How To Achieve Anything You Want (With a Vision Doc)

Everyone’s Favourite and Most Hated Question

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

You’ve been hearing this since you were a child.

By 16, you’ve heard every version of it:

“So what do you want to study?”

“Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”

“What are your goals for the next year?”

If you’re like most people, you hated this question.

The pressure. The looks of anticipation. Waiting for a clear, direct answer.

“Have you thought about it?”

And sometimes the only honest answer you have is, “I don’t know.”

What happens next depends on who asked the question.

It also depends on your relationship with the question.

The truth is, most people don’t know where they want to be in a year, let alone 5 years.

Some can’t tell you what they’re doing next week Tuesday, and worse are those who can’t tell you what they had for dinner last night.

We’re made to believe that we have all the time in the world to figure things out.

But this is a trap.

Yes, you do have time.

No, you don’t have all the time in the world.

And once it’s gone, you can’t get it back.

Yes, we have AI.

But we don’t have time machines.

Wishing for one is wasting the time you already have.

Time will pass either way.

How it passes depends on how you learn to answer the question,

“Where do you want to be in a year?”

Time Passes Either Way

I got into personal development when I was about 15 or 16.

Back then, I was struggling: my sense of self, depression, anxiety and everything that is high school.

I started meditating and journaling.

Meditation was like opening a door to a whole new world, and journaling became my outlet and guide.

These are two practices I still use today.

As with anything, you get to a stage where you ask, “How can I do this better?”

That’s when I started going deeper.

Fast-forward a few years:

I came across Iman Gadzhi’s Agency Incubator program.

Hidden in one of the modules was something that completely changed my life. A lesson on mindset, specifically about creating an SBA document (See, Believe, Achieve).

(Sam Ovens has a similar document called the Alchemy of Self.)

The idea was simple:

• Write down your vision of the life you want.

• Describe the person you want to become.

• Get clear on the goals you’re aiming for.

• Then read that document every morning and night.

Why morning and night?

Because those are the times when your brain is in alpha and theta states, the states where reprogramming your subconscious is easiest.

This blew my mind and instantly became one of my favourite modules and tools.

So I did what anyone obsessed with something does:

Pour everything into it.

I poured my heart, mind and entire being into creating my first SBA document.

I let myself dream and imagine in ways I hadn’t in years.

I became aware of desires and goals I never knew and unravelled pains I thought were buried.

I truly believed that by creating and reading over this document, I would become the person I wanted to be and achieve everything I wanted to have.

And I did.

It Actually Worked

From that first version of my vision doc (with edits over time), here’s what I achieved:

• Built my first business and got my first money online.

• Moved into my own place off campus.

• Got my driver’s license.

• Became more confident in myself.

• Travel and outing experiences.

• Improved my relationships.

• Ran a half-marathon and set a personal best.

• Stepped into a kickboxing ring for the first time, fought, and won gold.

• Earned my undergraduate degree in majors I enjoyed.

Now this isn’t to brag, and it’s not even to say I got EVERYTHING I wanted.

Here are some things that I haven’t achieved:

• I don’t own a Range Rover Sport (yet).

• I’m not fluent in 10+ languages (still working on it).

• I didn’t build a $20k/month SMMA.

• I didn’t achieve my dream body.

• and more…

Despite not achieving everything I wanted, this vision doc was a game-changer.

It gave me something more valuable than the goals I did achieve.

It gave me direction.

It gave me permission to dream big.

It gave me the courage to pursue what I wanted.

It taught me that dreams aren’t rigid contracts.

They evolve. They shift.

Sometimes you get something better than what you asked for:

• I didn’t build my SMMA to a $20k per month, but now I’m building a business that aligns with who I am more and doing what I enjoy.

• I didn’t become a biokineticist, but I’m carving out a career that allows me to stack skills that will open more doors.

• I didn’t get my driver’s license in 2022, but I did get it in 2024 (and on the first try, might I add).

