Introduction

There are many reasons that we get caught up in the day-to-day and forget to think about where we’re heading. Maybe we’re too busy just getting stuff done. Or perhaps we’re too distracted to sit with an intention for our life. It could be that we don’t have a vision and don’t know where to start, so we keep going on the path we’re on. It could also be that too many people in our life need us not to change. So many women I work with come to coaching because they are asking, “is this really what I want for my life?”

Understanding and envisioning where you want to be in the future is not just a daydream—it’s a powerful tool for shaping your life’s direction. Engaging in positive future visualization is an effective way to anchor your present actions in so that you are in active creation of your own life and, in the words of Thoreau, “moving confidently in the direction of your dreams.”

What is Positive Future Visualization?

Positive future visualization involves picturing yourself in the future living in contented alignment with yourself, embodying the success and emotions associated with that success. This mental practice is based on the principle that your mind and body do not distinguish much between imagining an action and actually performing it. By visualizing your future success, you can cultivate the mindset, emotions, and motivation necessary to make it a reality.

The Impact of Visualization on Performance

The impact of visualization isn’t just theoretical. Studies across various fields, from sports psychology to cognitive behavioral therapy, suggest that people who regularly visualize their goals are more likely to achieve them compared to those who don’t. In sports, athletes often use this technique to improve their performance during games by mentally practicing their moves. My high school track coach used to say, “if in your mind you can conceive it, and in your heart you do believe it, your body will acheive it.”

How to Practice Future Self-Visualization

Here’s a simple guide to start practicing future self-visualization effectively:

1. Find a Quiet Space: Begin by finding a quiet, comfortable place where you can relax without interruptions. This setting should be somewhere you feel safe and calm.
2. Relax and Breathe: Close your eyes and take deep breaths. Concentrate on your breathing and allow your body to relax with each exhale. Let go of any tension you might feel in your shoulders, neck, or back. Let your exhales be slightly longer than your inhales.
3. Envision Your Future: Imagine it’s five, ten, or twenty years in the future. Picture yourself having achieved your deepest desires and goals. What does this future look like? Where are you? Who are you with? What are you doing?
4. Engage Your Senses: Make your visualization as vivid as possible. What sounds are in the environment around you? What colors and sights are you seeing? Perhaps there’s a particular scent in the air or a texture you can feel. The more detailed your vision, the more impactful the experience will be.
5. Embody the Emotions: Focus on how achieving your goals makes you feel in this moment. Are you exhilarated, content, proud? Allow yourself to experience these feelings deeply. Notice them in your body. How does it feel in your belly, your chest, your back and shoulders, your face. Invite a smile as you imagine living your highest and best life.
6. Connect with Your Future Self: In your visualization, interact with your future self. What advice would they give you? What insights do they have to share about the journey? This step can provide valuable guidance and reassurance.
7. Gently Return to the Present: After spending some time with your future self, bring your awareness back to the present. Open your eyes when you’re ready, and carry the feelings and insights you’ve gained back into your day.

Applying Your Insights

After visualizing, take some time to reflect on the experience. What did you learn about your desires and goals? How does this vision impact your current path? Use these insights to refine your goals and strategies. Maybe you’ve discovered new priorities or realized that some concerns you hold today don’t impact your future as much as you thought.

Making Visualization a Regular Practice

Incorporating future self-visualization into your routine can significantly enhance your clarity and focus. Regular practice can help reinforce your path and progressively align your current actions with your long-term goals. Whether daily or weekly, consistency is key in making future visualization a transformative tool for personal growth.

By engaging in positive future visualization, you harness the power of your mind to sculpt your future. This practice doesn’t just help you see where you’re going—it actively helps you get there, turning your visions into reality. As you continue on your journey, let this powerful technique be a beacon that guides your steps towards a fulfilling and successful life.

