Creating a Compelling Future

Creating a compelling future
by Spencer Combs


The purpose of doing so is profound. Allow me first to propose a question. How much of your time do you spend looking into the past? How much time is focused on your future? With that ratio in mind, are you emotionally connecting yourself to where you are going, or where have been? If you spend more time looking back, do you know where you are going? Conversely, if you look forward all the time, have you learned from your past? There must be a good balance to have a life by design. That's what a compelling future is all about.

Have you ever paid attention to the amount of incessant conditioning going on around you? People and companies are constantly bombarding you with their painted desire for your life. Through this marketing, you now "feel" that to be a successful person you must be driving a certain car, have certain memberships, drink a certain drink, live a specific way, etc... The amazing thing is how much of that do you actually believe? Most of us would immediately retort with, "not ME!" Ok, maybe not you. You won't fool anyone though that if you watch several hours of love stories on TV that you would not feel much more warm and fuzzy. Or if you watched a few action movies that most of you would not have a much more aggressive or adventurous tendency. Are you "feeling" me yet? To be balanced, there is a fair amount of conditioning that takes place benefiting you out there too; reading spiritual books, going to worship services, listening and watching material that is in tune with your values, and much more. The question is however, are you consciously living YOUR compelling future, or merely living out someone else's for you?

A compelling future can be defined as "a representation of a future state or experience which is so well realized and powerful that it has a compelling effect on you in the present". It is what creates inspiration in your life. Motivation moves someone from the rear, inspiration pulls you to it. Motivation can be temporary, inspiration can be life-long. Many high achievers in sports and business have a strong grasp on using this tool. They have already seen themselves making that winning goal, or receiving that reward, or finalizing that certain deal. Having already experienced it in their mind, they have created a compelling feeling that exists now. This is what shapes their behavior and makes them attached to the outcome. The more clear and vivid the picture, the more irresistible that future is. I believe now you have a good understanding of what a compelling future is. But how do we create it?

Many of my coaching clients have been over the 10 minute conditioning exercise I will now go over with all of you. If you know about this, then you can attest to the power of it. If not, this is the single most powerful thing you can do to create focus for yourself or your organization. Because we are dealing with the "future" part of the exercise, then we are only talking about the last 5 minutes of it. The first 5 minutes involves anchoring yourself into a state of gratitude based on your end values. For the second 5 minutes we move into a visualization process. Here lies the core of our compelling future. Where do you see yourself years down the road? That may be difficult for some of you to imagine because you don't generally do that. Maybe you think of past failures or everything that must happen between now and then. There will be time for that later. You MUST first decide where you choose to be. Be the little boy or girl in Santa's lap. Have fun with it. If you are skeptical, the bottom line is you are scared. Past failures, past let downs, previous circumstances have stunted your ability to have full faith in your abilities. May I remind you that Jesus said that with the faith of a mustard seed we can move a mountain. Not to take it out of context, because I am aware that faith in Him can do that, but never underestimate the talents, abilities, and resources that He gave to YOU to make that happen. Back to the process, get very clear on what you want and desire. Napoleon Hill referred to it as the ability to use "auto-suggestion". Whatever you call it, do it. Draw the picture out for yourself way down the road. Then move it in closer and closer all the way down to today. What do you see? Who is there with you? What do you hear around you? How does it make you feel? The more you feel it, the more irresistible it will be to you.

You see, goals are not about what you get at the end. It's about who you become along the way. If your future compels you enough, you will adjust your behavior. What you value will align itself with that future. This conditioning will do two major things for you.

Creates the Why so that you can implement the How.

Talking about it, visioning it, and wanting it will not do anything for us without DOING something toward it. We will go more into detail about this next week when we discuss chunking.
Creates Focus for our reticular activation system

Ok, Ok, enough of the big terms I know. Our minds are constantly filtering out stuff. When you create a compelling future, your brain now has something to hone in on and knows what to filter out. Ever notice how things "just happen" when you started to think about it? That's no mistake, that's the RAS at work.


One of the most beautiful things about life is that you can allow today to effect every tomorrow thereafter. The question is, how will you decide to let it effect your tomorrow? "Your past does not have to equal your future" as Anthony Robbins so often states. Maybe you are tired of living other people's compelling future. If that is so, take back your future and make it your own. Don't just make it your own though, make it compelling.

That's all for this week. I would love to hear your comments down below. Until next time, Keep Moving Forward!

Your Coach,

Spencer Combs