YOUR PERSONAL VISION
HAVING A VISION
BY JESSICA MCGREGOR JOHNSON
For the last 20 years I have read many times that it is very important to have a vision for whatever you want in your life. Perhaps you’ve heard the same – without vision there is no way you can work out your pathway to your destination.
Over the years I have worked with my clients on creating a personal vision – what they would like to have their life look and feel like when they have brought everything into balance. It is always much easier to work out the steps you need to take, when you know where you are going.
There are many ways you can do this – at the end of the personal Passion Test we ask all our participants to create a vision board – pictures and sentences that represent their top five passions. I have created a vision book, a similar idea as the vision board but something more portable.
Only last week when I was chatting to a friend about a new focus for my work she said “take the morning off and do a new vision board for yourself”. You see we all need reminding every now and again.
However, in the last month a really clear example of just how powerful a vision can be happened, when we were working with a travel company with the Passion Test for Business. By the end of the first day we spent with the management, we had worked with them to create a 10, 5 and 2-year vision for the company. Interesting, although they had been in business for nearly 20 years, they had never thought that far ahead, especially with the kind of focus that came out of our work previously in the day.
By helping them to think big they got very excited with the new pathway that lay ahead. However, that was nothing compared to the reaction from the staff at the end of the workshop. During the workshop they had identified their top five work passions. They were then presented with the company vision and, in light of their personal passions, asked to write a 10, 5 and 2-year vision for themselves within the company.
Suddenly they could see where they were heading. One participant said: “…now I see I have a career path and I don’t need to go elsewhere”. The level of motivation grew hugely right then and there. The icing on the cake was that the management could also see who was interested in advancement – something they can nurture over the coming years.
Vision not only connects you to your future it also is a huge motivator both for you and those around you. Even if you work on your own whomever you interact with – be it people you work with occasionally, freelancers, affiliates – share your vision. The more you share it the clearer it becomes.
And if you have not got a vision for yourself then stop right now and start to create one. Oddly enough it is easier if you start with the 10-year vision. Think big – you don’t have to know how you will achieve this – just answer these questions:
• What would you like to have achieved?
• Where would you like to be in terms of your niche?
• What would you like to be doing?
• Who do you want to be collaborating with?
• Who is in your immediate team? (the roles even if you don’t know the people)
• What premises would you like to have?
• What is your financial picture?
Write down everything you want in 10 years and then looking at that list answer the questions again for your 5-year vision. Let your 10-year vision inform the midway point. Where will you need to be in relation to what you have written to be on target?
Then once you have your 5-year vision you can do the same for your 2- year one.
This level of clarity about where you are going not only acts as a great motivator but also is so helpful in seeing the path you need to take to reach your vision.
This is not just for those of you with your own businesses; you can also use this exercise in your personal life as well as in your job if you are employed. This information is useful in all areas of life. It is like creating a map for you to follow to your own choice of destination.
You might need to change the questions slightly for your personal life:
For example:
• What would you like to have achieved within X years?
• What would you like your relationship to be like (if you want one) ?
• What would you like to be doing with your leisure time?
• What kind of social life do you want?
• What hobbies do you want to be doing?
• What premises would you like to have?
• What is your financial picture?
And if you are employed you could be asking yourself:
• What would you like to have achieved in your career?
• What role would you like to be doing?
• Who do you want to be collaborating with?
• What kind of company would you like to be working for?
• What kind of environment would you like to be working in?
• What do you want to be paid?
A vision in any are of life is key – if you know where you want to go you are more likely to get there. A great saying is “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. A vision is your plan for the future.
About the Author:
Jessica McGregor Johnson works internationally as a Personal Empowerment Coach helping you to finally get the life you want. She offers a free introductory session – email her at jessica@jessicamcgregorjohnson.com or call 0203 239 6155 or visit www.jessicamcgregorjohnson.com
She is also a Certified Passion Test for Business Facilitator and Personal The Passion Test Facilitator. You can find out more at http://www.jessicamcgregorjohnson.com/the-passion-test.html
You can sign up for her free ebook and 30 day video course Feel Better Right Now and as a bonus receive the free monthly inspirational newsletter -‘Connections’ – http://tiny.cc/CCNews