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Week 7 [07.12-13.12] Let's talk about the power of visualization

image source: freepik.com


I’m almost sure that by this point almost everybody has already seen this trend a million times online. And it’s not something new. But today I would love to talk with you about the power of visualization, to be more specific, letters to future self. Usually, they are written to be opened once again in a year. Some like to send them further in the future, to a 5-year mark. 

This became popular a few years back. I remember the first time I read a letter like that when I was in school. At that time I thought the idea was kind of weird and pointless. A few years later, I’m writing an article to… kind of promote it. 

But let me clarify why I think it’s worth trying to write such a letter. 

There are a few steps you need to follow when writing a letter to your future self.

Firstly, you should be specific when writing down what you want to achieve/change in a year. You need to try and imagine with all the details, goals you’ll achieve in a year, and how you’ll do it. Challenge yourself to see a full picture of events that will happen and where they will lead you. 

Secondly,  the letter has to be aspirational. There’s no need to limit yourself at any point whilst writing it. Set your imagination free and dream big. Imagine the best possible outcomes and opportunities that’ll approach you the following year. Write them down as they have already happened. 

The third one comes as no surprise, the letter has to be positive. Well, there’s not much to say about it. I doubt that any of us is ever dreaming of something bad happening in our life. So, why would you want to write about anything like that in the letter that is supposed to be motivational and uplifting, right?

Now as we are done with the steps, let's quickly look at them once again. Will you agree with me that this letter looks like a year-long life plan? Didn’t it bring you joy to imagine yourself in all the beautiful scenarios you wrote down? Isn’t it tempting now to try and achieve all of them? Science says that the better and more detailed we visualize our future, the better chances we have it will come true. Even more, research from Oxford and Cambridge says that clear imagination of details about a bright future can have a great impact on our energy and momentum, which also leads people to greater action. 


Questions:

  1. Have you ever written a letter like that? If no, would you consider giving it a try?

  2. Do you believe in the power of visualization and the impacts it might have on our future successes?

  3. If you were to write a letter like that, could you share what you would write about? (this question is optional, please answer only if you don't mind sharing:) )



Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/amyblaschka/2020/09/14/this-is-why-you-should-write-a-letter-to-your-future-self/?sh=1e81c1603652


Comments

Saloni Nayi said…
I didn't write letter but I have write email like this. Specially after take admission in this university there would be several letters full of confection, engegged , convincing etc.. And yes I would like to give a try because our old people are used to do it and they might be missing those days so I could wrote letter for my family I am sure it is the surprising feeling for them, acfually this is the era of technology that's why this small stuff have hidden somewhere and old people has also accept it and moving on but happiness behind this small things can raise the glow of our family.

Yes ofcourse I believe in power of visualization .It is victory of science is all over the world. Television industry, restaurants ,technology everything is on a view. Sometimes we just see some graphic image and we visualize ourself on a point, it make us to see dream, it make us to see the world as we want to, adjust the property as you consider. The impact of visualization is immeasurable. In this case we want everything is just perfect like colours, images, design, pattern, theme, background, shad, lights everything. Because we have chance to build a view as we want. How people will attract, what would make them to pay attention, how other gives their point of view and so on things which will affect on future success.

I really don't mind to share my answer but as I said before it must be so graceful letter I couldn't be even imagining small glimpse on my mind now.
1. Have you ever written a letter like that? If no, would you consider giving it a try?

I do something in this type every year. I try to stop myself for a while, consider my life, my achievements, my dreams and I notice that on a piece of paper. I evaluate last year, what I've learnt and what I would like to do in the future. Additionally, I read my last notice. This moment is full of laugh and sometimes even with sadness.

2. Do you believe in the power of visualization and the impacts it might have on our future successes?

Honestly, I've never thought about this. I do that to organize my thoughts and to have a chance to look at the past in other view after a year. It makes me sure that all troubles are not so bad how we think because from a time perspective everything seems easier.

3. If you were to write a letter like that, could you share what you would write about? (this question is optional, please answer only if you don't mind sharing:) )

I wrote about this in the first question. It's about dreams, achievements, failures, etc.
Bui Ky Anh said…
1.Have you ever written a letter like that? If no, would you consider giving it a try?
Yes I did, few years ago I saw a small application which allows us to write an email to ourselves in the future. I set to receive it when I will be 35 as I remember. I can not remind what was inside but I am still waiting for that letter.

2.Do you believe in the power of visualization and the impacts it might have on our future successes?
Visualization is a powerful thing. There are plenty of scientific researches proving that visualising is as important as practising itself. I can see that when I am focused on getting better in specific field. When I do visualise the work before I go to sleep it actually helps me a lot. It is easier for me to see the mistakes I was doing and correct it.

