When you look at yourself, you have a bias. According to Harvard psychologists, we tend to think that the person we are today is the person we will always be. They call it the ‘end of history illusion’. Despite awareness that our past self is clearly different than our present self, we tend to think that who we are right now is the “real” and “finished” version of ourselves, and our future self will be basically the same as who we are today.
Research shows great benefit in deliberately imagining your future self. I am going to suggest a practice for this here. That practice is to make a selfie video speaking from who you are in your full potential.
First, through whatever calming or emptying process you prefer, clear your mind of fixed assumptions. You might even find it useful to jot down some of the labels you have used to describe yourself as a way of letting them go. For example, I used to think of myself as shy, insightful and stubborn. Be open to previously unseen possibility. Then envision yourself in your full potential.
Make notes about the qualities of character that see your future self expressing. Then speak or dramatize that in a selfie video. Play it back. If it is not aspirational enough, you could give it another take. Or play it to a friend and ask them to point out any qualities they see for you that you might have missed.
Begin to identify yourself as the enormous potential that is who you are.
A user-friendly way to do this practice is the first session in the Numina App which you can access for free here on AppStore or GooglePlay. You might also enjoy this fine article on the subject from Harvard Business Review.
I would love to see any videos you make. If you send me yours, I will send you mine 🙂