Move and Stack
Raise your state through movement and emotionally vivid visualization
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 90%
Move and Stack is a two-part state-change method. First, use accessible physical movement to interrupt the bodily pattern that accompanies a low mood or mental rut. The movement does not need to be intense; its purpose is to create a change in physiology and momentum. Second, visualize people, places, and experiences that reliably evoke love or appreciation, then add the desired future outcome to that emotional sequence. This ‘stack’ gives the imagined outcome a felt quality rather than leaving it as an abstract wish. The method ends with immediate action, using the improved state as a bridge into useful behaviour rather than treating visualization as the result itself.
Origin
Curtis developed his reliance on movement while managing illness and limited mobility, eventually making a daily 45-minute swim part of his routine.
Core principles
- 01The body can shift the mind
- 02Movement interrupts a low state
- 03Loved memories make visualization emotionally credible
- 04A desired outcome becomes more motivating when paired with felt emotion
How to run it
- 1
Name the low state
Pause when you notice withdrawal, heaviness, or a desire to remain inactive. Treat the state as changeable rather than as a fixed identity.
Pro tip Use a simple label such as ‘I am in a rut’ rather than building a story around it.
- 2
Move accessibly
Choose a form of movement your body can safely perform and begin immediately. The goal is a physiological shift, not athletic performance.
Pro tip Pick a repeatable default, such as walking, swimming, stretching, or seated movement.
Watch out Respect physical limitations and medical guidance.
- 3
Recall what you love
Visualize specific people, animals, or places that naturally create a positive emotional response. Make each image concrete enough to feel rather than merely name.
Pro tip Use three reliable images so the sequence is easy to repeat.
- 4
Stack the desired outcome
Add the best realistic outcome you want to the end of the sequence. Let it borrow the emotional force generated by the preceding images.
Pro tip Ask how amazing it would feel if the outcome happened.
Watch out Do not mistake visualization for completion.
- 5
Convert state into action
Take one concrete step toward the outcome before the state fades. Keep the step small enough to begin now.
Pro tip Decide the action before starting the visualization.
In the wild
Curtis described periods when illness made staying in bed with food and television appealing. He learned what that pattern created and adopted swimming as his reliable form of movement, now swimming for 45 minutes every day.
→ A repeatable bodily practice helps him leave the low-state pattern.
A founder notices herself shutting down before a sales call. She takes a brisk ten-minute walk, visualizes her daughter, her dog, and a favourite lake, then pictures a calm conversation with the prospect. She returns and sends the opening message immediately.
→ The founder turns an emotional reset into a concrete business action.
Common mistakes
Choosing impossible movement
An overambitious routine adds resistance or ignores physical constraints. Use movement that is safe and immediately available.
Visualizing without acting
A better feeling is only an intermediate result. Without a next action, the exercise becomes passive fantasy.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for people who can notice a state drop and need a practical reset before acting.
Not ideal for
It is not a substitute for professional treatment of persistent depression or other medical conditions.
From the transcript
“if you want to raise your frequency, there's two things that you can do. One is get out there and move your body.”
“allow yourself to visualize the best thing that could ever happen, the best outcome, and then back it up and stack it with things that…”
“I swim every day.”
From the episode
Episode 477:Jim Curtis: How to Rewire Your Brain, Break Mental Patterns, and Actually Change Your Life
Jim Curtis