Issue 002: Build the Vision Before You Chase the Goal
Last week, I wrote about setting a big, audacious goal for 2026.
This week, I want to talk about the part that actually makes those goals real:
Building the vision behind them.
Not the goal itself—but the felt experience of achieving it.
A Goal Is a Target. Your Vision Is The Fuel.
When I committed to racing an Ironman, the training plan mattered.
The calendar mattered.
The miles mattered.
But what carried me through the dark mornings, the long runs, the doubt?
A vision I could see—and hear—every single day.
I didn’t just imagine finishing the race.
I imagined race day.
From the silent breakfast alone to the sound of the crowd.
The weight of fatigue in my legs.
The moment doubt crept in—and the decision to keep going anyway.
The relief.
The pride.
My family at the finish line.
The quiet satisfaction of knowing I didn’t quit.
I recorded that vision in my own voice and listened to it daily.
When training got hard, I didn’t wonder if I could continue.
I already knew how it ended. Because I lived that day a hundred times in my mind before race day ever came.
Why Writing (and Hearing) Your Vision Works
There’s a powerful exercise discussed in a brilliant conversation between Tim Ferriss and designer Debbie Millman about designing a meaningful life. Very much worth the listen.
The premise is simple:
If you can clearly describe the future you want—your mind starts working toward it automatically.
But there’s a key distinction most people miss:
You don’t visualize the process. You visualize the outcome—already achieved. Every detail you can think of. How you feel, who you are with, what you are doing, what are you surrounded by, what is happening that day. Everything.
Your brain doesn’t respond to vague ambition.
It responds to specific emotional reality.
Two Things to Focus On When Building Your Vision
If you do nothing else in preparation for this year—do these two things.
1. Visualize the Goal as Already Achieved
Not someday.
Not “on the way.”
Picture yourself on the other side of that goal or goals.
Ask:
Where are you?
Who’s with you?
What does the moment feel like?
What changed because you followed through?
Make it vivid. Make it personal. Make it real. This doesn’t need to be shared with anyone, so don’t be afraid of really going deep. This is just for you.
2. Anchor the Positive Emotions
This is the secret weapon.
Your brain chases feelings, not checklists.
Pride.
Relief.
Confidence.
Freedom.
Calm.
Sit with all these emotions and any others that are just yours.
Name them.
Let them soak in.
That emotional clarity becomes a compass when motivation fades.
Write It Down. Then Make It Impossible to Ignore.
Goals that live only in your head stay theoretical.
Write your vision down. As much detail as you can muster.
If the idea of writing is holding you back. Take notes, form a good draft or outline of your ideas. Put that into ChatGPT or another LLM. Have it write the first draft for you. Edit, make it your own. Whatever you need to get it written down and feeling like it’s your own voice. Your own vision. If you haven’t written anything since your school days, don’t let that stop you.
Record it—in your own voice.
There’s something powerful about hearing yourself describe the life you’re building.
It collapses the distance between who you are and who you’re becoming.
Don’t sweat the recording. iPhones have a voice memos you can record into. I’m sure Androids have similar. You don’t need to add music, you don’t need to edit the audio. You don’t need multiple takes. If you flub a line, just keep going. This isn’t a podcast. It’s just you and your vision.
I have:
A 10-year vision recorded
A yearly vision I record each year
And this year, I’m recording that vision alongside you. This is my #1 task for the week of January 12 as well.
A Story That’s Worth Remembering
Years before he became famous, Jim Carrey wrote himself a check for $10 million for “acting services rendered.”
He dated it years into the future and kept it in his wallet—reading it regularly.
Eventually, he earned that exact amount for a film role.
Coincidence? Maybe.
But repetition, clarity, and belief have a way of reshaping what feels possible.
Your Turn
This week, I invite you to do three simple things:
Write your vision as if it’s already happened
Record it in your own voice
Listen to it daily—even when you don’t feel like it (Personally I listen to mine first thing in the morning on my way to the gym). Make it a habit.
You don’t need a perfect plan.
You need a clear picture of who you’re becoming.
Next week, we’ll talk about how to align your daily actions with that vision—without burning yourself out.
Until then,
Build the vision.
Then let it pull you forward.
More soon,
T.A.M.
