How’s Your Vision?
I have worn reading glasses for many years to treat astigmatism. Still, I used to be able to read or work on my computer for short periods of time without my glasses. Over the course of the last year or so, I had noticed a marked deterioration in my vision. More often than not, if I didn’t have my glasses nearby I couldn’t read anything other than the largest type on anything that was handed to me. I can still see my wife handing me a photo or one of the kid’s school papers, and I would take it and sheepishly hold it almost at arm’s length just to be able to add some level of focus on the document. Once I put my existing glasses on, I could read again, although still not as clearly as in the past.
Of course, being a guy, I waited longer than I should to schedule an appointment to have my eyes checked. (Guys, let’s face it – it’s no secret that we’re not very good at listening to our bodies or taking action quickly when we notice aches, pains, or any other forms of age-related wear and tear on our bodies.) So I paid a visit to my eye doctor and got the scoop on my vision. As I had already figured out, it was appreciably worse than the last time I had my eyes examined. The optometrist wrote the prescription for my new glasses, and I was on my way to better vision.
How’s your vision? What do you see when you look at your life? What do you anticipate will come for you in your future? What’s right in front of you that you may be missing? Ah, vision; it can be such a confusing, multi-dimensional and tremendously powerful word. We often think of the sense of sight when we hear the word, but as you can see from the questions above, it has much more depth to it than eyesight alone.
Entrepreneurs and CEO’s are said to have vision. Certainly they need to know where they want to go in terms of building their businesses. Ask anyone who runs their own company and they’ll be sure to tell you that the first thing they needed when they began their venture was a vision of where they want to go, and how they’re going to get there. Some companies believe so strongly in the power of a shared vision, that they pay consultants millions of dollars to help them craft their “Vision Statement.”
What is your “Vision Statement?” Do you have one? When is the last time you took a look at your own life and got clarity on your vision for yourself? What will fulfill you; make you feel fully alive? What do you need in order to get that clarity? Well, a good place to start is with the basics. What do you want? Simple enough question, right? Not so fast, my visionary friend!
There are a lot of people out there who cannot articulate with clarity what they most want for their lives. Oh, sure, they can tell you with remarkable clarity what they don’t want in their lives, but to tell you what they do want is nearly impossible. I know, because I used to be one of those people. I lacked a vision for my life. How does that happen? Could be any number of reasons. They may have become so jaded by past events or traumas that they have literally given up on the notion that what they want even matters any more. Maybe they’ve come face to face with obstacles so daunting that they threw in the towel and went back to their old established patterns. Or, maybe they’ve never really given it much thought because they got so caught up in their day-to-day existence – working, raising kids, paying bills, etc. – that they forgot it is their right and privilege to create their own life! Whatever the reason, the good news is there is a way to break through the patterns of self-limiting belief and create a compelling vision for your life.
Know what you want. I’m not just talking about the mundane, like knowing what you want for lunch. I’m talking big picture here. What’s your vision for your ideal life? What would your life look like if you refused to accept a second-rate existence and settled for nothing less than living to your full potential, using your talents and skills to their full extent? It’s like the difference between being pushed down the path of your life by deadlines, expectations, and lists of things to do, versus being pulled down the path by a compelling vision that speaks to the true heart of who you are.
Have you ever heard of a “Vision Board?” It’s a concept that’s been around for a long time. You take photos, drawings, words, and other meaningful images, and place them all on a large poster board. Put it somewhere that you will see it every day, several times a day. It’s a reminder of all that you are working toward. It literally becomes the “bigger picture” for your life. This is what your life will look like, feel like, sound like, even smell and taste like! It’s the picture of your best life. It’s not someone else’s definition of the good life; it is your thrilling, breathtaking, exhilarating image of how life will look once you achieve your vision!
Of course, you also need a plan to get there. That’s where goals come in. For many, this is where the vision ends. Setting goals can be about as exciting as a root canal, if not approached with the same powerful imagery as your vision board. Dr. Stephen Covey, in his groundbreaking book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” says that when planning, it’s important to begin with the end in mind. He says that all things are created twice – first, the mental creation, and second, the physical creation. You see, just as in creating your vision for your life, you must go inward and “see” that which does not yet exist. Then, as your vision becomes clearly defined, you can work backward from the end to determine all the steps you can take to achieve your vision.
It’s about eliminating those life-draining habits that we’ve become all too familiar – dare I say “comfortable” – with, and engaging in establishing life-giving, affirming patterns for your life. Maintaining your vision board, your goals list, and working to establish the new patterns will all serve as catalysts to get you moving in the direction of your dreams. And more importantly, they will help to keep you motivated as you continue down the path and encounter obstacles or challenges.
So, how’s your vision now?
