How to Visualize Your Goals

Get ready, because everything is about to change. There's a new way of living life and doing business that will blow your mind. This is a podcast all about the timing of life and the timing of success. It's what we call the Right on Time life. And you are listening to the Right on Time podcast with Amber McHugh. Hey, hey, Amber McHugh here. Welcome back to our first episode of this year. I am so pumped to be diving in with you. It took me a little bit to return in 2023 because I eased into this new year. Then I found myself moving fast and furious, like, oh, okay, I gotta slow it down just a little bit. Which I have also done so already in less than eight weeks into this new year. I've dialed it up, I've dialed it down, I've throttled and I'm checking myself as I work towards my goals. You know, there's this frenzy that comes with reaching the end of the year. We've got a lot going on at year end. We're creating plans, we're reflecting. We may be holiday shopping and spending extra time with friends and family and pausing to celebrate and reflect all good things. In addition, setting your goals and creating those plans also a very good thing, because we know when you set goals and you create a plan to reach those goals, you are indeed more likely to move toward the place that you want to go. But why then? Why do so many people start to trail off from reaching and working towards their goals so early on in the year after setting goals or resolution, however you feel about that? I personally like them. I approach them uniquely and differently, but I like them. Listen to the stats, listen to the stats. Maybe you heard these before of those who make New year's resolutions, after one week, 75% of people are still at it. We've lost 25% though. After two weeks, the number of people still at it drops to 71%. After one month, drops to 64. After six months, drops to 46%. So after six months, just half of people, I actually thought it was February. So it's like continually dropping the closer and closer and the further we move throughout the year. And we hit the end of the next year, we're like, well, didn't do that again. And as I was thinking about this and as I'm thinking about me moving towards my goals and I'm thinking about where I am headed and what I want to do and how I want to shift things in my life this year. By the way, even if you love your life, right now, like I do, there might still be shifts that you want to make because we're growing and we are evolving and we're learning and we are absolutely changing. And I think it's really important to consider the shifts you may need to make to reach the goals you have in mind for yourself this year and for your life. Because we come with an identity, right? And what's an identity? A set of beliefs that you have about something about yourself. And Psychology Today explains identity is the memories, experiences, relationships and values that create one's sense of self, right? So think I'm an early riser. Maybe you're Nat. Maybe you're the night owl. Maybe you're a shopaholic. Maybe you're a business owner. Maybe you embrace identity of an author or a writer or a mother or a homeschooler or single, right? Whatever that identity is, we have phrases that we attach to it, and we have beliefs that go along with each of those things, stories that we're telling ourselves, right? Statements that we make about a person with that identity. But there's something key here in the Psychology Today. Quote, the identity is the memories, experiences, relationships and values one creates their sense of self. Memories from the past, experiences from the past and who you are may not be the same person that you are becoming, who you have been, who you are. Those memories, those experiences that got you where you are today may shape your identity, your existing identity of yourself, but they may not align with the person, person you are becoming. Take, for example, this is something I've been playing with myself. Take for example, the identity that I have as a business owner. I played with this idea. I am clearly a business owner. I own at present three business, three independent, distinct businesses. Three businesses. I'm a business owner. But I played with this idea the last couple of weeks that what if I didn't identify as a business owner? I am a business owner. But what if I wasn't so attached to that? What if so many of my beliefs and my way of being was not wrapped up in that of having the identity of a business owner? Now, there are certainly other identities that I have. I wrote some of them down here. I'm a mom, I'm a wife. I'm a writer. Questionable some days, questionable. But I want you to ask yourself, what are these identities that you have for yourself? You probably some probably occurred to you as you were listening and as I was rolling off some of those identities. And I want to invite you to ask, who am I as a mom, as a wife, as a business Owner, whatever those things are for you. But I flipped it and I asked who am I if I do not identify, identify as a business owner. And I embrace a different mindset, mentality, life, way of being more so. And I'm sharing this with you not because I have all the answers. I'm sharing this with you because this is part of the journey I'm on right now as I step forward to reach my goals this year. What they are doesn't matter. But I have realized that, right? And you know this, we know this. But I was settling into this even more. I'm going somewhere different in my future. And all of those memories, those experiences that I've had in the past are shaping my identity now. But they're not all going to be behaviors, mindsets, beliefs. I want to bring forward to the future. You've heard it. What got you there won't get you there. But how do you shift? How do we, when we're in the middle of that space, go from that