You’ve got big plans and bigger dreams, but when you have your whole life laid out in front of you, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and without a strong sense of direction.
Enter, the vision statement.
Let’s start with the basics. The what and the why.
What is a vision statement? In the professional world, a vision statement is essentially a succinct paragraph or so that sums up what an organization envisions for its future. Why is this important, you may ask? Although vision statements are often used by companies, having a personal vision statement for your own life can serve as a useful tool that will guide you forward, keep you focused on your goals, and avoid distractions.
So, how do you decide what to put in your vision statement?
To start off, you’ll need to be very honest with yourself. Writing a personal vision statement requires consideration and self-reflection. You’ll need to think deeply about the things that mean the most to you, including your values, goals, desires, strengths, weaknesses, and the impact you want to make on the world.
Once you’re in the right headspace, you’ll want to start out by asking yourself some questions. At this stage, we encourage you to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), and let it all out. This doesn’t have to be (and really shouldn’t be) your final organized statement. This is more like a brain dump of any little thing that comes to mind while mulling over these questions.
Some examples of questions that are worth asking yourself include:
- What are your top values?
- What makes you feel most fulfilled?
- What are your top strengths, as well as some weaknesses?
- Think about your future. What do you want to accomplish in life? What are your biggest goals and desires?
- What legacy do you want to leave? How would you like to be remembered?
Once you’ve written everything down, the next step is to let it all sink in and give yourself time to process. Allowing yourself to sit with the thoughts and emotions that have bubbled up should help bring clarity to your overall vision, so it’s important not to skip this step.
The final draft.
After you’ve given yourself some time, the final step is to prepare your vision statement. This will be a specific articulation of the future that you envision for yourself, so it’s important to include any plans, goals, and visions that you have, while also remaining realistic. Dream big, but also be honest with yourself about what you want to achieve. And remember, nothing is set in stone. You can revise your statement as frequently or infrequently as you see fit. After all, your vision is your vision.