Reclaim Your Vision

SUMMARY

A lot of people are stuck in the status quo where the day-to-day just consumes all of their thinking and energy. Because of that they become very shortsighted and can't see the forest for the trees. Although they try to look ahead the picture is really blurry or perhaps, they are operating in survival mode where they are just trying to get through the day or week, hoping that things will get better.

The problem with this kind of thinking is that it leads to stagnation and a position of fear where you stop moving forward, doing anything, and opportunities that may come across your path are totally missed because you're stuck in the day-to-day of what you're doing right now.

This week, I want to help you get a lot more clarity so that you have a clear picture of where it is that you are going by reclaiming your vision.

TRANSCRIPT

Are things a little bit blurry for you when you look into the future and you're not quite sure where it is that you're going because everything's cloudy? Are all the circumstances that you're going through are making it hard for you to cut through and the things that you thought you were going to do have dwindled away to just ‘nice to have’ things because you can't see any way of getting there?

Well, many people I'm talking to are in that same position right now. I want to help you this week to get a lot more clarity so that you have a clear picture of where it is that you are going.

Hi, this is Grant Herbert, VUCA Leadership and Sustainable Performance Coach, and today I want to continue our conversation around intention, doing things and living life on purpose, by helping you to reclaim your vision.

As a leader, you need to take charge, make things happen, and have a vision and a purpose for what it is that you are doing. If you take that into the realm of personal leadership, you not only need that at work with your team; you also need that in your own life.

A lot of people are stuck in the status quo where the day-to-day just consumes all of their thinking and energy. Because of that they become very shortsighted and can't see the forest for the trees. Although they try to look ahead the picture is really blurry or perhaps, they are operating in survival mode where they are just trying to get through the day or week, hoping that things will get better.

The problem with this kind of thinking is that it leads to stagnation and a position of fear where you stop moving forward, doing anything, and opportunities that may come across your path are totally missed because you're stuck in the day-to-day of what you're doing right now.

Well, let me give you some good news about that:

It doesn't have to be that way.

I know this because I've made the changes that I want to help you to make today and I've helped many people around the world to do exactly the same thing. So, instead of being stuck in the status quo, you can become a change agent for your own life.

Instead of being shortsighted, and not being able to see where you're going, you’ve got a clear purpose out in front of you and it's a vivid picture in your mind's eye that you can see anytime you want to recall it during your day.

Instead of being in survival mode, you are in control: You’re in the driver's seat, and you are controlling the outcome on a day-to-day basis which empowers you to create your own future.

Your future doesn't just have to happen. It's not just something that is down the track and “c’est la vie” — whatever happens, happens.

No.....

You can be the architect of your future.

We are not talking about perfection here, or a euphoric situation or utopia where everything is beautiful and goes the way that you want it, because that's just not possible.

That's outside what life is really all about. However, when you plan, and you've got a vision for where it is that you want to go, a lot more of those things that could hold you back from going from where you are now to where you want to go will be moved out of the way and you'll have a clearer path to get through.

It all starts with clarifying your vision. I'm not talking about a vision statement people use that is full of marketing words to speak and touch their customers emotionally. What I'm talking about is a vision you can clearly articulate that's going to help you to bridge the gap from where you are now in the present, to where you want to be in the future. Doing this enables you to invest your energy in the best possible way in the present. It's something that lights you up when you think about it and it excites you and gives you a sense of purpose and direction.

As you sit and invest some time to write out your vision and make it clear, I want to give you some key points to help you to do that.

The first thing is it must be clearly defined.

It's not something that's wide, grandiose and a generalised picture. It hits the centre of the target and you know exactly where it is that you want to go. That way you can point yourself in that direction rather than just head off that way.

The second thing is it's underpinned by values.

That's why we looked at those values first in last week’s episode because your vision needs you to be able to live your values as you go on the journey. They are also front and centre in your vision statement. That way, they're a reminder of not just what you need to do, but who you need to be along the way.

The third thing is you need to craft your vision statement in the first person.

You must use “I” language and talk about yourself and your involvement because it's YOUR vision. It's not an external vision for other people. It’s for you to get excited about and it is something that will motivate, inspire, and direct you.

The fourth thing is you need to be able to communicate your vision with clarity.

There will be some people who will communicate your vision to, however, the first person that you need to be able to communicate it to is you.

You must communicate your vision in a way that you understand — in a way that ticks the right boxes for you. When you are communicating it to others (those people, by the way, need to be people that have a vested interest in you getting what you want out of life, not people who want to hold you back), you can communicate it in a way that's easily understood.

