The Back to the Future Guide to Goal Setting

Snd-Dojo-Episode-1 Visions Title

The Back to the Future Guide to Goal Setting comes from a profound moment that has stuck with me for decades from one of my favourite movies. Marty McFly pulls out a photograph of his family and watches in horror as his brother and sister slowly fade from the image. If he doesn't fix the past, they won't exist in the future. That photograph becomes his compass, his measuring stick, his constant reminder of what's at stake.

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I've thought about that photograph many times over the years, and I've come to believe it captures something profound about how we create our futures. Marty had a tangible image of what he was fighting for. He could check it, reference it, and watch it change in response to his actions. Most of us wander through life without anything like that. We have vague ideas about what we want, fuzzy notions of success, half-formed dreams that never quite solidify into anything real.

What if you could create your own version of Marty's photograph? What if you had a physical representation of the future you want to build, something you could look at every day to remind yourself where you're headed? This isn't just a nice idea. It's a technique used by elite athletes, successful entrepreneurs, and ordinary people who have achieved extraordinary things.

Messages from Your Future Self

The photograph isn't the only powerful image in Back to the Future. There's also the letter Marty writes to Doc Brown, warning him about the terrorists who will shoot him in the parking lot of the mall. Doc dismisses it at first. He tears it up, refusing to know too much about his own future. But later, after Marty has returned to 1985, we discover that Doc reassembled the letter. He taped the pieces back together and read the warning. That's why he was wearing a bulletproof vest when the terrorists opened fire.

Think about what that letter represents. It's a message from someone who knows what's coming, sent back to someone who can still change the outcome. Doc had to choose whether to accept that message or ignore it. He chose to accept it, and that choice saved his life.

We all receive messages from our future selves, though they don't arrive in envelopes. They come as intuitions, as nagging feelings that something needs to change, as quiet knowledge about what we should be doing differently. Most of us tear up those letters without even reading them. We dismiss our own insights. We ignore the warnings. We tell ourselves we'll deal with it later.

But what if you deliberately wrote a letter from your future self to your present self? What would the version of you who has already achieved everything you want say to the you of today? What warnings would they give? What encouragement would they offer? What specific actions would they recommend?

This reversal of perspective can unlock insights that forward-thinking alone cannot provide. When we imagine ourselves already having succeeded, we gain access to wisdom that feels blocked when we're stuck in present-day uncertainty and doubt.

Bruce Lee's Remarkable Letter

Let me move from fiction to reality and tell you about a letter that actually existed. In 1969, Bruce Lee wrote what he called his "Definite Chief Aim" and framed it. Here's what it said:

"I, Bruce Lee, will be the highest paid Oriental superstar in the United States. In return, I will give the most exciting performances and render the best quality in the capacity of an actor. Starting 1970, I will achieve world fame, and from then onward till the end of 1980, I will have in my possession $10 million. I will live the way I please and achieve inner harmony and happiness."

Look at what makes this letter so effective. Bruce was specific about the outcome. He specified the timeframe. And crucially, he identified the behaviours and qualities he would embody to achieve the goal. He didn't just wish for success. He committed to the actions that would create it. He would give exciting performances. He would render the best quality in his capacity as an actor. The goal and the behaviour were linked together.

When Bruce died in 1973, he had achieved virtually everything specified in that letter. He had the fame. He had the money. He had become an international superstar. Whether you attribute this to manifestation, focused action, or some combination of both, the letter served as a powerful orienting force in his life.

Bruce's letter and Marty's photograph serve the same function. They create a tangible anchor point for the future that influences present behaviour.

Creating Your Own Future Photograph

So how do you create your own version of Marty's photograph or Bruce's letter? The good news is that there are many formats to choose from, and the right one depends on what resonates with you.

Some people create traditional vision boards. They gather magazines, printed images, and other visual materials that represent their goals. They cut out pictures that create an emotional response and arrange them on a board that gets displayed somewhere visible. Others prefer digital versions, creating collages on their computers or phones.

Some people prefer words to images. They write letters as Bruce did, framing them and displaying them prominently. Others carry index cards with their goals written on them, pulling them out throughout the day for quick reminders.

Some people find that physical objects work better than images or words. They keep items on their desks that symbolise their goals or remind them of the qualities they want to embody. I know someone who keeps Thor's hammer on his desk. When he doubts himself or feels overwhelmed, he picks up that hammer and reminds himself that he's still worthy. That object serves the same function as a vision board or a letter.