3.If you were to write a letter like that, could you share what you would write about? (this question is optional, please answer only if you don't mind sharing:) )
I remember in my letter I was relating to some person in that time. I was asking myself about some opinions I do not remember, probably I was curious if any of my views actually changed. I guess I also asked myself about something I was regreting and if I managed to repaired it and make it better.
Palina H said…
@Milena I have the same approach to this as you. I also use things of this kind to organize the thoughts and to reevaluate what I've done in the year. Keeping up a journal or letters like this taught me that all the problems I've experienced at some moment in life actually never seem as big and awful as they did after some time passes. So right now when I face a problem of some sort I try to look at it from the perspective of the future self and this actually always calms me down and helps me to find the best solution!
And of course the sweet moment of remembering some events that happened but I have already forgotten is a plus.
Palina H said…
@BuiKyAnh Oh wow, I think it will be so awesome and fun to receive that letter when you'll be 35! So many things might have changed already for you and what might change before you receive your letter is just mind-blowing. Hope you'll love reading it and that it will bring a smile to your face! I also love that you asked your future self some questions, I think that's a great approach to letters to the future self.
s16427 said…
To be honest I haven't written a letter for a long time, so it's hard to comment on visualization. I can't objectively state that it's good or bad, but I'd love to give it a go.

For second question, I toally agree. Visualization of your goals and targets sure do help. Although it's not enough to achieve you goals. Visualization should be only way of keeping oneself on track, simply daydreaming about being rich will give you nothing.

Third question is a broad one. I guess that if I had to write a letter it would be to my family, while I'm on vacation. That's actually an only scenario I can imagine of me, writing a letter.
Palina H said…
@s16427 Yes. I totally agree that just daydreaming about what you want won't bring you anywhere. As for me, visualization is more about thinking through what I want, what needs to be done in order to achieve that, and what options I have. And writing it down (either in a form of a letter or I sometimes do it in just a notes app on my phone) helps me to give it a structure. Also, the fact that I need to put it into words helps me to think about my goals in much more detail.
Illia Kalinin said…
1. I have never tried this method in a letter form, but I used to have a visualization board above my desk for many years.

2. Of course, It is an approved approach that helps you succeed. Having a visualized goal next by yourself helps you to keep that in mind all the time and focus on it, this adds more motivation, energy and makes your work reasonable.

3. I prefer not to get into details, but briefly this letter would consist of ideas regarding my work and personal projects.
What an inspirational article! I have some goals in my mind at the moment, as I'm currently at the close of a certain chapter in my education, which is delivering my thesis and defending the engineer's title. Your post really made me think about the plans that I have made a couple years ago, which didn't quite go as planned. I have never written a letter like that, but from time to time I picture myself and goals that I'm hoping to achieve by a certain age. This can be frustrating because a year time can sometimes be not enough. This year with the global pandemic has defiantly proven that, even though the things that I had planned were supported to go seamlessly. Nevertheless, I might try writing this kind of letter in the future.

I'm not sure if I believe that the power of visualization can impact our future successes. However, I do believe that keeping a positive attitude and thoughts, gives you an advantage in all opportunities. When you are open to new possibilities and don't stick to the plan that you previously had in mind, you are more able to overcome obstacles by compromise.

If I were to write a visualising letter to my one year older self, I would definitely start with finishing my bachelor diploma and starting master studies. As for my job, which is quite complicated, I think I would like to continue working for my current company. I have also recently received a proposal for another job opportunity, for which I have to receive my diploma first, and so I hope I could also participate in it. I am also hoping to continue with improving my Hebrew and receive a certificate for an advanced level. As for my personal life, I'm hoping to buy an apartment and start living on my own. However, because of the pandemic, I became more grateful for living outside of the city centre and having a garden, so if there would be another lockdown I don't think I would like to spend it in an apartment without access to nature.
I have never written a letter to my future self.
However, the way you put it in your presentation, tempts me to try it.
Certainly, writing such letter would require some effort.
You have to get creative in order to imagine what would be the reaction of your future self :)

Visualization is a technique I am trying to exploit all the time.
I have way too many goals, than available time and willingness to reach them.
Picturing myself that I have achieved them, encourages me to work on myself.

I would need some time to consider what can be written in the letter.
Some goals are clear for me now, what I need to do.
As a matter of fact, I don't like writing about my achievements and what else can be done.
In my opinion, having it in my mind is enough.
Karolina Rolska said…
I have never written a letter like this, but it seems like a nice thing to do to future yourself. I definitely give it a try, simply because why not. It would be nice to stop for a minute and think about goals and achievements not in general, but what I want to do exactly in one year. I think I will do it 31st of December, so I can open it and read it next year just before it ends.

