From Imagination to Attainment: Tips on Building a Beautiful Life

Letting your imagination run wild might be the first step toward attaining the life you want 

Neuroscientists have shown that daydreamers are tapping into an underutilized power. 

Sir Ken Robinson, the late great TED Talker, often spoke of the “inexhaustible power” of the human imagination and its role in creating art, scientific discoveries, and technology. The answers to most problems live in our imaginations. And Albert Einstein believed “imagination is more important than knowledge.”

The building of a beautiful life can begin deep within the mind by learning how to harness the power of imagination.

Determining what makes a life “beautiful”

Beauty, of course, is subjective. There is no one way to live beautifully. For some, attaining a beautiful life means living passionately and fearlessly. Some define it as feeling completely alive, full of inspiration and meaningful connections. For others, it is living a life in service to a greater good. 

Medieval scholar Thomas Aquinas defined objective beauty as consisting of three elements: proportion, clarity, and integrity. If your imagination needs some structure to envision a beautiful life, some use these three standards as guides. 

Proportion speaks to balance. It is the ability to prioritize things that are important to you and give you the most satisfaction. Perhaps in your beautiful life, work is fulfilling but not all-consuming. Your relationships are central and not strained, and you have the time to experience interests outside work. 

Living life with clarity means having deep self-knowledge and self-awareness. It is being intentional about what you want and need and understanding what you have to do — and possibly overcome — to reach your goals. There is strength and beauty in being clear of mind.   

A life lived with integrity is one that is true to your ideals and convictions. As the poet John Keats wrote, “Beauty is truth, truth beauty.” Real beauty lasts because it is based on truth.

Techniques for exercising the imagination

Accessing your imagination, whether through guided meditation or less formal daydreams, allows your brain to construct alternate versions of reality. Like a muscle, the imagination grows stronger with use. The science supports the transformative force of imagination, from empowering goal attainment to fighting phobias and overcoming anxiety disorders. Many psychologists believe in the power of manifestation, the idea that we can bring about favorable outcomes through our thoughts and positivity. Some believe that the clearer the visualization of a goal, the better your intuition will guide your steps toward attaining it. 

Creative visualization, a mental training method popularized by Olympic athletes and other highly successful people, uses the power of the subconscious mind to help in goal setting and problem solving. It is a form of “pragmatic meditation” that involves imagining a desired outcome repetitively, which trains the brain for real-life events.

Similarly, guided meditation and self-hypnosis can enhance the brain's ability to reach a peaceful, focused state conducive to creativity. If winding down does not come easily, a guided relaxation script or a meditation app may help get you into the correct “headspace.” People who are less visually attuned and respond more to other sensory inputs such as music or smells can reach an enhanced imaginative state using those stimuli. 

Practicing mindfulness in daily life is another way to harness the powers of the subconscious. 

Be the “imagineer” of a beautiful life 

“Imagineering” is a term trademarked by the Walt Disney company and defined by Walt himself as “the blending of creative imagination with technical know-how.” It’s been genericized to apply to any practical application of a creative idea or “vision.” So, why not imagineer your life?

Imagineering takes mindfulness to a new level. It is outsourcing strategic life planning to your subconscious. Like yin and yang, the forces of unlimited creative possibility and clear-eyed realism complement each other.  

Use Aquinas’s elements of beauty to imagine a life that is balanced, has the clarity of self-awareness, and is committed to the pursuit of truth. Take your most creative daydreams and channel them into plans. Use your daydreams to structure your goals.

Imagination can be a buffer against the world's difficulties, an idea heartbreakingly demonstrated in the 1997 Roberto Benigni film Life is Beautiful. In less tragic circumstances, it can serve as a North Star, guiding the fully conscious self to higher levels of personal and professional fulfillment.

Harnessing the power of the imagination can elevate daily life—and even make it beautiful. 

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