• I didn’t write a best-selling novel, but I have reconnected with my love for writing and being a brand and business around it.

Looking back at my old versions from 2020 and 2021 is surreal.

The details have changed, but the essence has stayed: a vision creates clarity and clarity is power.

The Key to Getting What You Want

If I could go back and tell my younger self one thing, it would be this:

“Master your mind.”

Because everything begins in the mind.

Every chair you sit on.

Every building you walk into.

Every phone, laptop, or app you use.

Even this newsletter.

It all started as an idea in someone’s mind.

This aligns with the first Hermetic principle, the principle of Mentalism:

This principle states that the universe is akin to a mental projection. The Hermetics believed all of existence happened within the mind of THE ALL.

The ALL shouldn’t be conceptualised as God, but rather as a unifying consciousness or intelligence that exists throughout the Universe.

And your mind is like an antenna or receiver of this consciousness, while also being your own consciousness.

Personal consciousness vs. collective consciousness.

Picture it this way:

Matter/ reality is like ice — you can touch it, hold it, measure it.

Mind is like steam — it’s invisible, intangible, but no less real.

Everything in reality begins as something unseen, but existing in the mind.

This principle alone is powerful enough to change how you think of creating and achieving your desired reality.

It begins with deeply internalising that anything you want externally has to begin internally, in the mind.

And here’s where most people get stuck:

People don’t know how to utilise the power of their mind.

Specifically, the subconscious mind.

The Conscious vs. Subconscious Mind

Your conscious mind is logical.

It makes plans for the future.

It makes decisions.

It keeps you conforming to society.

It decides whether to hit snooze or get up.

But your subconscious?

Your subconscious mind is habitual.

It’s why you brush your teeth the same way every morning.

It's why you sometimes “zone out” while driving but still make it home.

It's why you repeat the same patterns in life — even when you say you want something different.

Remember, the subconscious mind is responsible for around 95% of our daily thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Your subconscious mind is emotional.

It acts on impulse and with what feels good.

It’s what makes you think you could fall down a building, even if logically you know the railing will hold you.

It’s why you like some people and don’t like others. Even if you haven’t spoken to them.

Your subconscious mind is powerful.

Your subconscious mind can process 11 million bits per second, while the conscious mind can only handle about 40 to 50 bits per second.

But if the subconscious mind is so powerful, why do we still depend on the conscious mind?

Think of your conscious mind as the strict parent. Your subconscious is the child — full of raw, unfiltered potential.

Left unchecked, that child will run wild and cause chaos.

But guided properly, that child can grow into an impressively powerful and unstoppable person.

The conscious mind can’t help you achieve everything you want on its own (it only runs 5% of everything), but it does direct where you go.

The subconscious mind can’t achieve everything you want on its own because it is an unchecked and wild power.

You need both.

You need the conscious mind to guide that power.

Like how the banks of a river guide the water on where to go.

And this is why you don’t yet have what you want:

You haven’t channelled the potential energy to the right places.

So no, it’s not:

• Because you’re lazy.

• Because you’re unmotivated.

• Or because you’re not smart enough.

It’s because your subconscious isn’t programmed to move toward your vision.

How the Subconscious Works

The subconscious mind:

• Doesn’t care about what you say you want = it cares about what you make it focus on and what you deem to be important

• Works on emotion and images, not logic.

• Will pay attention to something and accept it if you repeat something enough times.

• Defaults to what feels familiar, safe and comfortable, while moving away from anything unfamiliar, unsafe and uncomfortable.

I hope that from one or more of the characteristics above, you can identify why you keep living the same life.

If your subconscious believes you’re the kind of person who earns “just enough,” stays in certain types of relationships, or avoids certain risks — that’s exactly what your reality will reflect.

Psychology backs this up:

• Reticular Activating System (RAS): Your brain filters out information that doesn’t align with your beliefs or identity, and zooms in on what does.

• Confirmation Bias: You naturally look for evidence that supports your current story.

So if you believe you’re “not good with money,” you’ll find proof of that everywhere.

