Vision Map Like a Pro
What is Vision Mapping and why is it important?
A vision is a vivid mental image of what you want your life to be based on your core values and beliefs. A True Vision is about answering the question, "What type of legacy do I want to leave?" or "Where do I want to be when I am 80?"
Vision Mapping is the process of documenting out tasks, steps, and goals that will lead you to achieve your vision. Now a vision is not just a set of goals. Yes, goals are a part of your vision.... but the big, make you ugly cry, keep you on track, type of vision is so much more than just a list of goals.
I once read that your vision is the combination or compilation of your passion and your purpose. Our passions help give us our vision. I would venture to guess that your big vision will align with your passions and the purpose that drives you. And if it doesn't... I would ask you to re-evaluate it!
An example of this is my health vision. It would be easy to say, I want to be a certain weight or have 6 pack abs, or a peach booty...am I the only one? But those aren't a vision. I think of my kids when I am an old lady...
I want to be 100 with a dozen grandbabies and a half dozen great-grandbabies surrounding me. So I make choices today based on that BIG vision of health.
You want your vision to be big enough that it helps keep you on track. I don’t know about you, but for me, a peach booty goal isn’t enough to stop me from eating my fave coconut milk ice cream. But envisioning myself being able to play on the floor with my grandkids is.
Now there are plenty of people out there that are natural at this big vision thinking... full disclosure - that is not me. I’m a task person, an achiever and a doer. It has taken me a ton of practice to vision map and I’m still working on it. I also tend to surround myself with big picture thinkers so they can challenge me to get uncomfortable.
Steven K Scott says “Dreams without clearly defined goals, and goals without clearly defined steps will never be achieved expeditiously or efficiently and will rarely be achieved at all.
How can you expect to arrive at a destination you’ve never been to before with no directions? In essence, our VISION is our map. It allows us to save time and energy and stay on track to get to the destination that is truly important to us.
I’ve driven from Minnesota to Rhode Island a handful of times to visit my family. And yes if you’re wondering we’ve driven with all of our kids. 22 hours. A total blast! But, I can tell you from experience there is NO WAY we'd make it without a decent map.
What could potentially happen in your marriages, parenting, families, relationships, business, or finances if you had a road map to where you wanted to go? A plan that would help you achieve your long-term, seemingly impossible goals?
When you have a true vision - pivots are easy. Generally, the big vision won’t change, just the way you get there.
The most successful people map out their big visions. I said before to set realistic goals, but your vision needs to push the boundaries. It needs to feel bigger than you think you can accomplish. That shoot for the moon type of thinking.
Another important piece of vision mapping is actually writing our vision down. I read once that only about 3% of the ENTIRE POPULATION actually has a written down, articulated vision for their life?? I find that staggering?? Especially considering statistically we are about 40% more likely to actually accomplish a goal just by writing it down.
Do you have goals for your life? Have you written those down? How about a detailed, articulated vision for your life?
According to Steven K Scott's Strategies of Super Achievers, there are 4 types of people:
Drifters - their dreams are undefined and vague. They are the let's just see what happens kind of people.
Pursuers - They have lots of hopes but no clear definitions. They usually lack the knowledge, resources, or strategies.
Achievers - They have hopes and some definitions but they lack detail and a timeline. They are the ones that just power their way through.
Super Achievers - These peeps have clearly defined goals and a detailed map of goals and targets. They know where they are going and have the tools, skills, and resources they need to make it happen.
I would venture to guess most entrepreneurs are at least achievers because it is HARD WORK and you need some hopes and definitions to succeed as a business owner.
But how do you get to that next level?! How do you become that Super Achiever?
Well now you know what VISION is, WHY it’s important and where you might be. Now it’s time to learn HOW to implement it into your life.
My blog post "3 Steps to Build your Vision" will walk through how we can start building our Vision Maps out.
