Recently, Trade Press Services had the pleasure of talking with Nettie Owens, an entrepreneur and business consultant with expertise in management, productivity, accountability and organization. She is founder of Sappari Solutions and Momentum, companies that help fellow entrepreneurs balance a busy life and grow a business.

Owens began her career in the mental-health sector. She helped those with special needs get a better grip on their personal organization to enhance their quality of life. She uses her knowledge and experience to help others build systems to facilitate an organized mindset, one that helps with the goal setting and visioning process. The cornerstone of this practice is the “Rearview Vision Technique.”

What is the “Rearview Vision Technique”?

According to Owens, the Rearview Vision Technique is not the same thing as asking “Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?” This common question generally elicits the “expected” answers,” she says. “They say, ‘I’m going to grow my business and become a multi-billion-dollar international company in the next 10 years.’ And then they write themselves a blank check to not get it done, because it’s so big and overwhelming.” While this sounds good, there’s no clear path,” Owens says. “And what does a multi-billion-dollar international company look like anyway? And who are you in that version of the future?”

Instead, her technique focuses on learning what that future would look like in all of its elements. She asks clients to look approximately a year into the future and truly embody what that ideal future looks like. “A rearview vision allows you to step into that future and play around there, get comfortable there; what does it look like, smell like, who is there with you? We basically roleplay and then turn around and look behind us, hence the rearview aspect of this. How did we get here?”

What makes the rearview vision different than simply stating your goals? Owens says rearview vision helps trick the brain. “We all know the phrase, ‘fake it till you make it, right?’ Well, that’s sort of true,” she says. “The brain will believe what you feed it. There is research that shows if you just think about the things that you need to do, those areas of your brain will be activated. Tap into the muscles, neurons and traits as if you really were that multi-billion dollar international business owner.”

5 Keys to Define and Build a Vision

Here are the five key practices that make for a successful rearview vision versus distant and undefined goal setting.

1. Get in the mindset for change. Owens first asks, “Are you ready to engage with me?” The first step in the process is understanding the challenge a person is experiencing and confirm their desire to change. “A person is going to make a change when making that change will become less painful or more important than staying where they are. Understand why that’s a bigger vision than staying put.” When change is necessary, acknowledging the need and being ready for it is essential to any vision.
2. Take stock of where you are (or where you think you are). The next step is getting an exceptionally clear vision of where someone is and understanding the challenges they’re experiencing. “Oftentimes, they don’t have a clear vision of where they are going, and that is why we are even having this conversation. They might think they do. They might think the challenge is they are not organized enough, they don’t have the right systems, they are overwhelmed, but we’ll often discover more,” says Owens. To try this approach, take a moment to take stock of where you are and what you are doing. Additionally, what you have accomplished, what you have learned, who is there with you and what your challenges are.
3. Unlock your senses. Owens guides her clients through an imagined future. She asks them to stand up, speak out loud and feel their emotions. “Some people jump right in, while for others, it takes some time to play this mind game. I ask them off-the-wall kind of stuff just to break down all the barriers. It unlocks their body, emotions and creativity. It allows them to feel more clear, see what’s been getting them stuck on the day to day, what might get in the way, what might help them. They may unlock unrealized dreams.” Again, during the exercise, people consider the smell, taste and sensations of their future vision.
4. Practice your vision on a regular basis. Owens encourages clients to practice their vision every 30 days, or even on a daily basis. “By holding this bigger vision in mind, it helps clients understand what is and is not affected by day-to-day bumps in the road.” Practicing the Rearview Vision Technique regularly contributes to training the brain. “Your brain believes what you feed it, so if you feed it a particular story, the parts of your brain and your body to produce that story will be activated,” she says.
5. Practice positivity. One of the keys to Owens’ technique is that it asks the participant to let go, break down barriers and seek out the vision without getting too caught up in the steps it took to get there. It is less about creating a plan. Instead, it’s more about embodying the future the individual wants and unlocking the mindset to make it a reality. “Often, we get so used to the way we have always done things that we’ll put limiters on by accident. It’s not uncommon to say things like, ‘I worked really hard to come to this success.’ But what if you could work with ease? In that way, we’re very careful to talk about what we’re going to do in the most positive light to really create what we want, rather than inadvertently creating steps that are difficult.”

At the end of every session, Owens has clients make a positive statement that they can carry with them. Examples include ”I am organized” or “I am successful.” This helps clients go through their week embodying the change they want to see. “We all have a running dialogue in our heads, so let’s get that running dialog moving you very specifically in the direction that you want to go rather than inadvertently creating obstacles,” she advises.

Dream Big!

Owens’ expertise puts the to-do list on the back burner. Many entrepreneurs, executives and professionals lose sight of the bigger vision due to their daily routines. By practicing the Rearview Vision Technique, you’re able to keep an ideal future top of mind. Owens reminds us, “This is an opportunity to see a life that is bigger and more fabulous than what you had previously expected. There are no constraints on your imagination. Don’t artificially put them there, and don’t censor yourself.” Imagine the future you want and embody the person you see in that future. Then incorporate those practices into your daily actions.