Close your eyes. Take a moment to think through your list of “This is the year…” items. Can you see yourself achieving those goals? Can you see yourself boarding a plane to go on that trip you’ve always wanted? Can you see yourself looking down at the scale and seeing a healthy, fit number? Can you see yourself taking a seat at that new desk in that new office?
Damnit, neither can I! Some people do wonderful things with those “close your eyes” directions. Some people can envision themselves anywhere. Apparently this Career Girl’s imagination isn’t so great. Whenever someone says, “picture yourself thin,” all I can see is a photo of me in my 10th grade prom dress (yes, the one still hanging in the back of my closet waiting for me to be able to fit into it again). I don’t see me now. I see some ancient persona I left long ago.
So how, then, do we visualize success for our 2012 goals? For me, the answer is the vision board. You don’t have to close your eyes to see it.
- Pick up some magazines, cut out some pictures that inspire you to meet your goals, and put those photos up on your refrigerator or in your office or on your bathroom mirror. Let them be a constant visualization of your goals.
- For me, I’m using my new favorite toy, Pinterest, to create my vision boards for the year. There, you can find photos and sayings that inspire you and “pin” them on a virtual board that gives you something to come back, look at, and get inspired by. You can access Pinterest on your internet enabled phone as well, which seems to act as a good motivator when I pull up my exercise pin board when on the treadmill. It reminds me of why I’m doing this every day.
So whatever works for you, do it! Maybe visualizing is writing it down, maybe it’s cutting out photos, maybe it’s finding thoughts and pictures online, or maybe it’s as simple as closing your eyes. But if there’s one thing I know for sure about goal setting, it’s that being able to visualize the goal at its completion will get you far when it comes to sticking to it!
About the Author: Marcy Twete
Marcy Twete is the Founder and CEO of Career Girl Network and the author of the book “You Know Everybody! A Career Girl’s Guide to Building a Network That Works.” At Career Girl Network, Marcy provides women with information, resources, and networking to empower them in their careers and to advance the work of women in business as a whole. Prior to launching Career Girl Network, Marcy worked in numerous nonprofit organizations and as a consultant in the field of nonprofit fundraising, marketing, and community relations. Marcy is a graduate of the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, and a native of rural North Dakota. She is the Vice Chair of the Chicago Board of Directors for Step Up Women’s Network in Chicago and a member of the Advisory Board for Girls on the Run Twin Cities, and is dedicated to advancing the work of organizations that move the needle for women and girls worldwide.
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