The Power of Visualising Your Goals

Lately I have been reading and hearing so much about the power of positivity and visualising your goals. I thought I should try it for myself. See if it works.

So I wrote myself a letter. From my future self looking back at 2021.

***

Dear Me From January 2021,

We have reached the end of another year, and what a year 2021 turned out to be.

You can look back at the last twelve months with enormous pride - you have achieved so much. So much has changed for you. All for the better.

The beginning of the year was tough. Britain entered lockdown again and schools closed for all but key workers’ and vulnerable children.

You worked on maintaining a grateful attitude and juggled lockdown teaching with working on your dreams. It was the right decision to work part-time, even if it meant tightening the belt, so you could dedicate time to your dreams.

Having finished writing and editing your first book in 2020, you relentlessly worked on the second one while looking for a literary agent.

Getting your hands on the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook was a great shout. One of the best books you have ever bought or read. You spent hours reading through the detailed information on traditional publishing versus self-publishing, weighing out the pros and cons.

Then you spent even more hours researching agents and sending out query letters.

But it was all worth it. You found an agent who loved your book and sold it to publishers. Now you only have a few short months to wait until your book hits the bookshops in March.

Your second book is now with your agent, and the third is well under way.

You wrote short stories and micro-fiction to NYC Midnight’s competitions and won prizes in both. All your hard work and dedication paid off in bundles.

And what about your work on Vocal? It was a struggle at first and disheartening, too, as many of your first stories failed to hit the mark.

But you read what others published on Vocal and learnt from them. You studied advice from other writers and put their points into action.

Your research paid off. Within a few months, you increased the number of readers and supplemented your supply teacher’s income with your earnings from Vocal.

With more time to focus on your dreams, you continued to work on your blog and raise awareness of womb cancer and Lynch syndrome. You used the blog and your epic bike ride to raise money for vital cancer research.

Talking of the ride. That ride was awesome and the current you, that’s me now, is already planning our next big cycling adventure.

Remember the first climbs in Norway, though? They were bloody tough! Remember wanting to throw your bike off the cliff and hitchhike to the nearest town to check into a hotel?

But it got easier after pushing through the first few days with the support from your partner, who did the entire journey with you.

And remember the moment you arrived in Punta De Tarifa? How your family and friends were there to welcome you? What a special moment that was! Everyone important to you, including his estranged children, there to celebrate with you. It was a moment that will stay with both of you forever.

Cycling through Europe for nearly 6,000 km was a major achievement. Especially since you finished the ride only two years after getting the all clear from cancer. That is an inspiration to others going through cancer.

And as crazy as all that sounds, that was not all you accomplished in 2021. You also moved home, giving yourself a new, healthier and more inspiring base.

When you look back on your 2021, you can count the blessings.

And how did you do it all?

What made the difference? You have always worked hard, yet success evaded you until now. So what changed?

You changed. Your mindset changed. You always believed you could, but it wasn’t until you believed you deserved it that things changed.

You practised gratefulness daily and created goals that came from the heart and soul, not from your ego. You understood that ego based goals created anxiety and fear whereas those from the heart signalled possibilities of expansion and love.

You went from saying, “I want to be a successful writer,” to saying, “I am a successful writer.”

You visualised your path and followed it.

You deserve it all.

With love and gratitude,

Your future self

P.S. Now go write yourself a cheque for $1,000 for your first Vocal Challenge win. It worked for Jim Carrey and it will work for you, too.

***

You have just helped my fundraiser by reading this story as I donate 10% of everything I earn from Vocal to the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Thank you!

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