Objective:
Develop a written personal vision that is meaningful and gives you direction, both personally and professionally.
What is a Vision?
Imagine how great it would feel to have a sense of purpose, clarity, and direction. To wake up in the morning excited to face the day. High-performing employees and great leaders have such a vision. It is what provides fuel to the fire of their lives.
A vision is a high-level destination, your purpose, or your why. It serves as an internal compass or your north star. A clear vision is like a rudder on the ship; it is the tool that guides the ship. The vision is not a goal; the vision is where you are going, and the goals (which come later) are the specific milestones on your way toward achieving your vision.
Vision and goals are often talked about but rarely done. In fact, only 2% of people have a written personal vision. By the end of this exercise, you will have finished what very few others have ever started!
Your personal vision doesn’t need to change the world; it just needs to change your world! Team members who are engaged and “show up” are the ones whose personal vision aligns with their role and the direction of the organization.
To have a vision is to see with your mind’s eye the very best version of you in each of your key roles in life (professional title, parent, spouse, friend, etc.). The process of developing your personal vision enables you to create the mental reality prior to the physical reality. Your personal vision is more than just a destination; it is who you are becoming in the journey toward the destination—the best version of you in each role.
Real-World Example
One of the most inspiring examples of a simple yet powerful vision was the declaration by President Kennedy in 1962 that the United States would send a man to the moon and return him safely before the end of the decade. This vision focused an entire nation and directed it toward an inspirational cause. As a result of realizing that vision and that goal, the U.S. and the world have never been the same. We were all changed for the better.
How to Develop an Effective Personal Vision
Three Steps to Develop an Effective Personal Vision
Now it is time to start developing your personal vision.
To set the right expectations, we must clarify that this is not something you do in just a few minutes. It will take a lot of thought, effort and emotion. You will be most effective when you use a pen and paper so that you can physically write. The other alternative is to have a tablet that you can write on, but the point is that you write. The act of writing unlocks a part of your brain that otherwise stays dormant–strangely, typing alone does not unlock it.
So whether you use a blank piece of paper, our template, or a tablet, let’s get started.
Follow these three steps to develop a compelling personal vision.
Step 1: Fire Up Your Imagination
Just as you imagined your dream home earlier, you first need to identify what you want your life to look like so that you can work on making it a reality. Step 1 is about creating your mental reality so you can start working toward making that your physical reality.
Four questions will activate the creative parts of your brain and empower you to start thinking about the right things you might include in your vision. Take as much time as you need to answer the following four questions.
- In 5 – 10 years, what are some things you want to do and have accomplished?
- Think of any mentors or people who have inspired you (these can be people you know personally or people from history). What are the traits, characteristics, and qualities that you admire about each one of them?
- What would you like to improve in your job, home, and community?
- In 50 years from today, whether alive or not, how do you hope others will look back and describe you?
After you’ve answered these four questions, pause and reflect on what you wrote. You can often include elements from your answers in your vision.
Step 2: Identify the 5 – 7 Roles That Matter Most to You
Look at your life through the lens of the different roles that matter most to you. Throughout the day, you wear different hats based on where you are, what you are doing, and who you are with, right? A few examples of roles would be personal (physical, mental, emotional/spiritual, and financial), parent, your job title, spouse or partner, coach, church member, friend, brother/sister, son/daughter, and so on.
When we think about roles in general, it is often easier to think just about our professional roles. Roles invite us to think about the other equally or even more critical areas of our lives. Dividing your life into your most important roles helps you maintain balane and think about what you can accomplish or do in each area. Our focus on roles makes this course far more than just another one on business or leadership. This holistic approace to leading your life and focusing on your key roles supports the journey toward being your best self.
Your personal role is the most important role because it is you taking care of yourself first–physically, mentally, emotionally/spiritually, and financially. A person can only share their light when they have light to share. Some people call this self-care. The bottom line is that it does not matter what you call it; the most important thing is that you can take care of yourself. When you do, you will be in a much better position to show up in your other roles.
Consider some of your roles, and write down the roles that matter most to you.
Take some time now to list the 5 – 7 roles that matter most to you.
Step 3: Write Your Vision for Each Role
Keep in mind your answers to the questions from Step 1. You started with those questions to get your mind thinking about what matters most to you. Take some of your thoughts and ideas from those four thought-provoking questions and develop your vision in each role.
Ask yourself what represents the best version of you in each role? If you can aspire to be the best manager, parent, partner, sales rep, and so on, what will that look like by role? Again, first, develop the mental reality of what your best looks like in each role so that you can create the physical reality.
It is essential to clarify the difference between a vision and goals. Think of the vision as the end destination—it is the absolute best version of you in that role, there is an emotional feel to it, and it guides your behavior and decision-making. The annual goals come later and become the specific milestones toward making your vision a reality. You’ll find it much easier to develop goals when you do so in the context of your vision. So, when you build your vision, it does not need to be specific or measurable—that comes with the goals. The most important part of your vision is that it drives your behavior and creates alignment for your actions in that role.
