Vision is the ability to close your eyes and imagine a future that does not yet exist.
Why is vision important? How can it impact your life? Nelson Mandela said, “Action without vision is passing time away, vision without action is day dreaming, but vision with action can change the world.”
What are you doing? Where are you going? Why? Vision is often the first step in setting goals and plans for a successful future. If you could go anywhere, do anything, be anything, have anything, what would you want?
A powerful vision takes purpose, reason, intention, and planning. What do you want your finances to be next year? In 3 years? In 10 years? What do you want your family, your appearance, friendships, relationships, career, health, habits, and your home to look like? Having vision and plans in those areas gives you focus and self-control. What is the driving force behind your vision? Is it selfish or selfless? A true vision should involve more than money. A better vision would be to maintain and improve quality of life, provide for your family, and enjoy life doing the things that create peace and joy.
It can be difficult to create vision without a purpose or core personal values. What are your strengths and talents? What do you like to do? What are you curious about? What do you feel good doing?
Visualizing a future using your strengths, skills, or areas of interests provides the good feelings and vibrations that help accomplish goals and realize vision. People sometimes say that the best prediction of the future is the past. There is some truth in that statement; however, sometimes past events hinder effective visualization. At times it’s hard for people to visualize positive futures when trauma or disappointing past events still occupy space in the mind and heart. Feelings and emotions play a major role in vision. When visualizing your future, how do you feel?
I was in credit card debt once, and a friend had me visualize my credit card statement in a bubble. He then said to pop the bubble and visualize a zero dollar credit card balance. He asked how that would feel. I said it feels great! Then he suggested that I visualize a zero dollar balance, and the feeling it would create, every time I thought about my credit card. Four months later I had a zero dollar balance.
To realize a vision requires action. A journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step, and a vision starts with the first action.
Let’s focus on our visions and goals for this year, next year, ten years out, and beyond. I believe that you can be successful in accomplishing your vision. I wish you the best and success, and remember, if you believe, you shall achieve!
