We have been talking, over the past few months, about taking action in alignment with your vision.  In that time, we have had a number people write that they love the idea of working toward their vision but they don’t know how to define their vision.  So…

 

Your vision is an aspirational statement of how you want the whole of your life to look in 3 – 5 years. Your vision is something you actually believe is possible but is often a significant stretch or shift from how you are currently living.  Your vision pulls you toward it and inspires you to make decisions to get you closer to that life.

 

To successfully define your vision, you first need to get clear about your purpose.  Your personal purpose is a bit like a company’s mission statement; it is a statement about what you do and who you are in the world.  Articulating and claiming your purpose gives meaning and direction to your vision. When you know your purpose and take action on your vision, you move closer to being a leader in your own life – to living the life that truly matters to you and one in which you truly matter.  (Ironically, many of us are waiting for someone else to give us permission to be a leader in our own lives – don’t wait, the leader is in you!) 

 

This week, we encourage you to spend some time considering how you would articulate your purpose.  If you don’t feel clear about your purpose, the following questions may help you get clear about why you believe you are here, living this life of yours. 

 

What do I care about deeply?  What do I do wherever I am – how do I show up at work, home, out in the community that is consistently me?  What brings me a sense of excitement and meaning?  What do I really like about myself?  What are my personal values?

 

Now, take the answers to those questions and write a brief statement that articulates your purpose.  In our Purpose and Vision Mastermind groups, participants will sometime get caught in believing their purpose must be somehow tied to spiritual or religious beliefs, and while that may be true for some people, it’s not true for all.  Your purpose may be “being of service,” “living life as an adventure,” “making a ton of money so that my family is safe,” or your purpose could be “supporting my family so that they are thriving.”   

 

We encourage you to write your statement of purpose down even if it is tentative – don’t wait until you are certain or can write it perfectly.  Your purpose can be a work in progress that changes over time.

 

Next week, we’ll look at how your purpose fuels your vision and sets you on a path toward living a bold creative life!