In your vision, it’s better to use phrases such as “I am” rather than “to be” or “someday” or “I hope to.” Write it from the perspective that you are living that vision today. For example, “I am a transformational leader my team would follow without the title.” That’s so much better than, “I want to be a better leader to my team.”
Write the best description of what you see yourself becoming in each role.
Before you start on your vision, reference a few examples below.
Summary
Remember, this is not something you do in just a few minutes. It will take a lot of thought, effort, and emotion. You will be most effective when you use a pen and paper so that you can physically write.
1. Fire up your imagination
Identify what you want your life to look like so that you can work on making it a reality. Step 1 is about creating your mental reality so you can start working toward making that your physical reality.
2. Identify the 5-7 roles that matter most to you.
Look at your life through the lens of the different roles that matter most to you. Consider some of your roles, and write down the 5-7 roles that matter most to you.
3. Write your vision for each role.
Keep in mind your answers to the questions from Step 1. Take some of your thoughts and ideas from those four thought-provoking questions and develop your vision in each role.
Examples of a Personal Vision
- Personal
- Spouse
- Friend
- Parent
Personal
I live a balanced, healthy lifestyle, and I am in great physical shape. I prioritize my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. I am striving to be financially free with no debt or obligations to anyone.
Spouse
I strive to be kind, compassionate and help [name of spouse or partner] feel like a 10. I validate his/her feelings and help him/her feel respected. I am totally faithful in thought and action, and I look for opportunities to compliment him/her, serve him/her, and be the partner of his/her dreams.
Friend
I surround myself with people who make me want to be a better person and care about my success. I am a loyal, committed friend who is happy about the success of others. I create meaningful friendships.
Parent
I am an example of what a kind and caring person looks like. I am the type of person I want my daughters/sons to marry. I am present with my children, and we continuously develop great memories together. I invest the time and energy to help them see their potential, bring out their best, and how they can make a difference in the world.
Examples for a Professional Role
- Sales Manager
- Manager
- Sales Rep
- Founder
- Warehouse Manager
Sales Manager
I am a transformational leader who knows the stories of each team member and invests in them. I set the tone so that our team is inspired to give their best, and I am always focused on developing the mindset and skillset of each team member. I am the type of leader my team would still want to follow without the title!
Manager
I am a great manager who contributes to an outstanding team. I am a key player who always brings energy, enthusiasm, and a no-quit attitude to the team. I uplift the people that I work with and help them to become their best.
Sales Rep
I do whatever it takes to ethically and legally close the deal! I have a no-quit attitude when I’m smiling and dialing. I strive to serve the customer and over-deliver in everything I do! I’m a team player because we ultimately win as a team!
Founder
Example 1: I will build a $50+ million-dollar company and become a leader in the data center industry. I am a leader who leads with integrity, innovation, vision, and collaboration. I only surround myself with people who have a strong work ethic, contribute to the team, and strive to make our company a better place.
Example 2: I lead by example and set the tone for our organization. I help my team stay aligned, focused, and motivated to be the industry leader in the lead generation software industry. I commit the time and resources necessary to develop the people, create a high-performance culture, and align the strategy.
Warehouse Manager
Safety and quality are my highest priority. I am the type of leader who clearly communicates expectations and leads the safest, most efficient warehouse operations in the industry. I am engaged with my team and continuously seek to improve our operations with perfection as the standard.
What 5-7 roles currently make up your life?
How does it help you to look at your life, your identity,
and your purpose through the lens of roles?
The famous lecturer and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson wisely said, “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” A personal vision is exponentially more powerful when founded on character and correct principles. Each of our personal visions is about more than the destination; it is also about who we will become in the journey toward the destination.
Writing Your Vision
Your vision, which lies inside of you, will change your world and all those around you.
Once finished, your vision will become a wellspring of motivation and serve as your internal compass. It will become the guide for your roles and goals and then, later, for your pre-week planning.
If you are in a position to do so, we invite you to pause here and invest whatever time is necessary to develop a draft of your vision. In the beginning, the most important thing is to simply write. Choose the roles that matter most to you, get your thoughts on paper, and get down the first draft of your vision. Then, you can sit back, read it, see how you feel, and decide whether it is your final vision or if you might need to make some adjustments.
Click here to download the Vision and Goals sheet to get started.
The Litmus Test
After you get some initial thoughts on paper or a rough draft of your written vision, you can run it through a litmus test. Once it passes the litmus test, odds are you have a great vision that creates alignment in your different roles.
After spending time working on their vision, a common question is, “How do I know that I have finished?”
Two Simple Questions
If you are like most people, the vision can be challenging because you are articulating the direction for who you are and what type of legacy you want to leave (by role). The ultimate litmus test is to ask yourself two simple questions:
- Does my vision give me direction in each role?