The format matters less than the emotional resonance. Whatever you choose must create a genuine feeling when you encounter it. If looking at your vision board feels flat or uninspiring, you've chosen the wrong images. Keep searching until you find representations that genuinely move you.

Placement matters too. Your future photograph needs to be somewhere you'll see it regularly. In the film, Marty kept checking his photograph because he carried it with him. Your vision needs similar accessibility.

One technique that works remarkably well is to photograph your vision board and save it as the wallpaper on your phone. You look at your phone dozens of times every day. If your vision is there each time, you're constantly being reminded of where you're headed and what you're working toward.

When the Photograph Fades

In the film, the photograph fades when Marty's actions threaten the future he came from. Our own visions can fade too, not from the image itself but from our consciousness. Most people set goals with great enthusiasm but forget them within weeks. The vision fades from awareness, and without that constant reminder, we drift back into old patterns and reactive living.

The physical representation of your goals serves as a safeguard against this fading. Every time you see your vision board or read your letter or pick up your meaningful object, you're reinforcing your commitment and refreshing your awareness.

But there's also an opposite danger worth mentioning. Some people become so attached to a specific outcome that they lose flexibility and miss unexpected opportunities. The goal is to hold your vision lightly but persistently. Remain open to how it might manifest while maintaining clarity about what you truly want.

I've heard remarkable stories about visions manifesting in unexpected ways. My wife puts an image of winning €10,000 from a tea company on her vision board. Months later, I won a storytelling competition sponsored by that same tea company, and the prize was exactly €10,000. We got what was on the board, but not in the way we expected. Years later, my wife put up a picture of her dream house on a vision board. Unfortunately, that house was sold. But months later, the sale of that specific house fell through. It was only when I was unboxing that vision board in our new home that I realised we had bought that exact house.

Having a clear vision creates a kind of orientation, a sensitivity to opportunities that align with what you want. You might not get it exactly as you imagined, but the vision keeps you moving in the right direction.

Getting Your Parents to the Dance

Here's the most important part of the Back to the Future lesson: Marty's photograph would have faded completely if he had simply watched passively. He had to take action. He had to get his parents to the Enchantment Under the Sea dance. He had to give his father the confidence to stand up to Biff and punch him out. He had to create the circumstances where his parents would fall in love. The photograph provided direction, but action created the outcome.

This is where many people go wrong with vision boards and manifestation. They think that creating the image is enough. It isn't. The vision board is a compass, not a vehicle. You still have to walk the path.

Doc could have ignored the letter. He could have left it in pieces and never read it. If he had, he would have died in that parking lot. But he took action. He taped the letter back together. He read the warning. He put on the bulletproof vest. The message from the future only saved him because he acted on it.

The person who wants financial freedom still needs to develop skills, seek opportunities, and manage money wisely. The person who wants better health still needs to exercise and make good food choices. The person who wants meaningful relationships still needs to show up, be vulnerable, and do the work of connection. The vision clarifies the destination. Consistent action covers the distance.

Your Letter to Doc Brown

So here's what I want you to do. This week, create your own version of Marty's photograph or Bruce's letter. Write a message from your future self to your present self. Gather images that represent where you're headed. Find an object that reminds you of the qualities you want to embody.

Make it specific. Make it emotional. Make it real.

Put it somewhere you'll see it every day. Let it orient your attention toward opportunities you might otherwise miss. Let it remind you, when things get hard, why you're doing what you're doing.

Then take action. Every single day, do something that moves you toward that future. The vision board won't make it happen by itself. You will. But the vision board will help you stay focused, stay motivated, and stay aware of the path forward.

At the end of Back to the Future, Marty checks his photograph one final time. His family members are all there, solid and clear. The future he wanted has been restored because he did the work required to make it real.

Your photograph is waiting to be created. Your letter is waiting to be written. Your future is waiting to be built.

Go back to the future.

Paul Batman O'Brien

Paul “Batman” O’Brien is a personal trainer, elite athlete coach, and martial arts medalist who has spent 20+ years teaching science-based, old school, joint-friendly isometric training for busy people. He has written 400+ articles, created 32+ books and programs, and worked with 3,000+ clients. After an MS diagnosis, he used isometrics to get off a walking stick and return to competition for Ireland. Connect with Batman on Facebook. He also makes charity appearances in the Batsuit and folds origami.

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