Mindset Training Series #1
Have a Vision, Not a Goal!
If you want to accomplish as much as you possibly can, the most important thing to get right is the vision or goal you have. This is essentially the same as setting your course and without a course, you don’t stand much chance of getting to your destination.
I realised that my vision for my life was incomplete when I looked back at those holiday snaps. I was ‘living the dream’, but still felt inadequate, on the outside my life was perfect, but on the inside, I knew I could do better.
The girl staring back at me looked so much older than she should have. I knew I had lots of life to live and yet looking at the photos made me feel like I was ageing before my time.
I realised that I had no clear vision of my life and what I really wanted. I realised that like so many of us, I didn’t know how to dream and envision my life, I realised that we never give ourselves permission to do so or set aside the time to write our goals down. This was standing in the way of my success.
Whether we choose to dream, to have a vision or to write down goals, it doesn’t really matter, we just need a clear picture of what we want, I realised I had to take the time and do this for myself, to be honest about where I was at, the direction I was headed and decide if I was happy to continue along the same path.
The Difference Between a Goal and a Vision
So what’s the difference between a goal and a vision? Essentially, a goal is something that you write down and that is very concrete and simple. A goal may, for example, be to ‘lose 10lbs in two months’, in my case, it was about me getting my act together and taking control of my health, to get my life back on track, I realised that something had to change and I had to figure out what.
This posed as a vision rather than a goal would be more the idea of being in the best shape of my life, becoming the ultimate role model for women of my generation. I started to see myself as a strong healthy woman that had found success in all aspects of her life. I started to visualise myself looking fantastic and feeling healthy, fitting into my clothing, running along the beach in a bikini, and feeling great about myself. I started to own that vision, I saw an image of myself presenting to a large group of my peers and looking out to the crowd, knowing that I was doing what I love and that I was in a position of influence and feeling proud.
This is a much more abstract concept that nevertheless helps to get a picture of what you want and what the emotion behind that goal is.
Why Visions Work Better Than Goals
So why are visions more successful than goals? Well, for one, goals are not nearly flexible enough. If you have a goal, then this gives you one thing you’re trying accomplish and only one idea of how to get there. Lose 10lbs in a month.
In reality that is a big ask for most people, so let’s say it doesn’t go to plan … have you failed? Or do you start again … of course, you have the freedom to change the steps you’re going to take to get there or to bend them to fit your current lifestyle, plans and free time. No, you haven’t failed … It’s OK! to start again … JUST START!
The thing that is amazing about visions is that they have more emotion attached to them, so when you visualise something, the same region’s fire in your brain as though it was actually happening. This, in turn, means that you can actually trigger the emotion as though it were happening and it’s this emotion we can use to motivate ourselves to go through with plans!
It doesn’t matter how long it takes to achieve your goals, keeping the vision of yourself in the forefront of your mind is key. Being willing to try and try again until you get to your destination is the mark of a winner!
I love the quote: Winners never quit and quitters never win | Vince Lombardi
Try this Goal Setting – Visioning – Exercise
I’m sure you will agree that to achieve anything worthwhile in life we need to identify what it is we want to achieve. It then takes us committing to that goal or vision, so writing it down, deciding on a time scale, then telling everyone about it and then planning the steps to get there!
Been there in your career I bet … how about the other aspects of your life?
Why not now …
Easier said than done?
Not really, it just takes sitting down and thinking about it and this is your opportunity to do just that. I have a great exercise I use in my Ultimate Body Formula Program to help my clients set their goals and expectations and I want to share it with you. All you need to do to access it is to pop your details below, tell me where to send it.
Looking at those holiday photos, I realised I had no clear vision of where I wanted to be, I just knew I didn’t want to be where I was, so my search started.
I got clear on what I wanted, it took me nearly 2 years to find a formula that works.
A formula that took me from feeling inadequate to be in the best shape of my life.
This is what I teach in my program.
To find out more about The Ultimate Body Formula Program, tell me a bit more about you and fill in my form … CLICK HERE TO FILL IT IN …
Read more about the holiday that changed my life: Rose Tinted Glasses … until the holiday snaps …
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