Since 1980
How To Find Your Vision
Why Finding A Vision For Your Life Is More Important Than Your 'Why'.
"If not to make the world better, what is money for?"
~ Elizabeth Taylor
Without Vision
The absence of a vision in your life can leave you feeling empty and aimless. Left untended you can find days, months and years will pass with season after season feeling left with an underwhelming lack of contentment.
Whilst this is not the case for many, it is especially the case for people that have felt a sense of purpose or destiny over their lives, but like the wind, have been unable to grasp it. Getting lost in the void of life.
Many online mentors, and media too, point to the ‘why of the thing’ as being the important aspect of a goal (see interstellar, Simon Sinek, Tony Robbins etc). This is only a part-truth though.
A purpose or goal must have a higher moral value to be life changing. Without one, our goals are cul-de-sacs, that lead us on unsatisfying rabbit holes to nowhere. These journeys can be fun, but the destinations will leave you wanting.
Higher values are God given values and provide us with boundless roads, grant us access to resources and strength beyond our own efforts.
No one is innately good although, although we try hard to be. Your purpose is divine. Its above what you can naturally think to do by yourself.
A Vision Vs Wealth Without Vision
“Wealth without purpose, will disappear when you do” - JJ
The reason many people that have built wealth become lost after gaining it, is because of one of several reasons:
-
A lack of real vision. The goal was to make money. You did it, well done…now what. It’s that lack of deeper purpose that leaves wealthy people feeling lost after achieving their goals.
-
A belief that you need no one else. I can do this alone. I don’t need other people or God for support. Not true! Your needs do not stop with the things that money can solve! You are a complex human being that requires something far greater than you yourself.
-
A belief that you've won. Gaining wealth is not the win you are looking for. As the bible says, without vision, people perish. Gaining wealth is best done when it is part of a greater vision.
No one’s here to tell you what to do with what you have. Your money is under your care. Do with it as you wish. You will anyway!
I’m here to share the secrets I’ve found beneath the veneer of most coaches directions given out 'there'.
There is a better way to build wealth that will bless you and your family abundantly whilst more importantly discovering a vision for your life that will outlive you.
Having, or aiming to have, wealth is not a bad thing. As long as it’s not your 'main thing'.
Starting Where You Are
You may be running a large company at this time, you may have gone through a bankruptcy, you may work in a call centre or be an investor with millions under your control, it doesn’t matter - without a vision your life’s actions are smaller.
Yes, you can retrospectively import many aspects of your existing life into your soon to be newly realised vision, although some things will no doubt need to go or change.
It will not feel too difficult though once your vision is clear. When there is a bigger picture over your life- things tend to align because we've found our 'calling'.
You can also share in the vision of another. In fact without this no innovation would take place. Partnering with others is a powerful way to progress. Steve Wozniak joined in with Steve Jobs' vision and gained a net value of around $10m.
Potiphar, in the book of Genesis, benefitted from Joseph working for him, even though Potiphar was above him in position. As a result Potiphar's household was blessed! See Gen 39:5.
You still need your own vision, one that your family can follow, one your employees (or even your boss) can get behind.
Learning From The Past
The past, at this moment, is your toolbox but not your driver. Whatever has happened before today has gone. Pending any visits from law enforcement 😁😮 you now have the opportunity for a clean slate in preparation for your new vision.
You may be at a crossroad if you are reading this and if so, it’s important you have the right driver (vision) prior to making your next turn. Try not to let your experience decide for you, instead it will require some faith.
The past is heavy, it can whisper negatively and loudly to us too. “You are such a failure”, “you don’t deserve anything good”, “you’ll never amount to anything”. All of these are traps to keep you going on your current course.
As Zig Ziglar said often, “failure is an event, not a person”. Learn from the mistakes of the past - literally, list them out in a journal, and write your lessons beside them.
Understanding past mistakes is a powerful exercise. It's not about living in the past or about self pity, it's about becoming stronger for what is to come.