I think I believe in the power of visualization since I’ve read some very interesting articles and studies about it. When you strongly believe and are practically sure that you will find yourself in some kind of situation it is becoming obvious to you that it will happen and you work your way to it.

I think that It will be about small things, like reading some books, spending time around nature, smiling a lot, maybe something else will come to my mind while I will be writing it.
1. Have you ever written a letter like that? If no, would you consider giving it a try?
I didn't write that kind of letter. I am using keep notes made by google and if i would like to find some targets made in past i could do it and compare with currently situation. This kind of letters that you mentioned it is quite interesting thing because you can also see how you mindset have been changed in past few years.

2. Do you believe in the power of visualization and the impacts it might have on our future successes?
I think it is powerful method. As you probably heard a lot of sportsmans are using this before important competitions. Even Robert Lewandowski said in some interview that he is using visualization when he have important game in next day.

3. If you were to write a letter like that, could you share what you would write about? (this question is optional, please answer only if you don't mind sharing:) )
I think i have nothing to hide so if i had such a letter i could show it to my friend.
Palina H said…
@Gabriela Yes, definitely a positive attitude and thoughts do give us an advantage. I think it's easier to go in life with an open mind. For me, this kind of letter just gives the motivation to keep on moving. They also make me wonder what I want to achieve. Sometimes I even use them as some sort of a challenge, like "will I really be able to achieve that huge goal I have". And then I'll write it down and start some sort of a rase with myself😅 It seems quite childish but that's works for me!
Palina H said…
@Karolina I'm so glad that you'll give it a go! Hope that in the next year when you open your letter you'll be pleased to read what's be inside! Yes, yes, yes, as more we think about future goals and imagine ourselves already in the positions we want to achieve the more obvious it becomes how we can get there. So I totally agree on that:)
I have never written such letter and I honestly am not sure whether I would do such a thing. On the other hand, what is there to harm me if I do? It's good to experiment with ideas which may positively influence one's life, so - why not? :)

I do believe in the power of visualisation - it's pretty much omnipresent. Vision is one of the senses and visualising the idea - whether it's a written form, a painting, a plan or a perfectly pictured view in one's mind - it holds great power. Not only to be more easily remembered, but also to be more easily resembled in one's achievements.
It's a broad field, to say the least. But in order to stick to the things mentioned in your article, the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that something like that may work. After all, once again, it can't hust, can it?

If I were to write such a letter, I would probably make it a short, but a detailed one. I would focus maybe not on the most important (as of right now) things for me, but on things that may make me happier. Be it a further development of a career or a private life - I believe the best thing is to not stagnate in terms of self development.
I've never written such a letter, but it does seem like a neat little idea. I can see the use in making an attempt to visualize and plan your best-case scenario future and I do see the value in putting it to paper - writing things down has been experimentally proven to commit ideas better to memory, and I imagine this might make the visualizations more tangible and impactful. However, I'm not so sure about actually reading such a letter years later, especially if one was to aim particularly high in their visualizations and didn't quite live up to their ambitions. It could be heartbreaking to realize one has failed to accomplish what they aimed for years before.

Still, I'd like to give writing a letter to my future self a try, might even do it today. Less for the purpose of visualization, and more for the purpose of making a time capsule - describing to my future self how I am now, what I believe and think, who are my friends, how I'm feeling, what are my hopes, dreams and fears. I hope that in five years, reading that, it will allow me to see how I've changed since, for good or bad. And at the very least, it'll be a beautifully nostalgic experience, like reading old pages of one's diary.
Tkach Dmytro said…
Unfortunately, not, but I was thinking about it for this New Year. Last year I was a little bit nervous about this topic because a lot of my friends started hype this topic, and I didn’t like this. Everybody was so crazy about this letter, so I didn’t want to join them in this way. Now I don’t see a lot of advertisements about the future and start thinking, why I should try it. Last year I had a plan in my mind and I was trying to keep it, something happened to me, about something I forget, maybe it wasn’t so important for me, but I would like to write down these things also, just to remember, even if it’s not important.
I guess this power of visualization it’s a way when you going through any kind of problems to your main goal, which keeps you in tonus to get there.
Sure, I would like to get a few certificates from Microsoft, I would like to travel to Asia (if borders will open). Those were a few things which I want to share with you 😊
Have you ever written a letter like that? If no, would you consider giving it a try?

I have never written a letter like that i and probably wont do that in the future. I dont like doing something like this.

Do you believe in the power of visualization and the impacts it might have on our future successes?

I dont and i dont think in my case it would have any impact on my future success.

If you were to write a letter like that, could you share what you would write about? (this question is optional, please answer only if you don't mind sharing:) )

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