Remember Your BEST Future Self

“Everyone could have been pre-eminent at something,
if they had been aware of their best quality.”

― Baltasar Gracián

Is Michael Jordan a good artist? Was Einstein a great cook? How many marathons did Julia Child run? The simple fact of life is that in order to be successful, each of us must strive to find and uncover our most particular talent and then double down. There are many Future Yous waiting to be discovered - but some will be more successful and meaningful than others. So Remembering Your Future Self really means Remembering Your BEST Future Self.

But, even if you are feeling hopeful about the prospect of making change, how to steer a course towards your Best Future Self if you have not been particularly successful with making good choices for Current Self? The path forward is both simple and challenging - as Gracián describes -  we must diligently work to uncover and refine our best quality.

With that challenge in mind, here are some practical ways to dial into your best quality so you can begin to Remember Your BEST Future self.

1. Self-Reflection Journaling
Begin with daily self-reflection journaling. Prompt yourself with questions like, "What activities make me lose track of time?" or "When have I felt most fulfilled?" This practice will help unearth patterns that highlight your inherent strengths and passions, key indicators of your best qualities.

2. Seek Feedback from Your Circle
Sometimes, our best qualities are visible to others but not to ourselves. Reach out to friends, family, and colleagues to ask what they believe your strengths are. This external perspective can be incredibly enlightening and often reveals qualities you may have overlooked.

3. Engage in New Experiences
Step out of your comfort zone and try new activities, hobbies, or professional challenges. New experiences can reveal latent talents and interests, helping you discover qualities you didn't know you possessed. This aligns with the Goggins philosophy of embracing challenges to uncover potential.

4. Identify Your Values
Understanding your core values is crucial in identifying your best qualities. Values often drive our most natural and impactful qualities. Reflect on moments when you've felt most aligned with your beliefs—your actions and reactions in these moments can highlight your key strengths.

5. Leverage the Power of Visualization
Visualize your Best Future Self. What qualities does this version of you possess? Visualization is a powerful tool for setting the direction of your growth. It's not just about imagining where you want to be but also embodying the qualities that will get you there.

6. Set Small, Achievable Goals
Focus on small, achievable goals that align with your identified qualities. This practice is rooted in the ROCKET framework's principle of Engaging with Exponential Effort. Small successes will not only affirm these qualities but also build your confidence in them.

7. Practice Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness practices can help you become more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and actions, allowing you to better understand your inherent qualities. Meditation can aid in reducing the noise in your mind, making it easier to connect with your core self. As the digital world continues to take over and dominate our daily routine, be sure to carve out time to be alone with your own thoughts. Step Away from the Screen.

8. Educate Yourself Continuously
Invest in learning and personal development. Whether it's reading, taking courses, or attending workshops, education can refine your best qualities and equip you with the knowledge to utilize them fully. Also immerse yourself in a learning community which can help to accelerate your progress.

9. Seek Mentorship
Find mentors who embody qualities you admire and aspire to develop. Mentorship provides not only guidance but also a clear example of what it looks like to live out one's best qualities. This ties back to the CREW Model's emphasis on Wisdom through Mentorship.

10. Celebrate Your Progress
Recognize and celebrate every step forward. Celebrating change, as encouraged by the ROCKET framework, reinforces your commitment to growth and acknowledges the effort you've put into uncovering and developing your best qualities.

Next Steps
You may already have a strong idea of your best quality. If so, maybe it’s time to double down even more and take that talent to the next level. If you are still trying to find out “what you want to be when you grow up” - then it’s critical to invest in some honest self-reflection using the steps outlined above. It’s never too late to Remember Your BEST Future Self!

Yes, Einstein might have been a great chef, and Michael Jordan might be a great artist, and Julia Child might have been a great athlete… but thankfully, each of them uncovered their greatest talent. You can do the same!