How to Create Your Personal Vision

Most salespeople know the importance of creating a personal vision for the future. But far too many people focus on what they will have when their vision is realized. They think that having and doing what they want will, in turn, make them the person they want to be.

But a better strategy is to do it all in reverse! Work on yourself first, and the rest will naturally follow.

Zig Ziglar said it best:

You’ve got to be before you can do, and do before you can have.

—Zig Ziglar

Make Your Plan Real with a Vision Board

People will use every lame excuse in the book to not make a vision board. They don’t want to get out scissors or look through magazines or make a “craft” project. But it’s important that you purposefully set intentions when you’re working out a plan to create a future for yourself. A vision board is simply a physical manifestation of your plan, and it can be an incredibly helpful tool for staying on track to reach those goals.

Who Do You Want to Be?

Creating a personal vision all begins with three questions:

1. Be – What kind of person do you want to be?

Do you want to be generous? Helpful? A trusted confidante? Ultimately, how do you want to be seen by others, and what do you want to define you as a person?

2. Do – What do you have to do to become that person?

What are the things you actually need to do to become the person you wish to be? Take classes? Get certifications? Volunteer?

3. Have – What do you want to have in life?

“I want to be rich” isn’t going to cut it here. Do you want the freedom to travel the world? The financial means to truly help people? Think specifically about what you truly want to have at the end of all this.

Creating Your Personal Vision: An Exercise

If you’re finding yourself stuck and having a hard time pinning down specifics when it comes to creating your vision, use these questions as a jumping-off point to examine how you really feel:

• Is there something you would most like to accomplish in your life?
• What would bring more joy into your life?
• What do you want in your career?
• What is your financial picture?
• What will you do to improve your fitness?
• How much money would astonish you if you made it in one year?
• Where will you spend your time on personal development?
• Who inspires you that you’d like to meet?
• How much sleep would you like to get each night?
• What hobbies do you want to have?
• What are your values?
• Would you like to travel?
• Who is your perfect partner in life?
• Where would you like to give endless amounts of money?
• What food will nourish your body and soul?

Lastly, when thinking about your dream life, can you imagine what that looks like—in five years, ten years, or 40 years?

1. What will you have accomplished by then?
2. How will you feel about yourself?
3. What kind of people are in your life?
4. What does your ideal day look like?
5. Where do you live?
6. What will you be doing?
7. Who do you spend your time with?
8. How are you dressed?
9. What’s your state of mind?
10. What does your physical body look like?
11. Does your best life make you happy?

Turn on your favorite tunes and take some time to answer the questions above. It will take your vision from a broad “I want to be successful” idea and turn it into a vivid image of what you truly want your life to look like and how you can get there.

Making Your Vision Board

People who want to be ultra successful know the importance of creating a vision on how to get there. So take some time to be creative! Find pictures or words that represent or symbolize the emotions, people, experiences, or things you want to attract in your life. Make sure to pay attention to all three areas, including “Be” and “Do,” rather than just focusing on “Have.”

Some people are very word-oriented, and others use only images. There’s no right or wrong way to create your vision board. If the idea of scissors and glue is putting you off, there are even websites you can use to create your board and send it in to have it printed!

Once you’ve created your board, make sure to display where you’ll see it daily. Spend time each day visualizing the life you want to build for yourself and what steps you need to take to make it a reality.

Power Tip 

Don’t expect that your life will change just because you created a personal vision. If you don’t put the system or strategy behind it, then you’ll be the same as you are today. Take action in your life. Eliminate the excuse of someday. Start today!

Until next time—go sell some stuff!