Five Reasons Why You Need A Personal Vision Statement (And How To Write One)

Posted on September 04, 2020 by Nick Leighton, One of Thousands of Executive Coaches on Noomii.

Who are you?

If you had to answer this question today, could you? If not, you’re in the same boat as most of the population. There’s no specific time or age in which we as humans magically come to know ourselves.

Many of the business owners I coach are able to tell me their business’s vision statement, but most don’t know their own personal vision statement. Yet, developing a personal vision statement is imperative for both your personal and business success.

Related to the personal mission statement, but used to understand yourself and your future at a deeper level, here are five reasons why you should start writing your personal vision statement today.

1. It allows you to align both your personal and professional visions.

You can’t begin to truly know what you want out of your business or professional life if you don’t already know what you want out of your personal life. Creating a written personal vision will help you to identify your values, goals and desires. Once you determine these, you can then better align your business life with your personal values.

2. It gives you a clearly defined roadmap for your own personal success.

You would consider it foolish for a person to drive around aimlessly looking for a destination without an address, directions, or a map. For the very same reasons, it’s foolish to maneuver throughout life without a roadmap or plan.

It’s often said that “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Creating a roadmap will help you stay focused and on the right path to achieve your long-term goals.

3. It helps you to avoid detours, such as distractions, as well as guards you against potential hazards.

Having a written personal vision allows you to plan the most efficient course to your goals. It allows you to have the clarity of when to say “yes” or “no” to things based on your own personal values and vision. It also helps you to spot potential hazards or roadblocks before you’re impacted by them.

4. It gives you the inspiration to think forwardly and not focus on regrets or mistakes.

To find success, you must always be looking towards the future. You can’t wallow in regrets or allow mistakes to pull you under or make you freeze in your tracks. If you have a clear personal vision, you can focus on what your end game is and accept mistakes as what they are: a part of life and a learning experience.

5. It guides you and your business towards a ‘champagne moment.’

Earlier, I mentioned that most people don’t know who they are. If you’re reading this, you most likely want to be different than “most people.” If you want to be successful and reach what I like to call a “champagne moment,” or a personal desire you have always wanted to fulfill, you need to think outside of the “most people” realm.

If your personal vision doesn’t include being average, you need to hyper-focus on creating a detailed personal vision statement to help you achieve your best.

How do you go about creating a personal vision statement?

There’s no set way to create a personal vision statement. But in order to start, you need to reflect on who you are, what matters most to you, your values, goals, desires and more.

When creating your personal vision statement, you want to avoid thinking about limitations. This vision should not be based on what others think or say, how much money you have, what you own or do not own, nor where you’re at today in your professional life.

When writing your vision statement, you don’t need to know how you will achieve your goals or fulfill your personal vision today. These answers will come with time.

The process:

• Set aside 45 minutes when you can quietly reflect and take notes.

• Ask yourself the following questions and write words or bullet points by each. You may not have an answer for every question.

• Once you have worked through all questions, revisit your answers and write a 100-word personal vision statement.

1. What’s your “why?” Can you define yourself in three words?

2. What areas in your business do you love working — the areas that energize you?

3. Given the opportunity, what job functions would you delegate?

4. How many hours a week would you like to work?

5. How much vacation would you like to have, and how would you like to take it?

6. How much would your ideal total salary (including benefits) be?

7. Outside of money, what intangible benefits do you require from your work?

8. What, if any, are your spiritual beliefs that bring you contentment?

9. What level of health, nutrition and activity makes you feel good?

10. What do you like doing for me-time? What are your hobbies or interests?

11. What do you want to achieve in the future that would bring you personal satisfaction?

12. How much family time do you want, and what will you do with it?

13. What are your plans for retirement?

14. How will you exit your company on the road to retirement?

Are you ready for your best year ever?

Knowing yourself is the foundation for growing as an individual and building something bigger, such as a company. Most entrepreneurs want to race ahead and cut corners. Don’t cut this corner.

For business owners who want more passion, profit & happiness – contact Nick Leighton on nick@leightonlive.com, This article originally appeared on Forbes.com