Introducing The Best Possible Self

👋 Hey Software Engineers, Team Leaders, and Dreamers!

Do you ever find yourself stuck in the present, unsure of how to make your future brighter? Today, I want to share another transformative practice from my book, “I am a Software Engineer and I am in Charge,” co-authored with Michael Doyle.

🎯 Introducing: The Best Possible Self

🤔 What Is It? This is an exercise designed to clarify your goals and build optimism about your future. It’s a simple yet powerful way to visualize the life you want to lead.

🌟 Why Use It? Research shows that being optimistic about your future can actually motivate you to make that future a reality. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy in the best way possible.

👣 How to Get Started 1️⃣ Prepare a calendar with checkboxes for the next five days. 2️⃣ Each day, spend at least five minutes writing about your best possible future. Use the hot pen technique—write without editing. 3️⃣ Be specific. What needs to change? What will you learn? What habits will you adopt? 4️⃣ After five days, review your writings. Do you see recurring themes? Write them down.

📝 Note: If you miss a day, don’t be too hard on yourself. The key to success is simply restarting.

🔄 Why It Matters Visualizing your best possible self not only boosts your mood but also provides a roadmap for your future. It’s a win-win!

📚 Want to explore more practices like this? Check out our book at I am in Charge.

👇 Have you ever tried a similar exercise? What were your key takeaways? Share your thoughts!

Author

  • Alexis Monville

    Alexis Monville worked in multicultural and distributed environments for years, coming back from the US and now based in the southwest of France. When asked if he misses the work in the office, he usually answers that he spent half of his 30 years of management experience in diverse sectors outside of the office and a lot of that working from home. Alexis is Chief of Staff to the CTO at Red Hat, a long-time hybrid open-source software company with more than 100 office locations in 40 countries, where half of the 20,000 people work remotely. Alexis is a firm believer that change starts with the self. He is the author of two books: Changing Your Team From The Inside and I am a Software Engineer and I am in Charge. Alexis facilitates successful playful collaborations. He designs and builds sustainable and high-impact teams and organizations.

Leave a Reply