A Unique Way to Plan for 2025
The new year can offer many things, such as a blank slate, a fresh start, or a chance to reinvent yourself. Perhaps you’d like to set a few intentions, but the thought of traditional goal setting is unappealing and makes you feel stressed. This year, consider a different approach, one that connects you with your future self, aligning your actions with your deepest desires and wildest dreams.
So how do we set intentions in a way that’s inspiring and taps into inner wisdom and values? The answer is with the future self planning process.
Unlike traditional planning methods, this wholehearted approach emphasizes a deeper connection to yourself and the world around you. Instead of focusing solely on external goals, it encourages you to cultivate inner peace, creativity and resilience. By incorporating elements of mindfulness, spirituality, and creative expression, you can create a personalized plan that’s holistically oriented and intrinsically motivated.
When you visualize your future self and then create your plan for the year, you’re not just setting goals; you’re creating a powerful emotional connection to your desired outcome. You see yourself as someone who has achieved their intentions and it creates a sense of optimism. This is what fuels your momentum and helps you stay on track during challenging times.
In addition, planning from your future self’s perspective can help you clarify your priorities, which simplifies your decision-making process in the new year. When you know who you are and what you want, it’s easy to make choices that support that vision. That leads to a greater sense of meaning and purpose, which are also motivating factors. This is why this simple exercise can make a big difference for you and all you’re longing to transpire.
So what does the future self planning process look like? I’ll share the five step process I use. If you’d like to go deeper, I offer a resource package that includes a future self guided visualization and workbook. There’s a link below if you’d like to learn more.
As far as this five step process, you can move through them in any way that feels good for you. Dive deep on some and take notes on others, it’s up to you how you’d like to implement the process.
Here are the steps:
Step #1 – Envision the possibilities
Envisioning helps you see the breadth of possibilities and create a plan to move toward your vision. Vision determines your habits, how you spend your time, and who you spend it with. It makes sense to invest a good amount of time on this step, as it will save you time and effort in the future.
I like to start with a brainstorming exercise in five life areas – you can use them to journal or mind map:
Your dreams. What kind of life do you want to live? What do you truly want to experience in your life? What motivates and inspires you?
Your contributions. What kind of impact do you want to have throughout your career, relationships, community, and your own personal growth, including health and wellness, spirituality, creativity and your life journey?
Your values. What kind of person are you striving to become? What’s important to you? What gives you purpose and meaning?
Your potential. What are you capable of? How can you leverage your strengths and identify blind spots that hold you back? How do you dream bigger?
Your legacy. What do you want to leave behind? How would you like to positively impact the world? How do you want to be remembered?
After you’ve given these questions some thought, I suggest doing a more formal future self visualization. The one I use that I include in the resources I mentioned was adapted from an exercise developed by the Coaches Training Institute. I, along with my coaching clients and students, have found it to be very insightful and the experience invaluable in transcending limiting beliefs and familiar boundaries.
Once you’ve done the visualization, take some notes to capture the major insights and surprises you experienced, focusing on your senses. As you think of this vision of your future self, what thoughts, emotions and potential next steps surface for you? With this in mind, set a few intentions for the upcoming year.
It’s important to note that we’re not looking to predict the future. The purpose of this exercise is to gain insight into your intention areas that reach beyond your left-brain logical answers and then create an action plan to bridge the gap between where you are today and the life you’re envisioning.
Step #2 – Create an environment for growth
Environment is defined as “the surroundings or conditions in which a person lives or operates.” This includes everything from your living and work spaces, who you spend time with, and what you ingest from watching, reading or listening, including social media.
All of these elements can have either a positive or negative impact on your thoughts, beliefs and mindset. So it makes sense to spend some time creating an environment that will positively influence your focus and motivation to increase your ability to take action and decrease the distracting noise.
With your intentions in mind, take a look at your physical space and social support, ensuring they’re beneficial and encouraging. In addition, what tools or information do you need? Ensure you have easy access to the necessary resources. Lastly, is there a quick step you take to spur action?
Here’s an example of a quick step. If you’re looking to simplify and have an intention of decluttering, begin with one area you see every day. It might be a drawer in your bathroom or bedroom or a commonly used space in your kitchen. That visual reinforcement will remind you of how your future self lives and motivate you to take additional steps to get there.
Step #3 – Focus on your area of influence
This step is all about framing your intention. It’s the difference between focusing on outcome, such as “I will lose 20 pounds by summer,” and instead, focusing on effort, “I commit to cutting out alcohol and a 30-minute walk five times a week.”
Focusing on effort rather outcome shifts the emphasis from a potentially unreachable, external goal to controllable daily actions. This sustains motivation and builds positive habits over time.
Step #4 – Create future self habits
I read a great quote online from Shane Parrish of the Farnam Street blog: “Habits are algorithms operating in the background that power our lives. Good habits help us reach our goals more effectively and efficiently. Bad ones makes things harder or prevent success entirely.”
I love the idea of habits as algorithms operating in the background. Here are a few questions for you to consider: What habits would your future self have? And how might you begin to develop and incorporate those habits into your life today?
This doesn’t have to be heavy or elaborate. Going back to the decluttering example. There’s a website called Nourishing Minimalism that offers an annual decluttering challenge. This year it’s the 2,025 in 2025, meaning remove 2,025 items from your home before the end of the year. It comes with a one page PDF that you can download for free to keep track of your progress.
If your intention was to declutter in 2025, the start of a simple habit would be to download the PDF and put it in a place you see every day. For extra credit, select a few items and either toss or donate them. A few checked boxes will jumpstart your progress.
Step #5 – Reflect and adjust
This is where it all gets practical. I’ll share an overview of my process here, but the actual templates are in the resource package I mentioned. Adapt and adopt whatever best suits you. Remember to keep it light and fun.
At the beginning of each year, I take a look back at the previous year, including the highlights, the setbacks and what I learned. I use my calendar, but you can flip through your pictures or journal. It’s a lovely way to pause to appreciate and celebrate what I experienced. And it’s an opportunity to make mental notes of what I’d like to keep doing and what I’d like to change.
Then I take a look at the brainstorming I did and the intentions I set in Step 1 of this process so I can create quarterly milestones or guideposts is that feels gentler. What are the high level actions for each quarter that will move me toward my intentions?
From there, I’ll create a more concrete action plan for the first quarter. This preview includes my focus, milestones, what I’m excited about and challenged by, what I plan to start and stop doing, and some key dates.
Finally, I make my detailed plan for January and the week ahead.
Each quarter, I schedule some time to look back at what I accomplished in relation to my annual intention. It reminds me to celebrate my progress, to stop what’s not working, and to amplify what’s working well. It’s also a great way to make adjustments and stay motivated throughout the year.
By envisioning your ideal future and understanding the person you desire to become, you can cultivate a deeper sense of purpose and motivation. The essence of the Future Self planning process is about aligning your actions with your deepest aspirations. This holistic approach encourages you to create an environment that supports your growth, focus on your area of influence, develop empowering habits, and consistently reflect and adjust your course of action.
Creating a strong relationship with your future self is a profound practice with transformative qualities. I hope this method helps you set audacious intentions and take consistent action to realize them, so you can live your life by design instead of default.
The best way to predict your future, is to create it!
Link: Resource Package: Actualize Your Future Self: Future Self Planning Process
Journal Reflections: What’s one intention your future self would prioritize for you in 2025? Why is it important? How might you include its essence in your planning for the New Year?