Even Bernie here knows that we need to do whatever it takes in order to see our way clear and make progress! Vision is essential…it’s even written that without vision, the people perish. As you all know, I’m BIG on building strategic business plans to run and grow your business; and a powerful vision is an essential element of that plan to pull you up to the top of your game, AND the top of the “success pyramid”.
Yes, vision is a hugely important element, yet often glossed over or ignored. This “vision gap” explains why some people who for 10- 15 years have been on a steady growth path, suddenly become bored.
In most cases, the reason is that they are trying to move forward using yesterday’s plan…yesterday’s vision. What a shame! So much more can be achieved, and passion renewed by “upping” the vision to something that truly excites and inspires.
Expecting tomorrow to be more rewarding, while using an outdated plan, is like trying to drive to New York with a 1955 road map. You may get there, but at a high cost in time, energy and unnecessary frustration. Is that what you want?
Using the map analogy, above, there are three obvious problems when you don’t have a map OR a personal vision, and both instances cause long-term problems:
1. You cannot move in new or inspiring directions.
2. The lens through which you now see will not move you from where you are now.
3. Your creative energy is kept low because your focus is inadvertently with the old ways and
the old maps.
4. Your focus will be on your frustratingly slow progress, and you will miss opportunities that cross your path.
How to fix this?
Go into the future. Failing to start with what you REALLY want (for your company, yourself, your family, your legacy, etc.) is kind of like doing a “Fire! ready, aim” sequence. In other words, there’s no real target. You’re just shooting! What a sorry waste of time.
So, what do you want? What does the word “success”, the STATE of being in “success” mean to YOU? How will you know when you get there? Thoughtful answers to those questions are probably a lot closer than what you may think at first.
Start by answering these questions: What is the one area or condition in the state of the world that I’d like to impact? What would I like to do with and for my family? What kind of legacy would I like to leave? How would I like to spend my leisure time? Where? How often? With whom? How would I like to expand my giving back to the world? How would I like to expand/educate/grow myself?
Apply the idea “make the future happen inside of you” as often as you can. It is a great way to create a “bridge” to what you want.
Ask yourself several times a day, “Is what I’m doing at this moment leading me to what I most want?”
The thing is, if you can decide what you want, you can also decide how to get it. Most of us gloss over the “what I want” questions too quickly….so, please, take time to think deeply about these things.
Action item –”a week of wants”:
Spend the next week mulling over where you want to be in 18 to 24 months. Write things down as they come to you, or do a “brain dump” or a “heart storm” (as opposed to a brain storm) session alone or with your “nearest and dearest”. Write in a journal or carry index cards for the whole time.
Here are the rules: No edits allowed and no trying to answer the “how” questions. Just let it flow, and jot down your ideas. Within a week, you will have plenty of inspiration and ideas… not only a nice beginning to your new map, but the proper sequence of “Ready, aim fire!” will be put in place.
Onward and Upward!
Lynnea