past identity to the one we are becoming? And this is in fact something I am experienced with because I've shifted many times over the years. And you have two, by the way. I, for example, have shifted from single mom to not a single mom to mother of one to mother of three. From corporate, right? Someone who was working the corporate ladder and the nine to five to a business owner to more of a solopreneur to owning multiple businesses with a team, right? So we do make these shifts. But how do we make these shifts? And this is what I am also, like I said in the middle of and as I was going through this, I thought through and I want to invite you to ask yourself this question as well. If we can change our identity like you have over a period of time, we can systematize this and we can make this easier on yourself. So if you too are in the middle of an identity shift, maybe you're going from a freelancer to a larger company. Maybe you're going from a six figure business owner to a multi six figure business owner and you see that path for yourself this year. Maybe you're going from a business owner to not a business owner anymore. Maybe it's something in between. You're going from someone who doesn't get movement in I call my exercise movement. I've got some resistance in my head to exercise, so I don't even worry about going there. But maybe you're going from someone who doesn't get movement to someone who does get daily movement. That was an identity shift. I had to move through in the last couple of years. I used to get a lot of movement, then I didn't for all sorts of reasons. And I wanted to shift into someone who got movement on a regular basis, but I did it in a whole new way. So you've gone through these identity shifts before, and now I want to invite you to get very intentional about shifting some of your beliefs, some of your behavior, some of your ideas so you can shift into this place that you are going this year, the next three years, the next five years, the next 10 years with a little bit more ease. So I've got some strategies, like I shared that I was asking myself these questions, right? Who am I as a mom? Fill in the blank on your identity. Who am I as a shopper? Who am I as a baker? Who am I? Right? What are these identities that you have? And start to play with them a little bit. And I want to invite you to try on new ways of being. I call this try it on visualization. So visualization in and of itself is powerful. And we're going to. This is going to show up in two parts of these five steps that I have for you. The first is trying on new identities with tried on visualization. Now, like I said, visualization is powerful in and of itself. In the book Creative Visualization, Louise Stapley refers to a book called the Psychology of Winning by Whateley, where Whateley describes how Olympic athletes he worked with ran their race or carried out an event in their minds. So athletes, performers, I would do this when I was giving speeches on a regular basis, use visualization to play out the scenario that they want to come, that they're going to be in in their minds. For me, I know when I would visualize going into a presentation, right? Like, okay, I'm calm. I would talk myself through all the emotions, the feelings. And then when I got to that moment, oh, I've been here before. I'm good. I know what to do. I know what to do if I skip a line. Because I practice that in my visualization. I know what to do if somebody walks in late. I've practiced that in my visualization. Athletes do this as well. Picture yourself winning. Picture yourself right there and then pushing past, right? But the athletes were hooked up then to biofeedback machines, and they showed something interesting. They showed that the muscles fired in the same sequence in the same way when you were visualizing as they did when someone was actually running. So what does this show us? This shows us that the mind can't distinguish between what is real and imagined. The physical reaction to that in our body, flowing through us, was the same as if you're actually doing it. So the athletes that he coached were so successful in Olympic competition that this book, the Psychology of Winning, became a standard reading material amongst athletes. And apparently it is still used to this day. If you've been there in the mind, you'll go there in the body. Dennis Whaley, visualization, like I said, is not only used by athletes. It's used in business. It's used in performance. It's used in presentation and speech. I've used this over the lifespan of my career and shifting from one to the next to the next to the next, when I wanted to generate different kinds of revenue, when I wanted to try on different offers, when I wanted to do different activities with my family or show up together as a unit. So this visualization is powerful, but I also want to invite you even when you don't know the identity. Like, I got some identity things I'm playing with in my head. You can try on new identities using try it on visualization. So what is this? Let's say I'm playing with the identity of being a business owner or not, of starting that podcast or not, and maybe starting a YouTube show instead. Right. There could be different things you're playing with. And what you will do is you will try on that new way of being. So what would it look like for me if I did not identify so strongly with being a business owner anymore? Now, maybe this isn't even a question you are pondering, but maybe you just want to try it on. Like, I don't know. My reaction is that was like, what does that even mean? What if you identified more? Okay. So I went from what did this even mean? To what if you identify more as a writer? Okay, let's try that on. How does that feel? What if you identified more as a mom or someone who volunteers? Okay. Because certainly some identities hold more prominence in