What your brain does when you imagine your future, and the one mistake that can quietly cancel it out.

Imagining something recruits brain regions that overlap with actually experiencing it, but imagining only the glorious outcome can lower your drive. Imagining the process and the obstacles is what works.

Episode brought to you by pirani tumblers: https://www.pirani.life?ref=f8wjmTriFGvq&mid=3148&d=UE9QRkxZNjFFMkM3MzI=&utm_campaign=eg_pirani-ambassadors

Support the podcast and leave a 5 star review. This takes less than 10 seconds and helps so much!

Niche Gifts For Your Witchy Friends: https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/7205386

It's still over 100 degrees in southern California but if you are getting fall weather enjoy this curated list of cute outfits: https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/7209530

Herbs for your ritual work: https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/7206710

Cord Cutting Ritual: https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/7206557

Honey Jar Spell From Blood Sex Magic by Bri Luna: https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/7206112

Packing for an upcoming cruise? I'm going on the sold out Jam Cruise again and made a universal packing list: https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/7325212

Thanks for listening!

Sources quoted:

• Kanwisher and O'Craven (2000), imagery vs. perception in faces and places, via MIT News

• 2004 fMRI study of imagery and perception overlap, Brain Research: Cognitive Brain Research, via Massachusetts General Hospital Martinos Center. The page did not list authors, so confirm names before naming them on air.

• Krüger et al. (2020), Scientific Reports, mental versus physical practice

• Kappes and Oettingen (2011), Positive fantasies about idealized futures sap energy, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology; also summarized by the British Psychological Society Research Digest

• Pham and Taylor (1999), as described by The Behavioral Scientist. Read secondhand, so check the original before citing details.