Leaders In Motion
February 2009
A periodic “ah hah!” for Executive Leaders & HR Professionals, compliments of Visioning In Action
An inside peak: "What is the HIGHEST level I can see or imagine for my life?" Answer this question and you are well on your way to developing an engrossing vision for your life. Read this article to find out more.
Next issue: "Create a Compelling
Personal Vision Statement You Can Live By"
Be All You Choose to Be: How to Craft a Pulsating Vision & Get Radically Excited About Your Life
(Part 2 of Visioning Series)
As you may recall from last month’s newsletter, we defined visioning as a dynamic process to identify a specific direction for an organization, a team, a project or an individual. It is built on the concept of possibility: “If you can dream it, you can do it.”
I promised you an exhilarating exercise to help you develop a personal life vision. If you can do visioning for yourself, you can then easily transfer the concept to your organization, teams and leaders. I will teach you how to do this in a later issue of this newsletter.
Why do visioning?
In this world, there are those who flourish and those who flounder.
“Thrivers” can articulate where they are headed and how they will get there. Their springboard and ongoing source of inspiration is a clear, succulent vision that propels them onward regardless of what may get in their way.
“Flounderers” lack direction and a sense of purpose. They may end up disappointed as they watch the years fritter away.
If you want to be a thriver, let's get you started on building your own personal vision.
You Will Need
For this exercise, you will need the following:
- Your favourite pen or a box of coloured markers
- A stack of fresh white paper or large flipchart paper
- A quiet place
- A minimum of 30 minutes
- Inspiring background music, if you would like
It is absolutely VITAL to engage in this process using a pen or marker as opposed to using a computer. This is NOT a brain activity, but a heart and soul adventure, and a keyboard removes you one level from your heart. The kinesthetic connection between your hand and heart will take you deeper, quicker.
By the way, I have fine-tuned this visioning process for over twenty years in coaching and training sessions, so I know it works. This particular exercise is a simplified version of the full-fledged visioning process outlined in my new DIY eWorkbook entitled “Be All You Choose to Be: How To Craft a Pulsating Personal Vision Statement & Get Radically Excited About Your Life”. (I walk my talk. As part of fulfilling my own personal vision, I am excited to tell you that I have recently launched a new DIY series of eWorkbooks called “Your Life in Motion: 60 Minutes to Success” where I put “possibility in the palm of your hand in 60 minutes”. A "Leaders in Motion" version is soon to follow.)
Have fun with this … I hope this exercise brings a shine to your eyes and a lift to your step, and inspires you to go for your dreams.
What To Do
Step 1. The first step in the visioning process is to clear your mind. Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths, in through your nose, out through your mouth. Bring to mind one thing or person you are grateful for in your life. Focus on a mental image of this one thing or person, and keep breathing deeply for a full minute while you concentrate on this image. When you are relaxed and calm, move to step two.
Step 2. Grab your favourite pen or coloured marker. At the top of your paper, write this phrase in big, colourful splashes:
What is the HIGHEST level I can see or imagine for my life?
Answer this question by writing down all the key phrases and words that come to you, or by drawing images.
Dream big and go for volume. Really let loose and enjoy yourself. Reach for your deepest dreams and desires in all aspects of your life. Write down everything and anything that comes to mind, from big stuff like having a child, achieving a master’s degree or travelling to far-off lands to little treats like owning a glorious pair of utterly impractical red shoes or a snazzy big screen TV with all the upgrades. At this point, don’t worry about whether you really want this or not, or whether it is realistic or achievable.
Keep going until your hand stops moving. Use as many sheets of paper as you need. When you stop writing or drawing, you have probably come to the end of your initial spurt of ideas.
Read over what you have come up with so far. Are you salivating? Are you vibrating with excitement about your vision of your highest life? If you aren’t, then dig deeper and keep going until your vision literally makes you drool.
Step 3. Prioritize your list by circling your top 4 – 10 items.
Step 4. Take out a clean sheet of paper. Write them down.
Step 5. Post this vision of your life where you can see it. Live with it for the next few weeks and feel free to tweak it.
Next month, we will look at how to turn this vision into a captivating personal vision statement you can live by.
Thanks for your time. Talk to you in March.
As always, warmest regards,
Michele Gervais
Professional Speaker, Facilitator & Coach
Visioning In Action
Professional Member of Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS)
Expert Author, EzineArticles.com
Email: mgervais@visioninginaction.com
Tel: 204.899.4046
www.visioninginaction.com
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Our Mission Statement
"Founded in 1989, Visioning In Action vitalizes organizations by facilitating customized strategic planning, visioning and goal-setting sessions; coaching individual leaders; and speaking on topics related to visioning. We align and mobilize organizations, teams and leaders “From Vision To Action” by helping them to assess where they are now, create a compelling vision of where they want to be and implement a plan to get there."
Be All You Choose
to Be
