Having vision is an ecstatic dream that inspires our direction!

Thus far in our journey of personal growth we've covered topics such as a new beginning, welcoming change, having a proper mindset and converting that into having a lion mentality. With that foundation of attitude set forth, we are now going to talk about having vision. A vision is defined as an ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom. Having vision is something seen in an ecstatic dream that inspires the direction of our actions to achieve our goals.

In the highly acclaimed book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, the author, Dr. Stephen Covey said in the second of the seven habits, that you must "begin with the end in mind." What that means is that you begin each day, each task, or each project with a clear vision of what your desired direction and ultimate goal is.

A vision is not just a picture of what could be, it's an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more.  Successful people generally have other things going for them as well. But they certainly start with a vision. A clear dream, along with the courage to act and follow through, dramatically increases your chances of success. It has been said that if you aim for nothing, you will hit it every time!

Finding purpose within your vision is the most important aspect of your life. The age-old question of man is "what is my purpose in life, why am I here?" When you begin to understand that vision is what gives clarity to your purpose, your life changes for the better. While it may not always be easy, your life may become simpler and certainly more meaningful. 

Your success relies on a plan which must be structured around your dreams and passions. Only after you have clearly defined your purpose can you effectively measure any progress toward that goal. It takes work, but the benefits of clarifying what you want out of life are worth it!

To help jump-start the process of defining your vision, ask yourself these questions:

• What do you want to do?
• Why do you want to do it?
• What are the benefits of doing it?
• What are the negative results of not doing it?

If you make a commitment to yourself right now to set aside 30 minutes this week to work on these four questions, you might be surprised by what they reveal. Remember this, vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just wastes your time. Ah, but vision  with  action can change your world. 

If you want to experience how your vision can provide clarity of purpose, consider these strategies for absolute clarity.

1. Find a quiet place for focusing on your vision. This could be on a park bench, your patio at home, your office, anywhere you can eliminate distractions or the outside noise of life. 
2. Maintain a positive mindset.  Focus on the possibilities, not the obstacles. 
3. Meditation by focusing on your breathing and concentration will help clear your mind. Some soft background music can enhance this experience. 
4. Imagine the benefits of reaching your goals. How will that make you feel? What benefit will that have on others in your life? Identify what really matters to you.
5. Peaceful planning is what it will take to act on your vision, your purpose, and your goals. Be detailed in your thinking, and create meaningful and attainable steps toward accomplishing this.
6. Visually put yourself where your heart wants to be. Part of vision is visualizing the success that comes at the end of the pursuit of your goals. Start by imagining what your life might look like a year from now.

Addressing these strategies can bring some simplicity to your vision. With clarity of purpose, you know what you want and how to achieve it. But if you truly want clarity of purpose, you must remove the excess noise and distractions that can create the fog along your path.

Your vision is for you. It is your divine inspiration provided to guide your life's path if you allow it and act on it. It is because vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others. It means that there will be many times when other people can't see or understand your vision.

Are you beginning to see with clarity what having vision can do for you, for finding your purpose? Now you need the tools for creating your vision and putting your vision into action. We'll build on that next week.

Be inspired! Inspire others!