our lives than other identities. So what happens when you try it on as you play out? Like, oh, I can't even see that. Okay, well, let me try it. Let me just try. Since the question came up, let me just try it. And then I want you to walk through. What do your days look like? Who are you talking to? What are you doing? How are you spending your time in that? Try it on identity. In fact, when I started this podcast episode, I thought, okay, let me try on hosting a podcast. Not this episode, entire podcast. When I started this entire podcast, I thought, let Me try on what it will be like if I'm a podcast host and I tried on different elements. Is it an interview show? Okay, if it's an interview show, let's try that on. Let's try it on and play it out in your mind's eye. Okay, I have to get my schedule set up and I have to clear my schedule and I have to get on the phone and zoom at certain times with people and how many conversations does that need? And at the time, like, oh my gosh, I can't do that right now. That didn't fit where I was in my life. So then I'm like, okay, I think this podcast thing is still something I want to pursue. Let me visualize doing it solo for a period of time. Okay, when am I doing those? I'm doing those at these times of the day and I'm going to plan at these times of the day and oh, okay. This actually all feels a lot simpler than doing an interview show right now. And that's how I started. That's why I didn't do interviews from the start. Now we do some interviews. We've got a mix of solo and interviews, and that's going to be shifting over the year as well. But this idea that we can try on and feel it in your body, right? Just like the athletes and that example where Dennis Waitley talked about getting the same feedback in your body, the same things happening in your body as when you're actually doing it compared to when you're visualizing. So let's try on and visualize where there is very little risk, right? Where you can experiment and play with becoming or being or doing something different in your life. So try on these new identities, especially if you're not sure which way you want to go, if you've got a goal to write a book and become an author, but you haven't done that ever before. Okay, who am I when I am an author? How often do I write? What kind of books am I publishing? How often am I publishing? Am I self publishing? Am I working with a publisher? What time do I wake up on those days when I'm an author? Do I meditate? Do I swim? What do I do on those days? So let it play out and see how that feels. And if you notice that, oh, this identity, this new way of being feels in alignment, listen to that and start to pull through from your tried on visualizations. New identities that you may want to step into. From shopaholic to what if I'm a minimalist? Going Forward. I actually tried on over winter break. I found a maximalist group. I didn't even know this was a thing. It came up an expat decorating group because we have some different constraints when we are decorating and creating our home spaces when we're overseas. If you're watching the video of this, you could see that I've got a cover on this chair and me. And it is what it is. We just extra tuck it every now and then. But there's a whole group that talks about creating creative ways to decorate when you can't bring your things and when you receive furniture that you never know what you're going to get. So in that group, somebody shared a maximalist decorating group that they thought we might be interested in. And I was fascinated, like, what if I'm a maximalist? And I tried that on and I decided I want some tenants of that maximalist. I don't want to be totally minimalist, but I'm not the maximalist extreme. Right? But I tried it on, I embraced it. I walked through the rooms in my mind's eye again. And I actually looked up in some decorating catalogs. I'm like, oh, nope. And so you can try these things on to experiment. And so that was step one, right? Try on different identities. Step two, decide on the new identity. You don't have to decide on them all at once, right? I played with that maximalism thing for a couple of weeks. Like, let me. Let me just explore a little. Because I was looking at home type things anyway. So I go to some sites like, oh, good idea. But not all the way, right? So you don't have to decide all at once. Play with it, live and breathe into it in your head and decide the line for you or not. And listen to those nudges. After you decide on a new identity you want to incorporate weave into your life, you know what time it is, is right on time to start making and implementing some of the shifts. Let's say you are embracing this new idea of being a writer. Right? That was one. And I walked through my visualization. What time am I waking up as identity of a writer? What am I doing? How am I spending my time? Do I have more meetings or do I have less meetings? Right. Okay. And if the answer was less meetings, for example, all right, let me start clearing space. How do I have less meetings? What am I doing in that space and time? So you start to pull through from the visualization and the questions that you ask yourself, what are the action steps? I need to take and the small things I need to implement to start to embrace that new identity. Then you might try on the visualizations again and then go through those visualizations on repeat. We talked a little bit about how visualization can be beneficial. I want to give you a definition of visualization. Psychologist and author Gay Hendricks believes that visualization is one of the most powerful tools for change. We saw the science and the story that Dennis Waitley pulled through in his book. Gay Hendricks shares. Many people are propelled by events of the past, but visualization is an act of projecting the present onto the future. Visualization changes the