“Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”
Everyone knows this question. You’re visiting relatives, and sooner or later they always ask about your plans for the future, followed by more unspecific and vague questions with equally unsatisfactory answers.
There is another approach, though not as well known, and we are here to tell you about it today. Psychologist Laura King places great emphasis on the question “What does my best possible life look like in 5 to 10 years?”. Dr. Laura King is the creator of the “Best Possible Self” method. The goal here? To formulate clear life goals and achieve them. This method helps to prevent a sense of futility from setting in, which can often lead to general dissatisfaction.
How does this method help? How does it work?
The Best Possible Self method helps you to motivate yourself, to focus on what is important, and also to make you aware of your strengths. As you engage with yourself and deepen self-awareness, you can then refine and align your goals in a more suitable and adaptable manner. If you lose sight of the big picture in everyday life, formulating clear resolutions helps you to focus on what really makes you happy and moves you forward.
All right, so how does the method work now?
First, it is important that you take enough time and rest. Then, imagine the best possible version of yourself in the future and use this to address each aspect of your life. How do you want your career, your relationship, or your family life to look like in the future? The best thing to do is to set aside one area per day, then address it calmly and without distractions. Write down your goals exactly! After five days read through everything again and see if there are any contradictions.
How do you feel when you have achieved these goals? Note the feelings of satisfaction and happiness you feel and read through everything regularly so that you don’t lose sight of your goals.
It is important to be realistic in your approach. If your future is based on winning the lottery or inheriting millions, unfortunately Dr. King can’t help with that.
Okay that sounds pretty good
It is! The beauty of the method is that you can apply it to all areas of your life. By setting clear goals, you can better visualize your successes and progress everywhere and pay close attention to your strengths and weaknesses. Decisions can also be easier to make because you have a point of reference. Try this method in a professional context or in your studies!
An added benefit is that the next time your relatives ask you about your goals, you’ll be able to give such detailed answers they’ll be left speechless.
