A vision for your life

I was reminded recently of the importance of keeping a vision for my life. A vision is a clear picture of what you see your life becoming. It is probably locked away in your heart. A vision digs down deep into childlike hopes, childlike faith and finds that sense of purpose and destiny. It’s the things or thing you hope to be remembered for when you die – the stuff that is said in your eulogy. Its that feeling you have – if I don’t do this someday then life wasn’t worth living!

Here are a few steps you can take to discover that vision:

1. Review your life and look for those moments or memories when you had a sense of achievement. It does not matter if anyone else noticed, or recognized that achievement – what matters is the sense of inner joy or contentment you felt when doing whatever it was you were doing.

For example, I remember being a child and attending a mission with my dad where I helped the leader gather craft supplies, make crafts with disadvantaged kids, and teach them some positive stuff. I loved being a “leader”, loved “learning” and loved “creating,” and loved knowing I was influencing other kids. I was only 10 years old!! For me, leading, learning, creating and influencing are all things I dream about doing more!!(I really can never get enough of it!)

2. Take a sheet of paper and list ten things you are passionate about. They can be things you like doing, like talking about, like learning about or are on your wish list (If I had more time I would…..)

To give you an example some of the things I included were: teaching people, a garden space filled with trees and flowers, travelling to old countries, public speaking (inspirational content), influencing my grandchildren, supporting my children, writing inspirational material etc.

3. From the complete list pick your top three.

I chose public speaking, influencing my grandchildren, and a garden space.

4. Now, from that list take time to answer this question: If you had all the time and money available and you had no obligations so you could do whatever you wanted TODAY – which would you want to do first?

5. One final question and its an important one. THINK. Why do you want to do this? There could be many reasons why a person might chose something.

• Sometimes its because something happened to you and now it has become a “cause.” (For example, M.A.D.D. – mother’s against drunk driving started because her son was killed by a drunk driver)
• Sometimes it is because it’s a part of your talents. (Musical?)
• Sometimes it is because you like a certain kind of work and it energizes you (Workworking)
• Sometimes it is because it meets a big need in your life and so you want others to feel that too (Competitive? Goal oriented?)
• Sometimes it is because of a moral or altruistic drive. (Feed the hungry, help orphans)
• Sometimes it is because its just plain fun!

For example, for me public speaking allows me to influence the most people I can at one time therefore impact the most people. A garden space is important to me because it creates a place for me to rest in, to refresh and refuel and to sit and imagine and create in. (I am most creative when in nature, particularly trees, but I live in the prairies!)

Other questions regarding “Why” might be, What need would you meet? What problem would you fix? How would the world be a better place? Who’s life would be different?

Now fill in the blanks in this sentence:

The vision I have for my life is to some day ________________________(do more of what?), so that I can __________________________(help, fix, or change what).

Mine would look something like, “The vision I have for my life is to some day speak publically to many people so that I can help encourage them to live better lives.”

If you are truly tapping into your calling you will find this exercise emotional. It may touch something deep inside of you. It may excite you or it may terrify you. Some people will not do this exercise because they have feel defeated, sad and resigned to life that is colorless or difficult. They are afraid to hope and to dream because they have concluded this is all there is to live.

So let me tell you one thing – I hope you get this.

You CAN have this. You MUST have this!

There is more to your life than what is happening now.

For those who have done this exercise, now move that vision into action by breaking it down into steps.

1. What steps do I need to take (even if it takes 10 years!!) to make this dream happen. (List them) If you don’t know, then step one is to ask someone who can help you, or research it to find the steps.
2. What is one step I can take now?
3. By what deadline will I try to complete this step?
4. How will I know when I have reached it?

Now folks, write the vision, make it plain, copy it on a piece of paper and stick it in a visable place. BELIEVE in your VISION. And then get going…… Moving forwards is ALWAYS one step at a time.