The most powerful tool that we have is visualization. It is good to have your North Star metric in life, but it is even better if you can translate that into a mental map that gives you a picture of “How success would look like”?

Right from our childhood, we have been driven by metrics:
a. Rank/Grade in class
b. Percentile in competitive exams
c. An array of metrics at the professional front

In all this rat race, we seldom get time to visualize what these metrics actually translate into. Have you ever wondered what major accomplishments (job, personal life, etc) look like in the long run?

In one of my recent mentoring sessions, I got a counter question from my mentee where he asked, “Can you give me an example of what you just said?”

The simplest answer that I could find was:

“I visualize myself walking the ramp at the age of 65 :)” – we both started laughing.

But here is the rationale behind my answer:
a. My north star goal is to stay fit and lead a healthy life.
b. I can drown myself in an array of metrics and feel the pressure to keep them in check so that I meet my goal (or)
c. By visualizing myself on a ramp at 65 – I have indirectly brought the metrics to play. I will workout, I will eat healthily and I will take care of myself for the next 25-odd years

You never feel stressed or pushed when you know that you are moving in the right direction and visualizing your destination (End goal) makes you that much more determined.

Do try this out the next time you set a goal for yourself