Visioneering: In Review

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Today, the problem I want to help you solve is to create a "one sheet,” 10 easy steps, for the "visioneering" process that you can reference over time.

First, I want to remind you of the importance of having a vision/goals and a plan to support them. For me, the explanation of the "Harvard Study on Goal Setting,” when I heard it for the first time a decade ago, was a pivotal moment for me. It surveyed the graduating class of MBAs from 1979. At graduation, they asked the graduates a question: “Have you set written goals and created a plan for their attainment?” 84% had no goals set at all, 13% had written goals but no concrete plan but 3% had written goals and a concrete plan to attain them. The results? 10 years later, the 13% that had goals but no plan were earning 2x more than the 84% of those that had no goals or a plan. The 3% (ELPs) who had both written goals and concrete plans earned 10x that of the remaining 97%. The 3% had clarity of vision, they knew what they wanted, and they had a plan for how they were going to achieve their goal. When I read this study, I knew that I had to get serious about the goal setting process. It became non-negotiable for me a decade ago and I'm pretty happy with my personal results.

The following are 10 steps involving the basic to high performance. I want to lay them out for you today for you to consider:

1. A vision is basically the "movie trailer" that brings to life "How you want to live and who you want to become." You bring your full range of senses into your vision.
2. You don't need to focus on longer term goals. Most experts feel that 3 years is the ideal timeframe. I explained my Life Planning process on my last call using a 9-year horizon and my intent was not to confuse you. Stick with 3 years and stack 3 year winning stretches on top of each other. The stacking process is what makes up Life Planning.
3. Don't "annualize" your goals. Think 3 years and break them down into quarterly segments and execute on them accordingly. Goals need to be set to support your vision.
4. You must get emotionally involved with your vision so executing on it every day becomes second nature. You need to review your vision at least every day to create that feeling that it already exists. It's the feeling that will motivate you not the "thing." Thoughts create feelings - > feelings create action - > action is what creates the results.

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