“Chase the vision, not the money, the money will end up following you.” — Tony Hsieh.
The vision is a power tool that can propel you towards profound happiness, deep satisfaction, and yes, also success. When you create a vision so powerful, so deeply personal that its as if it sprang forth directly from your soul, your passion will ignite. Your passion will build a fire that then fuels your motivation to keep going. Motivation is what will keep you driving towards your dream in the good times, and its what will keep you afloat during the hard times.
VISION —> PASSION —> MOTIVATION
If you have never thought about what your life vision is, it can seem daunting. Sitting down to draft a succinct thought that carries so much weight. But don’t worry, our 5 simple step process below will get those creative juices flowing and help you bridge your own body, mind and spirit so you can uncover that true purpose you have been looking for: the personal vision statement.
Truth Bomb: You are going to have to spend your valuable time, work hard, dig deep, dive into the abyss of your soul, get real and brutally honest with yourself to define your vision, but in doing so, YOU can create your dream life, your dream career and be totally, utterly satisfied. I really believe that! I have seen it in action, done it and have the proof staring back at me.
Are you ready to get started?
(1) Start with a major brain dump.
Give yourself as much time as you need to sit and write. If having a time goal in mind helps you get the feel for what you need, you will need a minimum of 30 focused minutes, but for many people, this will be something you revisit, refine, and add to over a few days.
Write down everything you can think of to describe your dream life. What does it look like? Who is in it? What are you doing? Where are you financially? How is your day structured? Get as detailed as possible. Describe what “A Day In The Life” looks like.
(2) Revisit the past to shape the future.
Think about three different things you remember doing that you LOVED as a kid (remember, you were still a kid in High School, and kind of still a kid in college, so you can revisit all the way up through college). Did you love writing? Spending time in nature? Shopping? Did you have a job in your youth that you absolutely loved? Focus on each one and try to describe the experience in detail. Then, think about what about it moved you, what you loved about it.
(3) Dream big and ask yourself the right questions.
Spend another 15-30 minutes writing about your dreams. Dream as big or as little as you want, but don’t hold back. It is okay if your dreams aren’t grand. Some people are looking for simplicity in life. But if you want to be the next Oprah, put it down! Don’t shy away from writing something because it feels impossible. That is what dreams are for. Shoot for the moon, and if you land in the stars, that is still pretty darn phenomenal.
Questions to ask yourself while visualizing:
- What do you want to have accomplished in five years? Ten years?
- What is the impact you see yourself making for yourself, your family, the community, the World?
- If you had to teach something, what would it be?
- What do you most enjoy doing in life?
- What are your strengths and your weaknesses?
- Do you enjoy working solo, with a team, in a stable environment, or are you up for a risk/challenge?
(4) Review, Draft, Refine.
Look back at everything you wrote down. Look for patterns. See what takes shape in all of those beautiful words, memories and dreams. Are any patterns surfacing? Did this exercise bring something powerful to the surface? Then work on writing your vision statement. It may be one line, it may be a few lines. Usually, the most powerful visions are three sentences or less. It may take you a few drafts before you get there. It may start as a paragraph that you whittle down to a statement (or two or three).
Need some inspiration? Check out the list of vision statements we compiled HERE.
(5) Write it down.
Write it down. Post it on your wall. Keep it under your pillow. Let this be something you etch on your heart and inform your decisions going forward.
Just remember: your vision can shift and evolve over time. If it no longer serves you or no longer feels personal, revisit it. As we learn, grow and change, so does our vision for life.
When I graduated law school, I thought all I wanted in life was a six-figure salary, a Range Rover, and a husband. I even remember talking to my now-husband about the Range Rover I wanted to get when I graduated and landed my dream job. I didn’t land my dream job (a story for another time), but I did hit a significant six-figure income. Did I get a Range Rover? Nope. My life shifted, and its continued to evolve 100 times over since then. But the thing is, at my core, I still want the same things I did when I was 22 or 25. I just hadn’t done the work to clearly express and understand my vision. Your destiny is out there. Start with your Vision Statement, and let that guide where your life heads, what jobs you take, what business you start and who, how and where you serve.