Stay Connected and Be Profoundly You

Ready to deepen your journey toward being profoundly you? Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive insights and strategies that support your personal growth and help you live your vision. Join a community committed to profound self-discovery and receive regular tips and inspiration directly to your inbox.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court rejected affirmative action in college admissions, leading business leaders to ask whether their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts could be interpreted as unlawful.

Following the ruling, at least one US senator sent threatening letters to hundreds of private employers warning them that certain diversity practices could subject them costly litigation.

And other companies are already being sued over policies they have enacted on social issues such as race and gender. For example, this week a conservative legal organization sued Target on behalf of an investor over LGBTQ-themed merchandise.

Meanwhile, companies are facing customers and clients who are telling them that they won’t work with teams that aren’t diverse or buy products from companies whose workforces don’t reflect the diverse world in which we live.

All of this, coupled with legitimate research questioning how effective the billion-dollar DEI industry even is, leaves leaders wondering how to make sense of the conflicting priorities and practices.

The advice I’m giving these days is to focus your efforts on inclusion. Studies show companies with more inclusive leadership are more profitable, innovative, and winning the talent war. So how best to practice inclusive leadership?

1. Be vulnerable and curious

Recently, I worked with the management committee of a large financial institution where some members were feeling anxious and uncomfortable with the firm’s DEI initiatives. Specifically, they were asking what to do when they were from majority groups and confused about what steps they might take.

My counsel was straightforward: Embrace and voice your uncertainties!

As a leader, when you exhibit vulnerability (“I’m uncertain about this”) paired with genuine curiosity (“What kind of leadership do you need from me at this juncture?”), you create an environment where employees feel psychologically safe to discuss what they think will make them successful. You are role modeling openness and asking for feedback. Leaders are the tuning fork for teams.

When you play a note that says, it’s okay to ask questions and be uncomfortable, it makes it safe for team members to do the same. All of this leads to a culture of open dialogue and collaboration, enhancing the collective journey toward inclusivity.

2. Be an advocate and a sponsor for those you want to include

For years, I have been a co-designer and developer of leadership programs for emerging talent. What we have discovered is the most useful strategy for retaining top talent is clear sponsorship. If you care deeply about recruiting and retaining top talent from a diverse talent pool, you must commit to an individual’s success proactively.

That means finding the person you are supporting the visibility and growth opportunities they need to be successful. Inclusive leaders proactively provide substantive access to a diverse set of employees, nurturing their career progression.

3. Be a compassionate leader

Compassionate leaders combine empathy with a desire to help. Let me give you an example. A common practice among many of my clients are the creation of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), typically comprised of employees from under-represented groups who meet to discuss better ways of creating a more inclusive workplace.

Over the years, I have met with many of these groups, observing, engaging, and providing valuable insights to aid their work. Lately, though, I’ve seen a trend that worries me. Many ERGs have become spaces to voice grievances to leaders who agree to listen. While I applaud the empathy, I’m struck that many ERGs lack concrete solutions or the resources to take any kind of action.

When a leader tells me they have been invited to an ERG, I counsel them to practice compassionate leadership. This entails not only active listening, validating, and understanding others’ perspectives but also asking the critical question: “How can I assist you?”

Compassionate leaders transcend empathy by boldly embracing challenges and extending offers of help. In essence, compassionate leadership paves the way for meaningful action, fostering an environment where empathy evolves into tangible progress.

Diversity is not an aspiration, it is simply a fact that defines the nature of the global talent pool. Inclusivity, on the other hand, is an act. It is a way of leading people who have been historically underrepresented. And practicing inclusive leadership is not under any legal attack.

If you, as a leader, help those you lead feel included by sharing with them that you too feel vulnerable sometimes, you have helped them. When you mentor and sponsor a talented person who comes from a different background from you, there is a more inclusive environment, and you are developing future leaders.

As you practice compassionate leadership, meaning empathy coupled with an offer to help, you are making your organization a better place to work. And none of this is subject to legal scrutiny, it just makes your business better.