Your Personal Vision Statement.
In business, good leadership means good vision: a successful business must have a clear vision of its aims and purpose. And, like a business, we, too, should have a “vision statement” in order to lead and manage our lives effectively.
Your Personal Vision Statement is a concise expression of your philosophy, beliefs, and vision of what you want your life to be about. A clear vision statement says directly – and helps you focus on – what you want to be and do.
In this exercise, you’ll take the first steps toward writing your personal mission statement. You won’t have to write a finished essay; all you need to do for now is jot down some ideas, and make a list of what you’d like to do and who you’d like to be.
Before you begin writing, take some time just to think about it. Ask yourself: What contributions would I like to make? How would I like to be remembered? What effect would I like to have on people? What do I want my life to “add up to?” Go slowly; these questions are important to you.
There are no “wrong” statements, so don’t get hung up or too self-critical here; let this just be your own personal vision of how you’d like your world to look. You’ll get a chance to refine your vision statement after you’ve done all the other exercises. In fact, this step is really a preparation for creating your vision statement later.
To help you get started, I have provided a few examples. After reading them, let your imagination run free and think about what your fondest desires and deepest hopes would look like if they became real in your life.
What would you like to be? : Examples- Gourmet chef; Civic leader; Loving father/mother; Musician; Computer wizard; Someone others rely on; A person of my word; Well-liked; Someone who organizes volunteering events; Trustworthy
What would you like to do?- Examples- Climb mountains; Run a marathon; Write a best-selling book; Retire by age 50; See my grandchildren graduate college; Become a minister; Serve the poor; Learn to paint; Learn a foreign language; Live in a foreign country; Pay off my mortgage; Run for public office; Own my own company.
After you’ve made some notes, look over the lists you’ve compiled. These are the things that are important to you now.
Take your notes and start shaping your vision statement.
