Have you ever struggled to set career goals, or perhaps you would like to equip your team with tools to manage their own careers? If so, this newsletter includes a really powerful exercise you can use.
I first became aware of it during my Masters in Coaching Psychology and I have been using it since. I try to do it every six months, or if I need help in setting important life & business goals. I also use the exercise with my 121 career coaching clients and as a guided visualization exercise with organisations.
In the pursuit of finding fulfillment and success in our careers, it’s essential to cultivate an optimistic and confident mindset. One powerful tool that can help transform our outlook and drive us toward our goals is the Best Possible Self (BPS) exercise.
By envisioning our best possible future, we can tap into our aspirations, identify our motivators, and gain valuable insights into what success means to us.
Directions for The Best Possible Self-Exercise:
Set a timer or stopwatch for 10 minutes: Begin by allocating a specific timeframe to focus solely on this exercise. By setting a time limit, you create a dedicated space for self-reflection and imagination.
Envision your best possible future: During these 10 minutes, imagine a future where everything has turned out in the best way. Let your imagination roam freely, allowing yourself to dream without limitations or constraints. Picture a life and career that align with your desires and aspirations.
The details: Consider the opportunities and possibilities that your best possible future unlocks. What does it allow you to do? How are your days spent? Who are you working with? What tasks are you working on? Where are you working? How do you spend your time after work? No detail is too small when you are picturing the best possible future. They are all part of the experiences, achievements, and connections of your ideal career path.
As you delve into this future, pay close attention to the emotions that arise within you. How does it feel to have achieved your best possible life and career? Allow yourself to experience the joy, fulfillment, and satisfaction that comes with envisioning this future reality.
Writing: After you have spent time visualising the future, then take time to write down your thoughts and emotions in an expressive manner. Don’t worry about grammar or punctuation; this exercise is about capturing your genuine reflections. Let your words flow freely and authentically, providing insight into the details that emerge.
Repeat the exercise: It’s recommended to repeat the BPS exercise multiple times, each time exploring different facets of your best possible future. Each iteration can bring forth new insights and nuances, helping you refine your understanding of your career goals and aspirations.
Benefits of the Best Possible Self-Exercise for Career Exploration:
Shifting mindset: The BPS exercise has the power to transform a limiting mindset into one filled with optimism, hope, and confidence. By immersing yourself in a vision of your best possible self, you cultivate a positive perspective that can guide your career exploration journey.
Clarity: This exercise provides an opportunity to gain clarity about your motivators & how you want to structure your future work-life. By visualizing and articulating your ideal future, you uncover the elements that truly matter to you in your career. This self-awareness becomes a compass that directs your decision-making and goal-setting.
Uncovering hidden aspirations: Often, we have aspirations that lie dormant within us, waiting to be recognised and nurtured. The BPS exercise can unearth these hidden aspirations, allowing you to explore previously unconsidered paths and possibilities in your career.
Guiding goal setting: Envisioning your best possible self allows you to set meaningful and inspiring goals. By understanding the end result you desire, you can break it down into actionable steps and milestones, creating a roadmap for your career exploration.
It is important to say that some people find this exercise difficult, if so, don’t worry, it does not work for everyone and that is okay. When this pops up for career coaching clients, we find other ways to help the client understand what is important to them.
I would love to know if you try it and what your experience is, please share!