-
Why did my __________________________ fail? Insert business, marriage, health.
-
Looking back when did I first see signs of things not working?
-
What three things would I do differently knowing the outcome?
Forgiveness is the most awesome gift in the world. God forgives you, once you accept this you can allow yourself to leave the past behind and take up the mantle of a brand new vision.
Finding Or Building A Vision
A small or ‘mini’ vision is simply a goal. A real vision is something much more powerful. It’s what all your goals should lead to in a sense.
.png)
A vision is your overarching aim or hope. It goes beyond houses, cars and nice things. A vision is almost ethereal - the way you will personally impact this world beyond your lifetime.
If you are starting the process of discovering a vision for your life, then I commend you.
Whilst the process might appear daunting at first (no vision births effortlessly), it’s actually more straightforward than it may seem.
Often a vision will be connected to a problem or need that lays heavy on your heart. This 'heaviness' is the same with goals. So if you believe that there is something happening that you need to stand up to, change or transform, then this may well be the vision being birthed to you.
Here are a few questions to help you begin to find the vision for your life:
-
What are you naturally drawn to?
-
What central passions, and in what fields, do you hold?
-
What concerns or needs occupy your mind?
-
What could you do to change the world (global or local) in your lifetime?
-
How can you make a lasting impact on this world, for up to 100 years after you die?
Visions are not motives for activists. Normally what drives an activist is birthed in negativity, a vision for life should be birthed in positivity.
I will resist putting thoughts into your mind at this point as to where you might see a problem or need as everyone sees them in different places. Whatever it is though, may well be the beginning of your vision.
This ‘need’ may well be something that you just can’t ignore, never the less before you bolt off to start telling and changing the world WAIT!
Your vision needs depth and brevity. Write it down...
Sharing the vision
Just as when you are sharing your goals, be extremely cautious with who you sharing them with. Also it would be wise to expect the following pushback as you do share:
-
"You should do something else with your life"
-
"That's not really likely to work"
-
"Why don't you just get a normal job"
-
"I don't see the point personally"
Before you begin the process of sharing your vision its important to prepare yourself thoroughly. This is for two reasons:
1. To ensure you have researched the vision thoroughly. If you find something that deters you enough from starting it, then it will likely save you from sharing the vision and then cancelling it later. This ensures people don't lose respect for you too.
2. People that want to support you will inevitably question you. They may bring challenging issues that you hadn't thought of, so it pays well to be ready and not look ill prepared!
Vision Book Vs Vision Board
Your words are powerful. Probably the most powerful weapon anyone owns.
We are all visionaries in some capacity. That's why the most vulnerable and innocent people may end up following weak visions or even bad ones regardless of the solidity of those visions. For example, your children will follow you and imitate you often in spite of your shortcomings 😬.
Create a vision book rather than a board. Vision boards are great, but they are limited by borders. Writing the vision down allows it to be edited, tweaked, changed, it allows for drawings, doodles and concepts and more to be added over time.
Your vision book is more than a business plan or a journal, its a map and a destination. People use vision boards for goals, not for visions which is kind of ironic.
A vision board is normally filled with pictures of nice things you'd like to have in your life - a vision book is a blueprint for your life and how you will change the world for the better in your lifetime.
I encourage you to fill your book to at least 50 pages, as this will be the roadmap for your life. If your life isn't worth taking the time to fill 50 pages then nothing will be.
Don't hold back. Empty out your thoughts and mind and then tidy it later if you can do it that way. Ultimately, do it in a way that maximises your creativity.
This exercise alone, if completed, will make you a stronger, more balanced and prepared person for something special. You'll understand your strengths and weaknesses, you'll know what and who'll you'll need to partner with to help you see your vision fulfilled.
Jim Johnston
Jim Johnston is an award-winning entrepreneur. With a business banking background in London originally, he went on to create a national B2B start-up in the UK, for on-demand property services. A blogger, copywriter, and all-round creative, his vision is simple - to see people experience wealth in every key area of their lives. True wealth!
