Future self visualization, motivation & anxiety

Exploring Future Visualization: How Technique Helps You Stay in Flow and Support Yourself

In coaching and psychology, there’s a concept known as the “future self” effect — the idea of imagining yourself in the future as if you’ve already achieved a goal or reached a desired state.

What is future self visualization?

Future self visualization is a guided mental exercise where you imagine your future self after achieving an important goal or having successfully gone through a challenge. In psychology this is often called the “future self” effect and is used in coaching, self-compassion practices and CBT-inspired work.

Here are some of the observed benefits:

1. Less Procrastination

When your future self feels closer, the urge to postpone tasks decreases.
In a study by Blouin-Hudon & Pychyl (2016, n = 193), a four-week practice of imagining one’s future self with empathic acceptance twice a week strengthened the connection with the future self and reduced academic procrastination. Source

2. More Inner Energy

Positive images of the future fill us with vitality and help sustain motivation.
Meevissen et al. (2011) found that just 15 minutes of visualizing positive future events increased positive mood and optimism (p < .01). Source

3. Less Anxiety

When we picture ourselves overcoming challenges, anxiety decreases in the present moment.
Boland et al. (2018) showed that students who visualized a successful future before an exam reported lower anxiety levels and performed better. Source

4. Greater Resilience

Future imagery provides a sense of grounding and hope.
Peters et al. (2010) found that visualizing a positive future reduced feelings of hopelessness in people with depressive symptoms. Source

In the 7 Gates game, one of the scenarios includes envisioning yourself in the future — at the moment when your request has already been fulfilled.
At the end, you consolidate specific next steps and a resourceful image you can return to whenever you need confidence or clarity.
Try the game

FAQ: future self visualization

Is future self visualization the same as daydreaming?
Not really. In research, future self visualization is a structured exercise with a clear intention and focus, often repeated over several weeks.