It’s a must have for any leader in an organisation to have a vision for what they are about and want to achieve. Not many people talk about a vision at a personal level. Who do we really want to be? I certainly don’t want to wake up one day wondering where the hell the last 10 or 20 years went, gazing upon a face in the mirror that I don’t recognise. I’ve always been eager at work to define and develop myself and my team towards our company vision. Wouldn’t it be great to do the same about myself? To wake up every morning knowing that I’m gradually becoming the person I always wanted to be. The person my family, colleagues and peers respect, admire and love?
Consider the following questions to start your thinking on the right track:
- What kind of person do you want to be?
- What words do you want people to use if they had to describe you?
- What do you want to look like? Thinner, fitter, more relaxed?
- Who are your ideal friends?
- What are people attracted to you for? (friendship, advice, money, fun…)
- What do people recognise about you? (Your smile, your frown…)
- Does your daily routine/schedule match your priorities and values in life?
This can feed your personal improvement strategy and help shape your plan for the year ahead. Consider if the answers to these questions sit right with you, if not, how can you start to change them? If you always envisaged being happy and laughing but really you feel stressed and miserable, use your ideal personal vision to move you into a better place.
Come up with your own vision statement – you can use the questions above to define this, an example personal vision statement could fit the following framework:
I am a successful — and a happy —. I enjoy my free time with my —- and do —- for fun. I am inspiring others and am recognised for my —-. I am fulfilled by my projects on —- and applying my talents in —- to — .
There is very little that can block you from achieving your vision. Let yourself get excited over it – let it motivate you. Start breaking your vision down into achievable steps and start now. What can you do make it happen?