photo by Samuel Zeller
Your perception of the future (and why it’s probably wrong)
Gemma Gosden
30 June 2017
It’s the middle of the year!
People are taking exams all over the place and academic year is coming to an end.
Goals made for the year a few months ago have fading into obscurity.
With so many things things coming to an end right now, new beginnings are around the corner and we try to imagine what our future will look like.
We can imagine things without hesitation but how accurate is the picture we create in our head?
Perception vs. Imagination
It all comes down to how we perceive that future.
Perception is your awareness and understanding of something and our imagination allows us to make a picture of that thing in your mind.
Perception and imagination run in tandem and sometimes we can’t tell which is which.
We imagine how things will look in the future based on our existing knowledge of it in the present. If our perception is limited our imagination can only stretch so far and a picture is created on half truths.
This can affect how we picture our future and can affect how we react to it when it actually happens.
So, your perception of your future is probably wrong
With so many variables involved it’s difficult to know if we have accurately predicted our future.
We have to consider our mood, our external influences, different comparisons made at the time and the way we perceive the things we imagine or are currently experiencing.
Don’t be too discouraged if the amazing future you imagine doesn’t quite work out that way. You have to make it work for you.
Bend the images in your head as you learn more about what you’re doing and where you’re going. Pivot from one path to another, don’t stay stuck in a rut if you can help it.
Trapped in our own mind
It’s so easy to become trapped by the boundaries of our individual perception because of our lack of experience and knowledge of the world around us and how it works.
Sometimes it’s a case of better the devil you know instead of broadening our horizons.
We can never truly know if our future plans will make us happy or not until we actually experience them.
We put so much pressure on ourselves to pick the perfect career and create the perfect life at such an early age it’s understandable we are disappointed and disillusioned when it doesn’t turn out as expected.
Just make a move – any move!
Sometimes the best thing to do is just to take the next step, take any step no matter what that may be.
If it doesn’t work out to be the right decision at least you’ll come out of it with more knowledge about yourself and what you don’t like.
You’re more likely to regret something you didn’t do.
So…
Stop procrastinating
Go see what else is out there
Learn what you do and don’t like
Experience life and what it has to offer
Learn from your mistakes
So what?
The more experiences you have the more you learn. The more you learn the more you know yourself and where you want to go in life. This means fewer regrets as you get older and can only lead to a happier and contented you.
GDG E-book, Life after Lessons available now!
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