Your Future Self knows how

. . . to do it.

Many of us are used to looking to our past to determine what our future could be. 

We may think, “Well, I’ve only made $75,000 a year before, so I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make more than that” or “I’ve never lost 30 pounds before, so I don’t know if I can do it” or just “I haven’t done that before, so I probably can’t do it.”

When we really look at those thoughts, it’s almost silly that we’d think them. Just because we haven’t done something before doesn’t mean that we’ll likely be unable to do it. That’s just an easy excuse, a way to shut out possibility. 

How did we ever do something before we did it? By just doing it! 

And learning from what we found out when we did it. Data gathering: “This seems to work. That didn’t really work. So I just have to do a bit more of this than that to keep going.” 

Get a feel for it. Do it wrong. Get a feel for it. Do it a little more right. Repeat.

We didn’t know how to walk before, or ride a bike, or drive, or graduate from high school, or get a job, but we took the actions–and continued to take the actions–needed in order to do those things. To achieve those goals.

We had the desire to grow and learn, and we had the desire for an outcome. We had a strong “why” – a strong reason for wanting to make the effort to achieve the outcome. 

So what gets in the way now of achieving those seemingly impossible goals? 

Our thoughts. Which create feelings. Like fear, doubt, defeat. 

Thoughts create our feelings, feelings drive our actions, and our actions (or inactions) produce the results we get. 

So let’s think thoughts that create the feelings: determined, focused, excited, passionate.

If we’re basing what’s possible on our past, then yes, we will only be able to see what’s possible based on what we’ve already done. 

But if we want to go beyond what we’ve done before, we need to look to our future and keep our focus there. 

Our Future Self believes in what’s possible. Our Future Self knows that they can do it. Our Future Self is living the dream–has made the money, lost the weight, stopped drinking, has the partner, feels good. 

So instead of thinking thoughts that create obstacles towards our goals and the feeling of “defeated” ahead of time, we can choose thoughts that create momentum and the feeling of “determined.” 

What does our Future Self who’s already achieved the goal think and feel? Let’s start thinking some of those thoughts. Let’s start feeling some of those feelings.

When we choose intentional thoughts on purpose about what’s possible for us, we get to feel the intentional feelings created by those thoughts. Then we get to be intentional with our actions and inactions. And ultimately, we create the results we want.

Your turn: What do you want to create in your life and why? What would you get to believe and think about yourself when you achieve that goal? What would you get to feel when you achieve that goal? What if those thoughts and feelings are all available for you to believe and feel about yourself right now? Guess what? They are.

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