Making Your Dreams Come True: Define Your Vision
Is your life moving forward the way you want? Toward your vision? Or is your precious time and energy spent going many directions at once and never seem to achieve your goals?
What makes the difference between being successful and not?
To be successful we have to focus and create power in everything we do. We cannot be a leaf blowing in the wind at the effect of the whims of the universe. It doesn’t matter what area of life we’re discussing, we have to do more with less time and to do that we have to align our actions.
This is a vital truth for any professional, executive, employee or domestic goddess (thank you comedienne Rosanne Barr). It is true for all my drugless practitioner clients and a place we start in my trap door analysis. We have to be extremely competent with how we use our time and energy. If we don’t remain focused and purposeful with what we do; we don’t succeed.
Focus.
To succeed, you must define yourself and your vision clearly.
The two biggest mistakes I see are:
- trying to be all things to all people
- lack of a clear plan and vision
Usually, lack of a clear vision causes “trying to be all”; which unfortunately equals doing none of it well.
What if you had a tool that would not only help you refine your vision but achieve it? And in doing so created time and got you the sorts of clients you really wanted?
Creating and Using a Vision plan
How many of us make New Year’s resolutions only to find that we forgot about them or didn’t follow through? “Stuff” got in the way. This is not a rehashed resolution talk.
In fact, let’s talk about it in a way you have probably never heard before. In fact, if you have not already purchased and read Arte Maren’s excellent book “The Natural Laws of Management” I highly recommend you do so. Arte has clearly and concisely explained how to set and achieve your goals.
Step 1: Define your goals
Don’t forget to include personal goals. “See lots of patients” well OK, but what about other areas of your life? Those have to run well also. Put them down.
Write 3-4 goals that are broad, long-term and really reflect your big think. “See lots of patients” is truthfully a bit too broad, how about “become known as the most effective weight loss program” or “transition to a cash-based holistic health practice in one year.” Or mine: “Create a ripple effect of successful independent drug-free practitioners who themselves are making a difference by healing the lives of many using safe and natural techniques.”
Don’t forget a few other things like “be a great mom (dad) with time for my children after school” or “run a marathon” or “contribute more to my church” or… Create a “vision board” with images of how you see these areas of your life.
Take 5-10 minutes and do this now.
Step 2: Put Purpose Into It.
The concept of purpose is sometimes hard to grasp—especially as a distinct thing that isn’t a goal. “What is your purpose in life?” How many times do we hear that? Do we know what it really means? Is it enough to answer “to help people”? No.
Your purpose is the unique path you are going to take to achieve your goal(s). For example, I do honestly really love to help people. Being a driven type-A single mom with degrees in health and molecular biology but a passion for healing with nutrition alone I could either be dispersed all over the place or I could cleverly align all those things and flourish and prosper. My purpose? “To make evidence-based holistic health approaches well known in the scientific and medical communities and provide consulting services to help practitioners who use those approaches grow their businesses. To work independently so I can attend to the needs of my son.”
What’s your purpose? What path or skills do you uniquely have or want to apply toward achieving your goals? List them now.
Step 3: (Don’t keep it secret) Put your goals and purposes in a visible place.
No, I’m not kidding. Having this posted on the wall in front of your desk or other visible place is vital! This super-secret step is missed by many; it’s gathering dust somewhere.
If you wrote down some goals for yourself earlier this year, or last, or the year before… and stuck them in a drawer… take them out now and post them right in front of you so you can see them. Do it right now. Don’t laugh this off as “I don’t need to do this” or “I have it all in my head.”
If it isn’t written, it isn’t real. And a corollary, if you can’t see it, you’ll forget it. Go back and do these steps. Then post your vision where you will see it.
These are the most powerful steps you may ever take. So please do take 10 minutes and revolutionize your life.
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Photo credits: Marie Sternquist Photography