Creating a Vision for yourself
Now that you have become aware of your need for change and
you have taken an inventory, the next step is to become really clear about
where you want to go. In speaking to hundreds of people who really desire
change, this can be the most difficult step. When asked what they want, most
people immediately launch into what they don’t want. Well there are millions of
things I don’t want. I don’t want cancer, malaria or a budgie. There are
however a small number of things I do want. Focusing on those things is what
helps me achieve them.
Creating a vision for yourself isn’t so hard: just ask yourself the right questions and write
down the answers. Imagine where you want to be in five years. Based on your
inventory, you already have a starting point of the things in your life that
are already good, assuming you don’t have to start from scratch. Consider how you would answer the
following questions…
Think of what you deeply desire in your life to be a year from now, three years from now, five years from now.
What has to change about you for that to happen?
What transformations need to take place in you?
What do you need to know or learn? What do you
already know?
What do you want to share?
Where do you want to live?
Where do you want to go?
What would make your life more amazing and fun?
How much money makes you feel secure?
Who would you share your life with?
How do you want your relationships to look?
What spiritual, emotional, personal, financial,
social or physical aspects need to be addressed for these things to happen?
What do you want your day to look like? How will you
spend your time?
What are your habits?
What does exercise look like for you?
What does your body look like?
What do you enjoy eating?
What does your home and surroundings look like?
What are your activities?
How do you have fun?
How playful are you?
How is your health?
How is your attention to self-care different?
How do you manage your growth?
How open-minded are you?
How much structure do you want? How much variety?
What is your anxiety level like?
How do you want to feel?
This is not a complete list, just a starting point to get
you going. Consider what is important to you whether it is surrounding yourself
with beauty, helping others, sitting at home with a good book or being out in
the world experiencing new things. Once you focus on a long-term vision, you
can work back three years, two years, one year and get clear about what you
need to do today to start the ball rolling.
Imagining the future you want makes it easier to take
action, right now. Consider what action steps you need to take. Write them down
and do one of them right away. It might be something small like buying flowers,
doing some research, reading a book or calling up a long lost friend.
Stay focused on your vision. It’s like driving a car. If you
don’t keep your eye on the road, you may not reach your destination safely.
Notice when you stray from your vision and get back on the path. Keep your
vision where you can see it every day and consider what action you can take
each day. It doesn’t have to be a big step. Just taking that step is the important part.
Good luck and stay tuned for part 4.
