Work Backwards!

Begin with the End in Mind

Hello, beautiful soul! It’s Shary here. Today, I want to dive deep into something I’ve learned through my own journey—how to work backwards to achieve your future self. If you’ve ever felt like you have this vision of the person you want to become but aren’t sure how to bridge the gap from where you are to where you want to be, this post is for you.

I’m a firm believer that having a clear vision of your future self is essential. However, equally crucial is understanding how to reverse engineer that vision into actionable steps. I’ve applied this method in my journey as a businesswoman, sound healing music producer, recording artist, and digital CEO. It has allowed me to transform my life from struggling with endometriosis to building an empire of healing and success.

Why Work Backwards?

When you think of any successful journey or project—whether it’s launching a business, producing music, or transforming your health—the outcome is always the starting point. Imagine having a blueprint of a completed puzzle; by working backwards, you are assembling the pieces in the most efficient way possible. This principle applies not just to projects but also to creating the life you want.

Let’s dive into how to use this strategy to become the person you dream of being.

Step 1: Visualize Your Future Self

Before you can work backwards, you need a crystal-clear vision of who you want to become. This isn’t just about a job title or a set of achievements; it’s about who you are as a person, what you value, and how you live.

• Who is your future self?
  In my case, I visualized myself as a successful businesswoman, a sound healing music producer, and a digital CEO. But beyond the titles, I saw myself as someone deeply aligned with her purpose, helping women find relief from chronic pain, and living a life filled with intention, joy, and authenticity.

• What does your day-to-day life look like?
  For me, this meant imagining waking up with energy, having a morning ritual that grounds me, creating music that heals, and leading a business that inspires and supports others. It also involved seeing myself preparing for the physical and emotional challenges of being a mother and an empowered partner in my marriage.

• How do you feel as your future self?
  Feeling is crucial. I envisioned myself feeling vibrant, grounded, abundant, and deeply fulfilled in every aspect of my life.

Step 2: Define the Outcome and Key Milestones

Once you have a vision, the next step is to define the specific outcomes you want to achieve. These outcomes should be concrete and measurable. Here’s a breakdown of how I did this in my journey:

1. Business Outcomes:
   For me, I set the outcome of building a digital business that helps women heal from chronic pain, generates passive income, and allows me to expand my impact globally. A key milestone was establishing a sound healing music brand, building an online platform, and launching in-person retreats that combine luxury and healing.

2. Health and Lifestyle Outcomes:
   An outcome I set was to be physically fit and resilient enough to climb Volcán Barú. This meant setting a fitness goal and prioritizing my physical health. I also wanted to be in tune with my body’s cycles and rhythms, allowing me to thrive as a woman and prepare for motherhood.

3. Relationship Outcomes:
   I envisioned having a loving, supportive relationship with my husband, where we communicate openly and grow together emotionally and spiritually. I set a milestone of regularly practicing communication and deepening our connection.

Step 3: Reverse Engineer the Path

With clear outcomes in place, it’s time to reverse engineer the steps needed to achieve them. Here’s a framework that I used:

1. Identify the Gap:
   Look at where you are now and compare it to your vision. What skills, knowledge, resources, and habits do you need to cultivate to bridge the gap? In my case, I needed to learn digital marketing, deepen my knowledge of regenerative medicine, develop new music production skills, and build a support network to help me grow my business.

2. Break Down the Steps:
   Working backwards means thinking of the end result and deconstructing it into smaller, manageable tasks. For example, to launch my sound healing music brand, I broke down the steps into:

   • Establishing my brand’s identity and values

   • Recording and producing my first album

   • Creating a marketing plan to reach my target audience

   • Setting up a digital sales funnel for my music and services

3. Create a Timeline and Milestones:
   Assign timelines to each of the key steps. Working backwards makes it easier to set realistic deadlines. For instance, if I wanted to launch my digital platform in one year, I could work backwards to set quarterly goals for content creation, branding, and community building.

