When was the last time you revisited the vision for your life or a goal you’re pursuing?
Recently, a friend made a strategic step in fulfilling a dream. A piece of furniture made the vision real. To most, it was something small, but this piece of furniture was seen by others. This made the vision he is moving towards, real for others. Much of my vision has been put on hold, as I pursue a new step in my career. For a few years I have developed a vision of becoming a life-coach. I went to John Maxwell’s conference in 2022 and before that, Tony Robbins’ conference in 2017. These events were major steps towards my vision. My difficulty arises when I want to take the next steps. I’m fully certified with the Maxwell model of coaching, speaking and DISC personality assessments. Now I need to put it into practice and that means I need to refine the vision of my dream.
My very first vision of coaching, I pictured myself in a very nice grey suit speaking to a large crowd. However, that is not my sweet spot. I enjoy the one-on-one conversations of personal growth or a great book study. You see, stand and deliver isn’t intimate enough for coaching. Sure, it works for some people but if I want to make a lasting impact on someone’s life, I want it to be intimate and true to the needs of the individual. Each person’s vision must be evaluated for its relevance, as our current situations change often. Our original picture in our minds will change and should change over time. Make sure your vision is yours and brings relevance to the world around you.
We must break our visions down to actionable steps; something I’m currently working on. As I plan out my process, I must prioritize the major steps or goals. The next step is taking each major goal and break these down into smaller steps or benchmarks. Something we have discussed on this site before. The example in my introduction is an easy way to get steps checked off. If we truly plan out our visions, we will find very minor tasks that fulfill certain steps. Visual fulfillment, like the furniture gets our juices flowing and creates momentum toward a goal. If necessary, make the smallest steps forward to accomplish your vision. Small steps are slow but still are a progression forward.
It is difficult to hold ourselves accountable for the action steps we put in place. In the past I had great people to hold me accountable, but the distance has made it very difficult for all of us. I have made a few contacts and hope to make more. We can reach out to others, who we know are invested in the same planning process. Teaming up with others who are fighting the same battles will allow us to partner, as we create the perfect visions for our lives or goals. Networking at professional conferences or cold-calling people in the same profession could assist you in planning, is always effective. Finding an accountability partner may be easier than you think, it only takes a little bit of research.
What would make your vision better? Could or should you add something to make it bigger? Really, its about the idea of ensuring you make your vision bigger and better by setting your imagination free. Refining our vision can only happen if we review it often. If the vision that surrounds our goals get set aside for to long, we fail to make it reality. We cannot lose sight of our vision and unfortunately this happens often. Keep your eyes on the prize because seeing IS believing.
Is the vision of your life still relevant?
What steps have you taken to accomplish your life vision?
Do you have an accountability partner who shares your vision?
What could you add to your vision to refine it?
Creating a compelling vision is hard but keeping it alive and up to date is even more difficult. I warned you all when I started this blog a few years ago that I am no expert. I struggle with my vision often. That struggle means I’m refining that vision, I’m making it bigger and better. There is no rush. We need to give our vision time to develop. Thanks for checking in this week and I look forward to hearing about your life-visions in the comments below. Have a great week.
Steven C. Bucks- Leading Conversations
~Maxwell Leadership Certified Team Member~
