“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.” Joel A. Barker.

In last week’s blog I talked about discovering more of your potential. I’ve found that when people dedicate time figuring out what they want to achieve in their personal and professional life they discover and use more of their potential. They also get clarity on their personal vision.

It appears anything is possible when you have a clear vision and are in touch with your inner wisdom. When you truly believe that you can accomplish whatever you put your mind to, your dreams begin to become a reality.

However, it’s very easy for responsibilities, unimportant tasks, the busyness of life and unhelpful habits to get in the way and stop you being the best that you can be. Life passes by really fast. Your deepest held desires and dreams can get pushed to one side whilst you cope with the demands of modern life. It may be that you place the needs of others before your own sometimes.

In the past, when clients have lacked a clear mental picture of the future, I’ve suggested that they create a vision poster on a piece of card or flipchart paper. This is made up of words and pictures detailing their personal and professional vision. It has helped them to get clarity on what they want from life and to provide a clear focus for personal action.

When creating the poster, the idea is that you focus on what you want and allow your creative sub conscious mind to wander through images and phrases in magazines, brochures, leaflets, newspapers or on-line. You can also use your own photographs or images from postcards. Essentially you visually represent anything that you want to attract into your life.

The poster can cover a period that you are most comfortable with. It can be the next 12 months, 5 or 10 years or more. Everyone is different and there is no right or wrong period. The important factor is that you uncover your true desires and represent that in your vision.

If you would like to create your own vision poster, I suggest that you place a picture of yourself in the centre of it, so that there’s a personal connection with what you create. The poster’s content doesn’t have to be completely new stuff. It can include things and activities that you’re already involved in that you would like to sustain or develop further.

I recommend that you take some time to think about what you would like to Be, Do and Have in life and maybe jot down some thoughts in a notebook prior to starting to create the poster.

This is what I mean by Be, Do and Have: –

Be – the qualities and behaviours that you would like to use and display and what you would like to be known for.

Do – what you would like to do and experience in life.

Have – what you would like to acquire in life.

When doing this exercise, I suggest that you consider all aspects of life – family, relationships, career, money, home, health and fitness, personal development, friends, hobbies, fun and recreation and if appropriate spirituality and volunteer work. There may be some specific results you wish to achieve.

Some things I’ve seen people include on their posters are: – a fit healthy body, a loving relationship, financial freedom, starting a business, gaining promotion or qualifications, places they would like to visit, acquiring material possessions, owning a house by the sea etc.

When contemplating what you’d like to include in your vision, the following questions may be useful for you to reflect upon:

  • What are the strengths and character traits that you display in the various roles that you have to perform in life?
  • What ambitions and dreams would you like to fulfil?
  • What steps can you take to improve your health & fitness?
  • What action will improve your financial position?
  • What can you do to develop your relationships?
  • What places would you like to visit?
  • What skills would you like to develop/learn?
  • What community projects would you like to be involved in?
  • What hobbies do you enjoy or would like to pursue?
  • What would you like to own or acquire?

Once your poster is complete, I suggest you place it on a wall at home or take a picture and put it on your phone, pc or tablet. Review it daily and consider what action steps you can take to help make your vision become a reality.

This week, why not take pause for a few moments to reflect. Consider what you would like to achieve professionally and personally over the next 12 months.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk