When was the last time you truly used your imagination? Yes, I know, the daily grind might have such a grip on you that you sent your imagination on a vacation long ago—and it never returned. Be honest with yourself: When was the last time you truly envisioned what your perfect future could look like? A future where everything goes exactly the way you want it to. And what if these thoughts about your beautiful future could actually add up to 11 more years to your life?
As children, we were masters of imagination. The cardboard box from the old tube TV became a castle. Kitchen paper rolls turned into swords. We effortlessly envisioned ourselves as astronauts, princesses, or superheroes. But somewhere along the way to adulthood, often without realizing it, we lost this ability—or, more accurately, it was trained out of us. “Dreams don´t feed the family,” “Stop dreaming and start working!” or “You can’t make money by dreaming.” But what if abandoning those dreams had serious consequences for our lifespan?
Studies show that visualizing your “best possible self” can not only rekindle your imagination but also transform your life in a positive way. Just five minutes a day are enough to boost your optimism and, in turn, improve your mental and physical health. Why does this affect your life expectancy? Optimistic people are more likely to achieve their goals, recover faster from illnesses, and live longer. Research even shows that optimism can extend life expectancy by up to 15 percent. If the average life expectancy today is 73 years, you could extend it to as much as 84 years—simply by using your imagination. And the best part? You don’t need to buy anything for it. Everything you need is already within you.
Here’s a small idea for the holiday season: Take five minutes each day to envision your perfect future. Who are the people around you? What goals have you achieved? What kind of person have you become? And most importantly: How does it feel to experience and have all of this? For just a few minutes, set aside the challenges and focus only on what you wish to be true. It’s just five minutes a day. The remaining 1,435 minutes can go back to what you call “everyday life.” Sounds like a fair deal, doesn’t it? Five minutes a day for up to 11 additional years of life. Put another way—for a total of 13.94 days spent in your imagination, you get up to 4,017.75 extra days credited to your life account.
What if those small five minutes could make the difference? The difference humanity has been searching for since the beginning of time—the quest for the Holy Grail and with it, longevity. “Norman, 11 years isn’t exactly longevity…” Well, I think for someone who’s at the brink of death, 11 years would very much be longevity. It’s all a matter of perspective.
I invite you to try this little experiment with me. Perhaps it will mark the beginning of a new perspective on yourself and your future. And the best part? You’ll always have at least five minutes each day that couldn’t be better spent. Or, as my friend Sascha put it in his Advent calendar quote: Make “yesterday” jealous of “today.” Every day has the potential to outshine the previous one. It all lies in your imagination and your choice of perspective.
