If you can do one thing today in order to get making progress towards advancing your business, try this: take a minute to envision the future you would like to be. What would your success as a business be like? More customers? More revenue? Expanding on a local, regional or national scale? This may seem simple, but it’s crucial to moving forward.
Skeptical?
Think about how a vision impairment was portrayed in the tale of distance swimmer Florence Chadwick, who wanted to be an original woman who swam in the Catalina Channel in 1952. On the day she went for her swimming, the water was icy and the fog thick. She began with determination but, after more than 15 hours into her swim, she requested to be taken on some of the vessels. Even though her instructor had assured her that she was close to the shore and encouraged her to stay focused, however, she fell victim to the cold and was removed from the water. As her body began to melt, she realized that she was only one mile away, close to that California coast!
She spoke to a reporter, “I do not want to justify my actions; however if I had been able to see the shoreline, I’d have done it.”
I’ve observed that the majority of people quit within a few minutes of their goal when their thinking is impeded due to a lack of vision. Without vision, companies are disorganized, inefficient, or ineffective and are full of anxiety. Without an idea, people leave. If they don’t have a picture, the people die.
What vision is not it?
You might think, “Hey, I don’t have time to think about something that might never actually occur. I’m going to get back to work.” Traditional thinkers prefer to work out the details instead of getting caught up in “pie on the horizon” thoughts and then drifting off on a high cloud.
However, vision is among the essential abilities of an efficient leader. It is the quality that makes the most influential leader distinctive. Without a clear, motivating vision, planning will be reduced to an uninspiring list of tasks. Vision is the reason behind the actions you take.
How do I harness the power of my vision into practice?
If you’re ready to explore the power of vision can do to your company, I’ve laid out five action steps to follow below. Follow these steps step-by-step, and you’ll be well on your path to harnessing the potential of your eyes.
Step 1: Start and maintain an ongoing Dream List.
The dream list is a list of dreams that you’ve always wanted to achieve… all the things you’ve ever wanted to be, dreamed of possessing, or desired to achieve. I’ve kept a dream list of my dreams that I have updated each year since 1979. Many might consider this is a waste of time. However, I have learned from this experience that we draw to ourselves the things we have set for our own lives. What we observe is what we receive.
Step 2 – Create an outline of your vision statement.
The declaration must be in paragraph form and should not exceed more than one page. The statement should be 5 to 10 years in the future and written in the present tense. Create a concise sketch of your dream future as if you were already in it. Be a realist, but take care not to limit your possibilities. The words you choose to use should speak to your soul and heart.
Step 3 – Create annual goals.
Your goals for the year, not greater than three to five, should help you get closer to your goals, and your goals must always be guided by your vision. Every year, you should review your dream list and make specific goals, which you can measure and that you are able to achieve this year. Every plan must be clear and measurable, as well as achievable and realistic. It should also be tangible and have a date to achieve it.
Step #4 – Go Over Your Vision Statement
Revise your vision statement each year and make changes. Your assessment should always be based on how clear the vision is, not whether it’s realistic. The idea is never about the reality of things. Image is about using your imagination to imagine the ideal scenario for your future. This creative force then guides your actions and habits.
Step 5 – Make Your Vision Statement Public
If you have a mentor, discuss your goal statement and ask them to make you accountable. The concept of accountability and management of results are among the most powerful motivations I’ve ever had. A lot of people are scared of accountability due to the fact that it requires commitment. However, commitment places the actuality of your plan on the line.
Visionary power keeps an efficient leader in the direction of a vision of the future with passion instead of settling to a state of security for the moment. Your company will never expand or evolve. Suppose you don’t expect to see it grow. Expectations will undoubtedly yield a result that meets your expectations, so be prepared for BIG things!
Are you wondering what happened to our friend Florence Chadwick? After a couple of months of her failed attempt, she took to through the Catalina Channel. She made sure that it was clear since she learned that she needed to visualize her target. Not only was she the very first female to be able to swim in the Catalina Channel, but she also beat the record for men in two hours!
Florence discovered that the most influential leaders are aware of:
The image you get (VISION) can be the result you will get (RESULTS)!
