Mel Robbins, a New York Times bestselling author and speaker on behavior change, challenges the conventional wisdom about vision boards. She explains how typical visualization can create a discouraging gap between your current situation and your dreams. Instead of focusing on grand aspirations, Mel advocates for visualizing the tough moments and daily struggles, such as marathon challenges and cold-call rejections. This approach helps build resilience and prepares you to tackle real-life obstacles, reprogramming your mindset for success.
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insights INSIGHT
End-Only Visualization Demotivates
Visualizing only the end result creates a demotivating gap between current reality and your dream.
That gap makes you feel like a failure and reduces motivation, according to Mel Robbins.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Visualize The Bridge To Your Goal
Visualize the bridge — the hard moments between now and the goal to prepare your nervous system.
Practice imagining concrete obstacles so you're ready to push through when they happen, says Mel Robbins.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Imagine The Uncomfortable Details
Visualize specific failures and hassles like broken shoelaces, battery loss, or running in the rain.
Training your brain with unpleasant scenarios builds resilience so you won't quit when real problems hit.
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"The way to visualize properly is to visualize the bridge between where you are and where you need to go." - Mel Robbins
Mel Robbins just shattered everything you think you know about manifesting and vision boards. Picture this: you're sitting in your cramped apartment, cat litter hasn't been changed in weeks, no food in the fridge, staring at a vision board filled with mansions and Lamborghinis. Sound familiar? Mel explains why this approach is actually sabotaging your success. The crushing gap between your current reality and those big dreams isn't inspiring you—it's making you feel like a complete failure. Instead of motivating you to take action, those beautiful collages of your dream life are creating a negative spiral that keeps you stuck exactly where you are.
Here's where it gets fascinating: Mel reveals the visualization technique that actually works, and it's the complete opposite of what everyone teaches. She'll walk you through why you should be visualizing your broken shoelace at mile 17 of your marathon, getting rejected on cold calls, and missing parties to work on your dreams. Using examples from marathon training to UFC fighting, she shows how visualizing the brutal, uncomfortable parts of your journey literally rewires your nervous system to handle the real challenges when they hit. This isn't just theory—it's the difference between quitting when things get hard and pushing through to actually achieve what you want.