Are you noticing that your drive to take action and make things happen is reducing as the years go by? Would you like to dramatically increase the rate at which you attain your goals? Are you worried that you have so much to accomplish yet time seems to be in short supply?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions above, future vision planning may be just what you need to unleash the inner superhero in you.
What is Future Vision Planning?
At its basic level, future vision planning refers to projecting into the future and clarifying what exactly you want to be, have and do in order to get the most out of your life; to be satisfied with your life.
This clarity is important because it will ensure that everything you do is in alignment with the vision you would like to bring to life, and your life will take on added meaning when every plan, action or interaction has a connection to taking you closer to the vision that keeps you alive, that excites you.
When you know where you are going, your steps are surer and your progress is faster.
What If My Aspirations Change?
No human is static, and what you want today may not be what you want several years from now. However, this shouldn’t stop you from engaging in future vision planning now. Two key reasons explain why you should still do your future vision planning.
First, our authentic vision comes from who we are at the core, and this is unlikely to change as the years go by. For example, if you are passionate about helping others, you are unlikely to stop being so. What may change is how you help other people. For this reason, future vision planning helps you to touch base with who you are at the deepest level, and that is invaluable as a guiding light while you go about your life.
Secondly, future vision planning helps provide direction for the kind of future life you would like to have, starting from where you are at the moment. You need this direction now, and future vision planning will provide it. If you change along the way, no problem! Just keep tweaking the vision plan so it aligns with who you are becoming as the years go by.
What Aspects Should I Focus on in My Future Vision Plan?
Jack Canfield suggests seven key areas to include in your future vision planning, and these are good to follow because they include the key aspects of life. Of course we are all different, so the specific aspirations that you have under each category are likely to be unique to you, which this exercise is all about. Future vision planning is a personal undertaking.
The seven areas are:
- Your Finances
Here, look five years into the future and write down how much money you wish to be earning at that time. Where is your residence? How does that residence look like? Which car or cars do you own or drive?
- Your Health
How does your future self stay healthy? What meals do you have? What is your physical and mental condition?
- Your Relationships
How do you relate with different family members (spouse, kids, etc.)? How frequently do you visit friends? What do you love talking about or doing while with family or friends? Who would you like to be closest to you at different moments in your life?
- Your Career or Business
What are your work hours? What activities do you engage in as work? Where exactly are you working from? How do you relate with co-workers and ideal clients? On what terms are you compensated for the work you do?
- Recreation
How do you spend your free time? What leisure activities do you love? What hobbies make your heart skip a beat? Where do you vacation? For how long do you go on vacation? How frequently do you take time away from work?
- Contribution to Community
What is the ideal community in which you prefer to live? Which social groups do you belong to? What contributions are you making towards improving your community? How are you making a difference in the lives of others?
- Your Personal Life
What legacy would you like to leave? How do you provide self-care to yourself? What is your sleep routine like? Where do you spend quiet time alone? How do you nourish you soul, mind and body?
Keep Refining…
Once you have the draft of your future vision plan, keep refining it until you have a clear image of everything you would like 5, 10, or more years from today. The clearer you are on your vision, the more it will be a powerful motivator for everything you do during every waking moment of your life.
Which Format Should the Future Vision Plan Take?
Ideally, you should write down your future vision plan by hand. Magic happens when your hand and brain work in sync to put together a future vision, and it is more likely to permeate your entire being, which is what we want.
It is also recommended to get photos or graphics which clearly depict the future you look forward to. For example, get photos of the car you would like to drive and stick that photo on your vision board so that each time you look at it, you are reminded of the future you want.
Remember to look at that future vision plan several times each day, wherever possible, so that it is burned into the core of your being. When that happens, the vision will drive you, and everything will soon be on autopilot since this future vision will have entrenched itself in your subconscious mind.
In Closing…
Future vision planning helps you to carve out what you really want for yourself, and this is vital in insulating you from all the “noise” coming from societal expectations, social media, and other such forces which can easily detract you from pursuing that which is meaningful to you as a person.
The bonus to this is that your progress will be much faster in all areas of your life since you have inexhaustible energy and fuel from deep within helping you make the best choices on a day to day basis. What’s not to love?
To Your Success,
Jairek Robbins