In my corporate coaching and facilitation work, I’ve helped leaders of organisations bring their people along the journey of change – whatever that may be. One of the first steps that needs to take place is to create a picture of what a successful future looks like. It needs to be compelling to both the leader and to the employees as this is what must continually remain front of mind, particularly when things start getting tough.
And let’s face it, change in the corporate world can be very tough.
When people are facing upheaval in their teams, in the work they undertake, the hours that they may need to work, and in many cases, a complete shift in their employment status, they need something to keep them moving forward. It’s the reason. It’s the reward. It’s the “must have” that people focus on to get them through all the hard work.
The same concept is important to each of us on a personal level.
If we want to be living a different life we are going to have to go through some things to get to where we want to be. So, where we want to be, the vision of our future, needs to be compelling enough to pull us through.
When creating that image of the future, if it is detailed enough, it will generate within us all the sensations and emotions we would feel if, in fact, we were already experiencing that future.
This is why it is so important, when creating a blueprint for your desired life, that you describe things in detail and use the present tense.
I’ve seen emotion written as “e-motion” where “e” equals energy and motion is, well, motion, or movement.
E-motion is the energy that will pull you through the challenges that will come up as you work toward creating your true life.
When you use words like “I want…”, you are still disconnected from that future vision. There is an implicit acknowledgement of the gap, or lack, which exists in your life today. The “I wants…” still keep you connected to how things are now. On the other hand, when you say “I feel….” and “I am…”, it puts you in a place where you can feel and be those things that you describe. There is an immediate connection to what you would be feeling, thinking and doing if you were living that experience.
When you create a blueprint for your life with enough clarity and detail, you won’t be able to help but be drawn towards it.
Put yourself in that future vision of your ideal life. Imagine you are there, living your true life. How does it feel?
Pretty good, right?
That’s the e-motion to keep yourself tapped into. It’s what will propel you to living your true life.
