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Guest post by: Alvah Parker Become an Author

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Whether you are starting a new business, a new job or a new career it is important to set some goals for yourself. You may start by thinking about what you want to accomplish and then write down your goals. While writing is a great way to start I recommend you create a vision before you write.

The song says "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes". A vision is a dream that is emotionally and visually compelling. You don't think a vision with your brain as you did with your goals. You feel it with all your senses and embrace it with passion.

Leaders usually have a vision for themselves and the organizations they lead. Whether you have your own business, are in transition or work for a company, you are always a leader of yourself. What is your vision for yourself for the coming year? What will inspire you to have the best year ever?

Understanding visioning eluded me for quite a while. When I was in sales for AT&T, I knew what I needed to do each year-make lots of sales. I had a forecast and plan to do it. Visioning seemed like a waste of time to me. The closest I got to formal visioning was when I was ready to close a sale my manager would remind me to "see myself closing the sale successfully."

As a coach I first tried visioning at a workshop. The presenter asked us to manifest future success by seeing ourselves accomplishing whatever we wanted. I must say I was very skeptical and hence not successful in manifesting much.

What I missed was my part in the visioning process. What I understood from my manager and the workshop leader was that if I wished it, it would happen magically and effortlessly. There was nothing I needed to do! Clearly I got it wrong.

Perhaps others have this same misunderstanding and that is why people often think this visioning stuff is all woo woo. The whole purpose of visioning is to help you see and feel what you are after. It should inspire you to take the necessary actions.

Once you have the vision you will want to make good choices to move toward it. You do need to do the work necessary to reach your vision. It just helps you to know where you are going and there is nothing better than a clear compelling picture to get you moving.

Finding your inspiring vision can be fun. You can do it in a number of different ways. It is best done in a relaxing meditative state where you believe that anything is possible. Dream big dreams in Technicolor and High Definition!

Resist the urge to curb your vision because you think it is too big for you. A big vision is very motivating and a bit scary. If it is inspiring you will find a way to move toward it. Of course if it is very big you can enlist the aid of others. That is what leaders do.

Take Action

1. Set some time aside to do some visioning. Create a vision of what you want in your life next year. Remember to include all parts of your life i.e. career, health, relationships, spiritual, learning etc.

2. Create a vision board with pictures that symbolize your vision to you. It can be drawings you make, pictures or words you cut out from magazines, or photographs you have taken. The vision board is your way to quickly access the vision you are moving toward. It is a great reminder of what you want!

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