Create Your Future
Future Pacing: Creating the Future You Want
Future pacing is one of those tools that seems simple—but it goes deep.
You're not just imagining a better future. You're giving your brain a preview of what it’s like to already be there.
What you're doing.
How you're feeling.
How you're responding differently—all of it.
The brain learns through experience. And when you mentally walk yourself through situations where your goal is already happening, you're helping your unconscious mind get comfortable with that version of you.
It’s not about pretending. Or faking it until you make it. It’s creating a reality for your brain.
It’s about training your system to recognize that this new way of being is possible… and even familiar.
And it works.
Athletes do this all the time. The most successful ones don’t just train physically—they mentally rehearse making the shot, landing the jump, crossing the finish line. They see it, feel it, run it in their minds over and over.
And research backs it up:
Athletes who combine visualization with physical practice perform better than those who rely on physical practice alone.
Because to the brain, imagined experience is experience.
So future pacing lets you build the memory of success before it even happens—so when it does, your system isn’t shocked. It’s ready.
It’s a powerful way to align your thoughts, emotions, and actions with your goals.
Here’s how it works and how you can use it to your advantage.
Step 1: Get Clear on Your Goal
Before your brain can build a new path, it needs a destination that actually matters to you—not just something that sounds good.
These prompts will help you tap into the real reasons behind your goal—not the surface ones.
💬 What do you want to achieve?
Be specific—not just “I want to feel better” or “I want success.”
What does that actually look like in your real life?
What would a random Tuesday look like if this were your new normal?
💬 How will you know when you’ve succeeded?
Don’t just think in outcomes—think in sensory detail.
What will you see happening around you?
What will you hear others say—or yourself say differently?
What will you feel in your body when it’s real?
Let your unconscious mind build a multi-sensory snapshot of success. It needs more than a to-do list—it needs a lived experience to aim for.
💬 Why is this goal important to you?
Not why it should be important. Why is it actually meaningful for you?
What does it unlock in your life?
What does it prove to you about who you are?
💬 How does this align with your values?
What core part of you does this goal support?
Is it about freedom? Growth? Purpose?
The more your goal reflects your deeper values, the easier it is for your brain to stay on board.
💬 What will happen if you don’t achieve it?
Be honest.
What would stay stuck?
What would become even harder over time?
What part of you might shrink, retreat, or give up a little?
This isn’t about fear-mongering—it’s about giving your unconscious mind a reason to stop choosing what's comfortable over what’s necessary.
💬 What will happen if you do achieve it?
What might open up for you?
What’s the emotional payoff—not just the external result?
What will feel possible after this that doesn’t feel possible now?
And also… what might feel a little uncomfortable about getting there?
Sometimes success means change—and change isn’t always cozy.
You might have to be seen in new ways.
You might outgrow things—or people.
You might not know who you are without the struggle.
Your unconscious mind needs to process that too.
Because if it sees success as risky, it’ll quietly keep pulling you back.
💬 How might achieving this goal affect the world around you?
✅ Positively: Who benefits from your growth? Who gets more of the real you?
❌ Negatively: Who might feel uncomfortable with the new you? Are you unconsciously trying to protect others from your change?
💬 How might not achieving this goal affect the world around you?
✅ Positively: What do you avoid by staying where you are (conflict, discomfort, exposure)?
❌ Negatively: What does the world miss out on if you stay small?
Step 2: Shift Into a Resourceful State
Before you drop your brain into the future, you want your system in the right state.
That doesn’t mean you have to feel amazing or perfect—it just means you’re grounded enough to let your imagination work for you, not against you.
For example, if you’re visualizing confidence, think of a time in your life when you felt confident, clear, or deeply yourself.
Bring it to mind. Feel it. Let it settle in your body.
Remind your brain that it knows how to feel this feeling.
And if it doesn’t?
If there’s a feeling you’re trying to imagine—but you’ve never actually experienced it?
That’s where I come in.
For instance, if you’ve never felt confident speaking in front of others, your brain has no reference point to build from.
That doesn’t mean you’re stuck—it just means we need to create that feeling in session, so your system has something real to work with.
You’re setting the tone.
Because the more your body and brain feel capable, the easier it is to see your future as something you can actually live into.
Step 3: Start Visualizing
Now, picture yourself in a moment where the goal is already real.
Not someday.
Not “maybe, hopefully.”
It’s already happening.
Where are you?
What’s happening around you?
What are you doing that’s different?
Get specific. Let it be vivid.
What do you see? Is it the room you’re in, the people nearby, the expression on your face?
What do you hear? Words of encouragement? Your own calm breath? Laughter?
What do you feel? Not just emotions—what's happening in your body? Ease? Energy? Stillness?
Let your brain feel like it’s been there before—because that’s the point.
Step 4: Make It Believable
If what you’re visualizing feels too far away, don’t force it.
Back it up. Get closer to now.
Your brain doesn’t need you to leap—just step.
So instead of imagining the final result, try visualizing a meaningful milestone.
If speaking in front of 1,000 people feels out of reach, imagine feeling calm while prepping for a Zoom call.
If total confidence feels unrealistic, visualize taking one bold step—sending the email, setting the boundary, saying the thing.
When your brain believes it’s possible, it moves toward it without resistance.
Step 5: Set Anchors That Stick
Anchors are simple cues that remind your brain: “This is who I am becoming.”
They help your nervous system access the future state now.
Try any of these:
A phrase you repeat when doubt creeps in: “I’ve got this.”
A gesture that grounds you: hand on your chest, fingers pressed together—whatever feels right.
A visual reminder you see daily: a sticky note, a lock screen, a symbol on your desk.
Anchors help you reconnect to the future version of you—even in the middle of a hard moment.
Step 6: Don’t Skip the Messy Part
Things won’t always go smoothly. Your nervous system needs to know what to do when things wobble.
So ask yourself:
What’s likely to throw me off?
What would “future me” do in that moment?
Visualize that too.
Not just being “successful”—but being resilient.
That’s how your brain learns to stay with the process instead of bailing when it gets hard.
Step 7: Repeat Often
Future pacing isn’t something you do once and forget.
It’s a practice.
The more your brain experiences this version of you, the more it moves toward it—naturally, almost automatically.
Here’s how to keep it alive:
Spend 2–3 minutes each day visualizing the outcome as if it’s already true
Journal what you saw, felt, or noticed
Celebrate every small win as evidence that you’re already shifting
Why This Works
Your brain doesn’t need more convincing—it needs direction.
And future pacing gives it that.
When you repeatedly imagine yourself living the version of life you want, your brain begins recognizing opportunities, filtering out distractions, and supporting you in making decisions that match that future.
You're not faking anything.
You're just helping your unconscious mind see and feel what's possible—so it stops treating the unfamiliar as unsafe.
You’re not just hoping for a better future.
You’re rehearsing it.
And every time you do, your brain says:
“Oh. This is who we are now.”
Ready to Take This Deeper?
If you want help getting your unconscious mind fully on board with the future you're working toward—
Let’s talk.
Click the link below to schedule a strategy call. We’ll explore how future pacing fits into the bigger picture of lasting change—and how I can help you create it.