If you believe you’re a high performer, you’ll find proof of that too.

The way out is simple: give your subconscious a new story.

That’s where the vision doc comes in.

What a Vision Doc Really Is

A vision doc is not just a list of goals.

It’s a vivid, detailed picture of the life you want to live — written in the present tense, as if you already live it.

It’s not “I want to live in X city.”

It’s: “I live in X city. I walk to my favourite coffee shop on the corner in the mornings.”

When you read it daily, you’re training your brain to accept that story as your new normal.

Instead of drifting toward the past, fears, old patterns, or other people’s expectations, you’re aligning your mind with your highest potential.

This isn’t woo-woo or manifestation.

It’s psychology.

What you feed your mind, it will make it a reality.

And the vision doc is the simplest way to feed it the right story.

How to Create Your Own Vision Doc

So if you are ready to reprogram your (subconscious) mind to a new story and reality, here’s what you want to do:

Step 1. Block 30–60 minutes

Create space. Grab a notebook, journal, or open a blank doc.

This may take longer than just an hour.

Especially if you’ve never spent time getting clear on your goals and life.

Take as much time as you need.

Step 2. Ask yourself these questions to create your vision

• What does my ideal day look like?

• Who do I want to become?

• What do I want my relationships, business, health, lifestyle, and finances to look like?

• When do I want this to happen by?

• What experiences do I want to have?

I’d encourage you to push past what you think is realistic or reasonable.

This is your life vision.

Be unapologetic with it and go big.

Be bold and write down what your heart truly desires.

If you feel resistance, let it come up. That’s your old conditioning coming up and trying to keep you in a box.

Don’t let it.

You’re not doing anything wrong. Instead, you’re breaking the old identity loop.

Dream like you are a child and reach for the stars.

Step 3. Write in the present tense

Not “I want.” Write “I am” and “I have.”

This might feel like fantasy or even lying to yourself.

But you aren’t.

You’re reading a new script and getting familiar with it.

So it will feel uncomfortable and fake in the beginning, but continue to speak, think and act like it’s happening now.

Then look for the tiniest confirmations (remember confirmation bias) that it might be true, and build your belief one micro-proof at a time.

Step 4. Read it daily

Morning or night.

Make it part of your current routine.

This is a new habit you are developing, and it’s a habit that will benefit you.

Step 5. Visualise it

As you read, feel it. Let the emotions sink in.

Begin to imagine what that life looks like and feel it in your body.

Sure, it might be very different to your current reality, but that’s not your focus.

Your focus is on what you want.

The subconscious mind can’t tell the difference between what’s real and imagined.

And you’re going to use that to your advantage.

By making the internal experience (visualisation) feel as real to your mind as an external experience would.

Step 6. Use it as a filter

When opportunities or decisions show up, ask: Does this move me closer to my vision, or further away?

This is such a crucial step.

Because you have clarity and direction on where you want to go, begin moving in that direction.

As you live your life, ask yourself, “Does this align with the vision?”

As you begin to ask yourself that question and make decisions from it, you’ll begin taking steps towards your vision and away from your current life.

Slowly, but surely, getting what you want and becoming that person.

To get started, you can use the Creating Your North Star here.

Your Challenge

Most people don’t fail because they don’t work hard enough.

They fail because they aren’t clear on what they actually want.

Your vision doc is the simplest tool to fix that.

It creates clarity.

It reprograms your subconscious.

It aligns your life with your highest potential.

And once implemented, it can take less than 20 minutes to use (reading over it).

And it’s that reading over it and embodying it that creates alignment with the vision.

So here’s my challenge to you:

Write your vision doc.

Read it daily.

And watch how your reality starts to shift.

Because once you get clear on what you want, your mind ( and the universe) start conspiring in your favour in ways you couldn’t have imagined.

Thank you for reading.

I hope it helped.

See you in the next one.

— Shana

p.s.

If you want to get started on your vision doc faster, you can access Creating Your North Star here (free).