It's common sometimes to feel directionless, grappling with existential questions or challenges in decision-making. This situation often arises when someone struggles to define their future selves; they lack a clear vision of who they want to be, what they stand for, and the impact they want to make.
If this sounds familiar, you may need to spend some time working on your personal vision.
We've talked about developing a leadership vision for your team or business, and a personal vision is somewhat similar in that it can inform your journey and shape your plans and actions. A personal vision differs from a leadership vision in that it aids in defining your identity and contributes to becoming a leader who inspires others through their actions and convictions.
Let's take a closer look at how you might be able to develop your personal vision.
Where to Start
Crafting a vision entails visualizing your ideal future and articulating this vision in a statement that embodies your core values, missions, strategies, support systems, and the impact you aspire to have.
But before anything is written down, I like to start with a mood board while working on my vision. I find this is an excellent place to start because it enables me to use images or even single words or symbols to capture my thinking without worrying about any excessive explanations or planning. In other words, it allows me to concentrate on the future without being too concerned with how I'll get there.
Side note: For those who find this process challenging, try starting with an anti-vision board—envisioning a future you aim to avoid. This can sometimes make it easier to clarify your true aspirations.
This exercise is a stepping stone to performing the Ikigai exercise, which is pivotal in identifying your 'reason for being' that merges your passions, abilities, societal contributions, and potential earning avenues.
Refining Your Vision
Once you're satisfied with where your mood board is and you feel it's an excellent visual representation of where you want to go, it's time to refine that initial thinking into something useful. For that, I recommend using the Ikigai approach.
Ikigai is a Japanese concept about finding your true purpose by examining the intersection between what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can get paid for.
Source: Wikimedia.org
To complete this exercise, take some time to write down a handful of items for each category. Start with what you're passionate about and go from there, acknowledging your strengths and what you excel at. Then, look at the world around you and consider what you think the world needs. That could be empathy, something that seems lacking these days. Next, think about what activities can provide you with financial stability.
Lastly, look to see where these areas overlap in the way they do in the above graph. The insights you pull from this exercise are your Ikigai and your unique contribution to the world.
By envisioning elements of your life in 30 years and then backwards to 20, 10 and 5 years, you will foster a long-term perspective that aligns with your vision, ensuring that your current actions are steps towards that future. By having a clear vision and working towards it, you define your identity as an individual and a leader whom others choose to follow based on what you represent and your decisive consistency.
Are you looking for help developing a personal vision? I'd love to help you!
Contact me to schedule a clarity call to get the ball rolling!