects.
#4 Embody it.
Envision yourself exactly where you want to be: what you will look like, how you will feel, what you will be wearing, and who you will be with?
Then, take a step into that future version of yourself; How does it feel? Do you feel more confident? More empowered? More alive?
Whatever it is that you want to feel in your future, start embodying it now. Because, the more you can see and feel like your future self, the more likely you are to make decisions that will lead you down that path.
#5 Use all your senses.
The majority of the time, when people try to see something in their minds, all they can think about is how it would look. And while vision is undoubtedly important, you don’t want to rely solely on this one sense.
You have five senses – sight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste.
Get as many of them involved as you can.
Can you smell what it is that you desire? Is it possible to taste it? What does it sound like? What does it feel like?
The more of your five senses you can involve in the visualization process, the better.
Your senses are strongly tied to your emotions. That means the “why” is more evident when you attach all your senses to the visualization process because you make an emotional investment.
#6 Practice Multi-perspective visualization.
What is multi-perspective visualization?
Multi-perspective visualization is where you see yourself from the outside as if you are watching a video of yourself.
Studies show that sports stars often improve their skills most effectively by seeing themselves in their visualizations. That is because they can identify areas where they need to make adjustments and see how their body moves in relation to the rest of the world.
Hence, multi-perspective visualization is a powerful tool for achieving your desired goals. By seeing yourself from the outside, you gain a new perspective on your situation and can better identify opportunities and potential pitfalls.
This technique can help you to achieve your goals by:
- Allowing you to see the big picture and develop a clear plan of action
- Helping you to identify your blind spots and areas of improvement
- Giving you a boost of confidence and motivation
- Encouraging you to take risks and think outside the box
#7 Use vision boards.
How about creating a vision board to make this visualization process even more powerful?
A vision board is either a physical poster board, corkboard, or some other platform where you post pictures of what it is you desire. Or you can also do a digital one using Pinterest, Canva, etc.
By doing so, your visualization is not just in your mind. You can see it clearly with your own two eyes. The important thing is to keep your vision board in a place where you see it every day.
Another tip is to make a copy of the vision board and keep one at work and one at home for a double dose of motivation.
#8 Use what comes to you.
While visualizing, you’re likely to feel certain emotions. It’s essential to be aware of the emotional response you have to your visualization. These emotions are the key to predicting your ultimate success.
If you’re feeling confident and excited, that means you’re on the right track. However, if you experience any negative emotions, it’s essential to note them.
What is causing these negative feelings? Is it something you can address?
Make a plan to deal with whatever issue is causing these negative emotions. You’ll be one step closer to achieving your goals by taking care of the problems that arise.
When deep down you know that you are capable of greatness, there is no force strong enough to stand in your way.
#9 Believe in yourself
The future is always unknown and often seems scary.
What will happen? What if I’m not good enough? Will I be successful?
The truth is that every single person on this planet has these types of thoughts at some point in their lives. But the key is to not let them consume you.
One thing that will help you stay connected with your higher self is to believe in yourself.
When you have faith in yourself, anything is possible.
Every single person on this earth is capable of overcoming any obstacle if they set their mind to it. So, no matter what life throws your way, always remember to believe in yourself!
When deep down you know that you are capable of greatness, there is no force strong enough to stand in your way.
Success is yours if you put in the effort and have faith that you can accomplish everything you set your mind to.
So, believe in yourself and know that you are capable of anything. You’ve got this!
#10 Visualize frequently.
As the old saying goes, “practice makes perfect.”
You can’t expect much if you only practice once in a lifetime or just randomly when you happen to remember.
The thing is that every time you visualize, what you are doing is programming your subconscious mind to work towards your desired outcome.
So, the more you visualize, the more likely you are to achieve your goal.
If you want to make visualization a part of your daily routine, a good rule to follow is to practice at least twice a day. And there are two times of the day when visualizing is particularly compelling: first thing in the morning and shortly before going to bed.
These are times when your mind is more open and relaxed, making it easier to receive visualizations.
#BONUS tip
If you’re serious about achieving your dreams, don’t just daydream about them – read and listen to them like your life depends on it.
That’s the advice I followed when I was working to achieve my goals, and it really made a difference.
Reading your visualization aloud, or even better, recording yourself reading it, will help to ingrain the vision in your subconscious, making it more likely to come true.
And if you really want to maximize the effect, make sure to really feel the emotions involved as you’re reading or listening. As I previously stated, embodiment is essential if you want to succeed with this. That way, you’ll be tapping into the power of your subconscious mind and increasing the odds that your dream will become a reality.
If you can see it in your mind, you can make it happen in real life!
Just remember: it’s important to remember to visualize your entire life with the new change in place, not just the change itself — the more complete the visualization, the better the results.
Benefits of future self visualization
As I’ve mentioned throughout this post, future self-visualization has many advantages, but here are my top three:
- Helps you create a plan
Future self-visualization is a powerful tool that can help you achieve anything you want in life. By picturing your future self and visualizing yourself taking steps to achieve your goals, you can create a roadmap for success.
- Keeps you motivated
One way future self visualization can help you is by keeping you motivated. When you see yourself achieving your goals in the future, it can give you the motivation you need to keep going, even when things get tough.
- It keeps you focused.
In addition, visualization for the future can help you stay focused on your goals. It can be easy to get sidetracked and lose sight of what you’re trying to achieve. But if you have a clear image of your future self, it will be easier to stay on track and achieve your goals.
Additionally, it can help to increase your commitment to achieving your goals. When you see yourself already living the life you want, it becomes much more real and attainable.
So, if you’re looking for a way to stay motivated and focused on your goals, future self visualization is a powerful tool that can help you achieve anything you want. Start picturing your future self today and see how much closer you get to achieving your desired goals!
Here are several people who claim their success to the power of visualization.
Final thoughts
If you’re looking for a way to achieve your goals, future self visualization may be the solution you’ve been searching for. This technique can help you stay motivated and on track while working towards your desired outcomes.
It is important to remember that to achieve your goals, you need to take action and experiment with different things. With a bit of patience and exploration, you can continue to discover new things about yourself and grow in your journey of personal growth.
I hope that you found this blog post helpful and that I inspired you to try future self visualization for yourself.
So, are you ready to create the life you want? What are some goals that you would like to achieve? How will you use future self visualization to help you get there?
Let me know in the comments below!