It clearly shows who you are, who you're becoming, and where you're going.

The fifth thing is it needs to be measurable.

It must have milestones and markers so that you can align up with your journey so you can check in, do values and progress checks, and where you can (if your vision, for example, was for the next year) see if that's aligned with where you are going in the longer term.

So, those are the five things that you need to consider when you are writing out your vision.

How do you write a personal vision?

Let me give you a simple process that I use for myself and when I work with my clients as well. If you follow this, and put the effort in, you'll have clarity about where you are going. Those feelings of being stuck in the status quo will be long gone and you get the results that you want, not just this year but in years to come.

Alright, let's roll up our sleeves and get into it.

The first thing you need to do is define the vision.

You need to write it down.

Like for example, you can use Post-it notes, do mind-mapping, draw on the wall etc.

You need to get your thoughts out of your mind and define, in the big picture, where it is that you see yourself going, and if everything went the way that you wanted it, you could arrive there.

Once you've got all that raw material, you need to values check it.

You need to take what your vision says to you and ask yourself:

“For what purpose and at what cost?”

“Why am I doing this?”

You also need to make sure that it fits your values. Where, if you were to achieve that vision, you would be the person that you want to be. It would be congruent with who you truly are and what it is that you truly value.

Now that you've got all these raw materials, whether it's in mud maps, through recording, or whatever it is, the next thing you need to do is write it down.

I find that writing things down helps me to remember them. I don't just mean when I can pick it up and read it again. What I mean is the act of writing it down allows the brain to learn at a deeper level.

However, it's way more than that.

When you write something down, you are committing to it.

This is not necessarily something that you need to show anyone else; this could be just for you. However, you are writing it for you.

It is somehow saying that:

“This vision is worth putting on paper. I'm not just going to have it rolling around in my head. I'm putting it on something that I can check in with. Then when I'm looking for support and accountability, I've got a document there that I can operate with.”

I strongly advise that when you do this, you go analog and write it down old school. It could be in a journal or on butcher’s paper. However, I suggest that you avoid getting on the computer or on the phone because there is something different about the feel of the pen in your hand as you write this out. It just is a totally different kinesthetic experience.

The next thing you do is communicate it to those people who are involved in the vision. Remember, the first person that's involved is you. So, read it out to yourself with passion. Do it as if it's already coming to pass.

By doing that, you will see if anything is not quite congruent or is rubbing you the wrong way and will then have the opportunity to either take it out or have a look at why that has triggered you.

If it's triggered by one of those negative beliefs that you have about yourself, or it's around fear or the performance trap, then you can get your mini-me under control and let your big voice step forward with the statement as it is.

It's now time to live the vision.

Start operating out of your newly crafted vision.

For example, if it’s a 12-month vision, you now know where it is that you want to go, and you've got a clear picture of what that looks like, and you've looked at where you are now, and that's your reality. Then you've got a journey to go through.

Now all you need to do is take the first step so that you move closer towards your vision.

That first step is priceless.

Having a well-articulated vision that's written down and well-communicated can be very frustrating if it's not implemented. So, making sure that you take those first steps is imperative so that you can then measure it.

A vision is something to move towards. Therefore, along the way, check-in on your progress, not perfection, as because you are human you will sometimes miss the mark.

Not everything will work the way you want it to work.

Life doesn't work that way.

What you're able to do as you are navigating along this journey, from where you are to where you want to go, is bring things back in alignment with where you are going in your vision. So, it is vital that you measure and check in constantly.

To do that, I like to have a coach.

I like to have someone who is on the journey with me. Someone who's there to give me support and accountability. Where I've got different parts of that vision that are chunked down into smaller spaces of time (particularly in 90 days seems to work for me) where I can check in and go:

“Okay, I've done this, I've changed this, I've learnt this, I've grown in this area, and I can be then accountable to my coach for my progress.”

But whatever it is for you. It's your vision. It's a clear picture of where it is that YOU want to go.

So, make sure that you are able to articulate, measure, and action it so that you can be where you want to be a year from now, rather than regretting that you've just got stuck in that rut and you've just continued to do the same stuff over and over again.

Now that you have a vision, work on it and feel free to share it with me. Let me know where it is that you're going. I'd be happy to be part of your accountability team.

Well, that's it from me for another week. Join me again next week as we continue this conversation around intention by helping you to stay on mission.

I'll see you then.