Though I’d been here many times before, the little hairs on my arms still rose with the sound of the starting whistle, as it rattled deep within my ear drums; a reminder to quickly make my way through my internal checklist before inching my toes closer to the front of the starting block.
With a deep breath, I fill my lungs with the thick, warm aroma of the chlorine filled air, adjusting the straps of my goggles tightly around the back of my head. As I quickly tug on the rim of my swim cap to make sure it’s snug and secure, I elongate my thin, muscular arms, close my eyes, and play out each phase of the race ahead of me. I need to execute a smooth shallow dive, regulate my breathing patterns, and ensure I tuck my neck and knees tightly as I glide into a somersault. It’s absolutely critical that I perfect my flipturn to seamlessly transition into my second lap.
Seconds before the whistleblower announces, “on your mark…,” my visualization exercise narrows my focus with nothing but the end goal in mind. As I grip my fingers around the edge of the block, staring into the depths of the waves beneath me, I gently relax my shoulders, and slip into a trance. In the distance, all I see in my mind are my fingertips firmly hitting the wall, just beyond my very last stroke; my head then pops up to bask in my name as it sits atop the scoreboard. “Get set…,” he continues. As I listen intently for the moment the gunshot is released, I spring off the diving board and plunge into the cold, rigid water alongside seven other competitors, all with the same thing in mind: to win.
***
I was first introduced to visualization techniques early on in my athletic training by both my dad and coaches as a way to help subside feelings of anxiety before swim meets. For ten years, I began to incorporate it into my daily routines and, as a result, I broke club and national records, and went on to earn numerous medals. When I transitioned beyond the world of competitive sports, I applied this same tactic to my life and career goals. While I grieved my career as an athlete, I was able to redirect that energy to advance new dreams.
While vision boards are extremely popular during this time of year, if you don’t truly feel and connect to what you wish to experience, it will never manifest itself into reality. Most people approach this task like an arts and crafts project, and, oftentimes look at it, no more than a few times with excitement before discarding it after a few months. To avoid this, I’ve chosen, instead, to save a photo of my vision board as my laptop and phone screensaver so I have no choice but to consume it daily, even if only subconsciously. But beyond that, I also began incorporating my priority goals into my passwords. Count how many times you use your given passwords on a daily basis. Likely more than 5. In doing so, no matter the system or platform, I’m reminded of the path I’m on.
But, let’s circle back. When determining what you want to achieve, the first step to bringing your desired outcome to life is to be as specific as possible. I’ll go first and share a few of my goals from my ever growing list.
Too vague: I want to own a home.
Detailed: I own a multi-million dollar home with my partner in the Greater Toronto Area. It has a beautiful outdoor patio to entertain guests on a Friday night, and also serves as an oasis where we sip coffee quietly the next morning. It adorns 4 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, and a spacious, open layout kitchen that allows me to watch my (future) kids run around the backyard, all while our large family dog wrestles with his toys on the living room floor. A manicured front lawn, a rectangular shaped pool, and a basketball court in the backyard is what I envision. This home is within our budget, doesn’t stretch us financially, and is safely tucked away in a family friendly community that’s inclusive of a highly ranked school district. My partner and I also have an optimal space to work while surrounded by a custom library which houses hundreds of books that continuously inspires me.
Do you notice the difference between the two? Here’s another example:
Too vague: I want to start a blog.
Detailed: I have time to dedicate to a blog once a week. I courageously and creatively express my views on topics that matter the most to me, without being discouraged by the potential criticism from my family, friends, or online communities. Despite being a ghostwriter, I also enjoy writing in my own voice and I embrace it. Blogging is one way I advance my skill set consistently. I’m committed to the process, I hope to inspire people to fall in love with reading again, and I’m proud of myself for unlocking a passion project that’s not tied to profit.
For years, as part of my morning routine, I would recite each of my written goals out loud, then, for a brief moment, I’d close my eyes and calm my body, to the point where I can feel the breath moving in and out of me. I envision myself turning the keys into my new home, hitting publish on my newest blog post, cashing a check at the bank, or working alongside my dream client. The vision matches the goal, and I work my way down the page until completion, careful not to rush the process. It takes me a while, but I feel really good afterwards; the clarity creates a pathway for me to step into my action plan with ease. Each morning, I feel like I am resetting my energy.
Some of the goals I’ve accomplished include: Signing with a literary agent, buying my mom her dream car, securing consistent 5-figure speaking engagements, sustaining a healthy growth margin for my company while weathering the economic crisis, getting hired to teach part-time as a major institution (address me as Professor Reid from now on), graduating from an ivy league continuing education program with an overall 92.5 average, committing to weekly visits to the gym, prioritizing my health, finding a new love, and so much more.
Establishing goals, and a clear action plan is an important part of my life. Though true, I also remain flexible with my desired outcome because I know that when we plan, God laughs. Joel Osteen reminds us that, “God meets you at the level of your expectations. If you expect nothing, you’re going to receive nothing. But when you’re thirsty, you say, ‘God, I don’t see how, but I know You can do exceedingly, abundantly above all I can ask or think.’” So, the four bedroom home I dream of may start with two. My aim to blog weekly, may start monthly. The point is, by breaking down my target into realistic and manageable steps, it will inspire me to work towards it. However, in the end, where I land is solely up to Him, and I am ok with that because my life today is far more than I could have imagined.