dynamics of personal change by pulling you toward a healthier future, the visualized, healthier future. So this is a practice that aligns your mind and your body, and when something doesn't feel aligned. Okay, okay, we're going to adjust, right? But you pull through imagery, and there is a lot of research, there's a lot that you can read about visualization. But I want to invite you to embrace visualization on repeat in the try it on way. And after you decide, like, wait, who am I as this new being? What is my life like 10 years from now because of the decisions I'm making now? And continue to visualize who you are becoming and who you are after the season of becoming. And so visualization has a lot of different elements. A couple of things, right? I close my eyes when I visualize, for the most part. Sometimes I'll daydream it out, but usually I will close my eyes. I may or may not play music. I oftentimes try to capture all of the senses. What am I seeing? What am I hearing? What am I saying? What am I feeling internally or texturally? So you want to embrace all of those senses. And there are so many guided visualizations you can pull through and put into practice here. And I want to take a minute before we wrap up this episode to walk through a future you visualization. So before we do, we're going to end with that visualization. So I want to just put some key points on this before we step into that visualization. If you are working towards goals this year, if there is a shift or a change that you want to make in your life, we know that everything that has happened to you up into and before this moment brings value. It got you to where you are, and you have done things and, you know, things that are going to serve you as you step into your new future. And where you are going, those things that happened are great and some are not so great. And it is all a part of you. But you might want to make some new decisions and you may need to do some things different to get where future you is going. So use these steps that we talked about. Try on new identities. Decide on your new identity. Make small shifts that are actionable to incorporate your new identity into your life. Use triad on visualization and then visualize a lot. Because when you visualize, you're moving from conscious that you can hear me right now, that you are listening, that I'm snapping, right? The sights, the sounds that are present in this moment and through visualization. Because your mind and body don't differentiate between what you are crafting through visualization and what's actually happening. We're going to create new experiences and new memories and new ways of being that are going to contribute to where you want to be going. And they're going to be tucked into your subconscious. And this is going to make you getting where you want to be going that much easier. So that you are not one of those 46% of people who are falling off their goals by mid year come February, March, April, May. No, we're going to have ups and downs and peaks and valleys throughout the year. But ultimately we want you to sustain, sustain and continue. And this is one tool to tuck in your toolbox to help you with that. All right, and now for our first episode of this new year. I know, I know we are a little ways into the new year, but this right now, any moment that you decide, you get a fresh start. You get to decide when that fresh start is. With that, I want to invite you to get into a comfortable position. Take a few deep breaths and relax. Allow your eyes to close as long as you are not driving. And begin by focusing your thoughts on your breath. Breathing in and breathing out. Breathing in easily and effortlessly. Allow yourself to become comfortable and present in this moment. Allow yourself to relax and let go of any stress or worry. Release that tension from your shoulders, from your core, from your legs and from your feet. Now imagine yourself in the future, one year from now. Take a moment to envision what it looks like and what kind of life you are living. See yourself surrounded by people who truly love and care about you. Feel the positive energy that comes from those around you as they support and encourage you on your journey. Visualize yourself being successful in whatever dreams you see or have already set for yourself. See yourself taking risks that pay off. Whether it's launching a new business, traveling to somewhere new, or starting down an entirely new career path that supports you in this new life you want to be living. Feel the joy that comes with accomplishing something meaningful for your life. Imagine feeling completely confident in who you are and what you want out of life. Notice how much stronger and self assured you have become after working so hard on achieving your own success and stepping into this new way of being with as much ease as you let in. Know that each day brings opportunity for growth and learning as well as moments of fulfillment when things that may finally come together for you perfectly. Picture all that awaits for you, the relationships built along the way, the accomplishments, the opportunities you explored. Realize how far these experiences will take you professionally and personally. Finally, embrace a sense of accomplishment and contentment, knowing that all this has been made possible through your courage, your resilience, your determination and your tenacity. Before we leave this visit to future you, look around. Take note of what you see. See who's around you. Note the smells and anything you feel. Take another three deep breaths before slowly opening your eyes again. Now, as you open your eyes, feel grounded with all that lies ahead of you. Today marks the start of your very own Year of you Journey. And with that, thank you for being here on this inaugural episode with us. Remember, you are so very right on time.