Make a Wish — and Build the Life Around It

If You Close Your Eyes…

If you close your eyes right now, what’s one thing you wish for going into next year?

What’s one way you want your life to change?

Now imagine your dream life — the one you think about when nobody’s watching. Imagine the person already living it. What are they doing right now? How do they spend their free time? Where are they traveling? Who are they surrounded by?

The truth is, your wish doesn’t stay a wish just because you dream it. It becomes reality when you intentionally build your life around it — and that includes the people you let into your orbit.

Your Network Shapes Your Vision

We say it all the time: “You’re the sum of the five people you spend the most time with.” But it’s deeper than that. Your network shapes your thoughts, your opportunities, and even your definition of what’s possible.

If your LinkedIn feed looks the same every day, you’ll start to believe that’s the only version of success. But when you intentionally connect outside your bubble, you expose yourself to new industries, new ways of thinking, and new models of freedom.

Curating Your Feed = Curating Your Future

The easiest place to start is your digital environment. Who are you following? Who are you engaging with?

Diversify your feed to include voices in tech, real estate, finance, academia, media, health, and wellness. Engage with thought leaders who are living pieces of the life you want. When you train your brain on new perspectives, you start opening neural pathways that rewire your own vision of success.

And then take it offline: reach out. Connect. Say yes to coffee, to a call, to a conversation that might spark something unexpected.

Build Your Life Around the Wish

The wish you made today isn’t about luck. It’s about alignment. You don’t need to copy anyone else’s blueprint, but you do need to act like the person who already has the life you want.

• If your dream self spends more time traveling → start building flexibility into your schedule now.

• If your dream self prioritizes wellness → join the classes, build the rituals, protect your energy.

• If your dream self is surrounded by visionaries → expand your network and make sure you’re in the right rooms.

You can’t wish for a new life while living the same patterns.

Reflection Prompt

Close your eyes. Write down one wish for your 2026 self. Then list three people or communities you can connect with this month who are already living some version of that wish.

Closing Note

Wishes don’t come true because we blow out candles or repeat numbers on a clock. They come true because we align our actions, our networks, and our energy with the life we want to create.

This 11/11, make a wish — but don’t stop there. Start building the life around it.

Because at the end of the day, the goal isn’t just to dream of being rich. It’s to live a life that’s rich in compensation, richer in life.

Alexis Matthews