Your #1 Strategic Advantage: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Get It

In the world of executive career coaching, I peddle in possibilities. 

Every day, I work with high achieving professionals at the crossroads of their careers, helping them navigate uncertainty and envision a future brimming with amazing possibility. 

Two of the most transformative shifts I see in my clients are:

1. The moment they catch a glimmer of what’s possible for them, and
2. The realization that they have the power to create it. 

This is not just an optimistic outlook – this is a strategic advantage.

Here are just 2 of the reasons why the ability to hold a positive vision for your future is crucial for your career & life, and how it can propel you toward success.

It Fuels Motivation

Imagine setting out on a journey with no destination in mind. It’s hard to summon the energy to take the first step, let alone sustain the effort needed to reach your goal. A positive view of your future acts as that destination, giving you a clear and compelling reason to stay in the game.

When you can see a future that excites you, you’re more likely to invest time and effort into making it a reality. Harvard Psychologist and Future Self Researcher, Dan Gilbert, says that the more connected you are to your future self, the more you adjust in the present to match that.  

It Removes Blinders to Opportunity

What you focus on expands.  At any given moment, we are each bombarded by information.  If we were consciously aware of all the details coming at us, we wouldn’t be able to function.  So, our brain helps us out by filtering out the things that aren’t important or that we don’t need or want to know about. 

When we mentally focus on something, our brain starts to create a filter for it (this is all thanks to the RAS - Reticular Activating System).  The RAS sifts through the data and presents only the relevant pieces.  All of this happens without you noticing.   

So, when we are focused on a clear and compelling vision of our future self – we start to see opportunities in the present moment that we didn’t see before.  We notice people and things that propel us toward our goal in a way that doesn’t happen when we're stuck in the past or present.

3 Steps to Cultivate a Positive View of Your Future

Embracing a positive view of your future isn’t a passive process—it requires intention and effort. Here are some strategies to help you foster this mindset:

• Journal:  Spend time reflecting, writing, & imagining what’s possible for you. 

What would delight  you? 

What do you really want in each area of your life (work, relationships, family, finances, health, etc.)? 

Answer the prompt, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if_______________?”  Write out as many things as you can come up with!  What surprises you? 

Answer the prompt, "In the story of your life, what do you want the title of your next chapter to be?"

• Create a specific mental picture of the future you want and think about it often. Now you’ve just given your brain an assignment to filter for!  Practice this daily and watch as the synchronicities in your life start to unfold.
• Practice Gratitude: Regularly reflecting on what you’re grateful for can shift your focus from what’s lacking to what’s already positive in your life.  By noticing the positive, you sharpen your ability to create more of it.

So, as you navigate your professional journey, remember I peddle in possibilities, and so can you.

Designing an exceptional career and life that you love starts with the belief that such a thing is indeed possible.. 

I’m here to tell you that it is, my friend. 

You really can create a life you love.  

I’ve done it.  And you can too.

This is your birthright. 

It may take time.  It may require intermediate steps.  You may not see the way forward (yet).  There will always be tweaks and course corrections along the way, but you CAN do this. 

I believe in your most brilliant future!

Want help envisioning a better future for yourself?  Reach out today and let's get you on the road to designing your most impactful and successful next chapter!