- Is it meaningful to me?
You are off to a great start if you can answer yes to both of these questions!
Litmus Test Questions
Your vision does not need to capture everything; it just needs to capture what matters most to you. In addition to these two fundamental questions, here are some additional questions you can ask to ensure you covered what matters most in your vision. If you have already started writing down your vision, review your draft, and see if these introspective questions spark any additional ideas:
- Does it describe my physical shape, fitness, and desired health?
- Does it describe how I manage my money and my desired finances?
- Does it describe my emotional strength?
- Does it describe how I respond to anger, stress, or chaos?
- Does it describe how I treat others (my spouse, children, and coworkers)?
- Does it describe how I learn and gain knowledge?
- Does it describe what kind of listener and communicator I am?
- Does it describe my outlook on life?
- Does it excite me?
- Does it describe my honesty and integrity—especially in the moment of choice?
- Does it describe how I take responsibility for my actions?
- Does it describe how I live in peace and balance?
- Does it describe what I do in the face of adversity, setbacks, and failure?
- Does it describe my faith?
- Does it describe my work ethic?
- Does it describe a state of being that moves me from where I am today?
As a reminder, these questions serve as a litmus test for your personal vision. Your vision certainly doesn’t have to address all of these. Instead, these questions empower you to reflect on what matters most and ensure you’ve captured those in your vision.
Summary
When you read your vision and agree that it gives you direction and is meaningful, you have a vision! When you can satisfactorily answer most of the questions in the preceding list, your vision has passed the litmus test, and you are in a very elite percentage of people. When you get to this point, you will have done what only 2 percent of people have done.
Leading with a Vision
From the managerial perspective, leadership is about bringing out the best in others. One of the best ways to lead your life, and bring out the best in your team, is to first have your own inspiring personal vision and then help each person on your team develop theirs.
Imagine the power of a team in which each person has a written personal vision that inspires them and brings out their best. Even better is a team made up of people who have inspiring personal visions, who develop their roles and goals, and who consistently do pre-week planning. The odds are that this will be a high-performing team because its members are well-versed on high-performance habits!
To take it a step further, if you are a parent, imagine helping your children develop a written vision that is meaningful to them. Leadership in the home is just as important, if not more important, than leadership in the workplace.
The Life-Changing Impact of Your Personal Vision
It is interesting to hear stories from people about how their vision affected their focus and productivity, both in the workplace and in their personal lives. You might also like to see what others have written about their experiences while you consider your personal vision. Consider these testaments to the process:
“Obstacles only become visible when we lose sight of the goal.” This quote is one of my favorites and embodies the importance of a personal vision to me. Not only is my vision important, but it also drives me from my very core. My personal vision gives my life purpose, direction, and focus. It is sometimes easy to lose sight of the vision, to forget “what you care about,” or get lost in the monotony of life. When this happens, I notice that I am not as happy or fulfilled; however, as soon as I recognize this, I go back to my vision to see how my actions align with my vision. Many times, I’ve slipped up, and it is not aligned, but just that realization is powerful because I can make course corrections to get back in line. My vision has changed my life. It’s what gives me drive and purpose.
— Anne S.P.
Having a personal vision for the key roles in my life has had a powerful impact because these statements help me remember the kind of person I’m ultimately trying to become. Between having a busy work schedule, a family of eight, and other responsibilities, my weeks get hectic, and it is easy to lose focus. But when I sit down and review my personal vision, for each role, as part of my pre-week planning, it centers me again on what I’m ultimately trying to accomplish in life. My personal vision has had a huge impact on the outcome of my life because it helps me to identify what really matters most. I strive to stay focused on my vision, overcome obstacles, and to “lift” myself and others to a better place as a result.
— Jeff D.
My personal vision is my guiding star, my compass, and a standard from which I live my life. It is the measuring rod for self-reflection and the foundation for all decisions. My son even put it visually into a coat of arms that reflects that vision . . . it is who I am.
— David C.P.
Summary and Reflection
Your personal vision is the seed of your legacy, your internal compass, and ultimately, who you want to be and what you want to do in each role. In the end, whatever story we tell ourselves, whatever mental picture we paint, that will become our reality!
The act of writing your vision is a powerful process, so we invite you to put in the time and effort to start and finish it. It will be helpful if you actually block out time in your calendar to work on it until it is finished. For those of you in managerial roles, we then invite you to help your team start on their written personal visions. If you have children, and they are willing, you can help them develop their personal vision as well.
Finish your personal vision and put it in a place where you can see it each week as a part of pre-week planning.
Now that you have finished your vision, reflect on the questions below in your journal:
- What are some of your thoughts about developing your personal vision?
- If you haven’t already finished it, when will you finish your personal vision for each role?
Once finished, where will you put it so that you can conveniently see it each week as part of your pre-week planning?