Step 4: Cultivate the Mindset of Your Future Self

One of the most powerful aspects of working backwards is that it forces you to think and act as your future self would. This involves shifting your mindset and behaviors to align with the person you want to become. Here’s what that looked like for me:

1. Adopt a Growth Mindset:
   I embraced challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. When faced with obstacles—like learning new marketing techniques or dealing with health setbacks—I reminded myself that these were simply part of the process. I stopped seeing failure as a stop sign and started seeing it as a stepping stone.

2. Embrace Discipline and Consistency:
   Discipline is the bridge between goals and achievements. Working backwards helped me create a disciplined approach to my health, business, and personal growth. For example, I committed to daily workouts not just to stay fit but to build resilience and mental toughness.

3. Practice Self-Compassion and Patience:
   There were times when progress felt slow, and doubts crept in. In those moments, I practiced self-compassion and reminded myself that growth is not linear. This practice helped me stay grounded and patient with myself, allowing me to continue moving forward.

Step 5: Build a Support System

Achieving your future self is not a solo journey. You need a support system to keep you accountable, inspired, and motivated. This involves:

1. Finding Mentors and Role Models:
   Seek out people who have achieved what you aspire to and learn from their experiences. I surrounded myself with mentors who were experts in digital marketing, sound healing, and regenerative medicine. Their guidance and insights accelerated my growth.

2. Cultivating a Like-Minded Community:
   Connect with individuals who share your vision and values. In my journey, I built a community of women seeking holistic healing and personal growth. This community became a source of encouragement, collaboration, and shared wisdom.

3. Investing in Your Relationships:
   Success is not just about what you achieve but also who you become in the process. I made it a priority to invest in my relationship with my husband, cultivating open communication and mutual growth. Together, we supported each other’s dreams and held space for each other’s growth.

Step 6: Take Consistent, Aligned Action

Once you have a clear path and support system, it’s time to take consistent, aligned action. This means:

1. Prioritizing What Matters Most:
   With so many goals and responsibilities, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Working backwards helped me prioritize the most impactful actions that would move me closer to my vision. For instance, I focused on creating quality content, nurturing my audience, and refining my healing practices.

2. Embracing Imperfect Action:
   Perfectionism can be a major roadblock to progress. I learned to take imperfect action, knowing that every step forward, no matter how small or messy, was a step closer to my vision. This mindset freed me from the fear of failure and allowed me to stay in motion.

3. Staying Committed to the Process:
   Success is not a one-time event; it’s a continuous journey. Working backwards gave me the clarity and motivation to stay committed to my daily practices, whether it was creating music, writing blog posts, or engaging with my community.

Step 7: Reflect, Adjust, and Celebrate Progress

The final step in working backwards is to reflect on your journey, adjust your approach, and celebrate your progress. This involves:

1. Regular Reflection and Self-Assessment:
   I made it a habit to reflect on my progress regularly. This included journaling about my wins, challenges, and lessons learned. By taking time to assess my journey, I could identify what was working and where I needed to adjust my approach.

2. Being Open to Change:
   As you grow, your vision may evolve, and that’s okay. Working backwards doesn’t mean being rigid; it means staying open to new possibilities and adjusting your path as needed. I allowed myself to pivot when necessary, trusting that every change was leading me closer to my true purpose.

3. Celebrating Milestones and Wins:
   Finally, I made it a point to celebrate every milestone, no matter how small. Whether it was releasing a new song, receiving positive feedback from my community, or reaching a fitness goal, I acknowledged and celebrated my progress. This practice kept me motivated and grateful for the journey.

Embrace the Journey and Trust the Process

Working backwards to achieve your future self is a powerful strategy that allows you to create a clear, actionable roadmap to the life you desire. It’s not just about setting goals; it’s about embodying the mindset, habits, and values of your future self, and taking consistent, aligned action towards your vision.

If you’re on a journey to become the woman you dream of being, remember this: You already have everything you need within you. Your vision is the map, your intuition is the compass, and your resilience is the fuel. Trust the process, enjoy the journey, and celebrate every step forward.

Now it’s your turn. Take a moment to visualize your future self, define your outcomes, and start working backwards. You are capable of achieving incredible things, and I’m here cheering you on every step of the way.