Oh, hi there.
Today I want to remind you that everything starts with a VISION and it stops or gets muddled up and confused because of a lack of vision.
Actually, I’d go so far as to say that this is the MAIN thing that makes a difference to what we’re doing and how we feel about it:
-If we’re being REAL, we’ve CHOSEN a vision because we’ve stepped into our power (and we’re moving towards it by taking inspired action); if we’re being UNREAL, then we’ve forgotten about the power of choice, let the world tell us what our vision is supposed to be, and so it never leads anywhere.
There’s two quotes I usually like to throw before my clients when talking about this issue (especially in the early stages of a coaching relationship where it’s all about raising AWARENESS):
1) “It isn’t normal to know what we want. It is a rare and difficult psychological achievement.” -Abraham Maslow
The reason it isn’t ‘normal’ is because most people never really PAUSE to raise awareness and accept themselves enough to CHOOSE a vision and then commit to it.
Imo, the ‘rare psychological’ achievement is stepping away from what the world tells you and listening to yourself and CHOOSING what’s REAL (which is really what a coaching relationship can guide you into doing).
2) “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” – Proverbs 29:18
I don’t know if this is the context this quote was meant in but to me it’s a good reminder that without consciously choosing a vision then our lives start to stagnate and perish (bit dramatic but life is biblical when you think about it).
The short-version is that if you don’t have the vision then you don’t know how to move and so…you don’t.
I truly believe that what doesn’t keep moving eventually dies (or, at the very least gets unnecessary anxiety and/or depression) and so one of the most life and business-enhancing things you can do is to choose that vision.
The caveat is that this applies to both the REAL and UNREAL things in life and so if we want our lives to be as satisfying and authentic as can be (i.e. ‘REAL’ because it’s aligned with our true values and intentions) then we need to step up and make sure we’re choosing the real ‘stuff’ (instead of the ego ‘stuff’).
A mistake I’ve seen a lot of people make is that they ‘choose’ a vision because of all their underlying emotional ‘stuff’ (shame, guilt, trauma) and an attempt to run away from it instead of facing and integrating it (the right vision will make you more REAL as you move towards it).
This is why you have to start with AWARENESS (deconstructing and reconfiguring identity, basically), then cultivating ACCEPTANCE (of the truth about yourself, the world, and reality you’ve disowned or tried to hide from), and then taking inspired ACTION (instead of being forced or told what to do).
If you’re feeling stuck, restless, or just that you can go deeper into things, then get back to the drawing board and do some work on your VISION.
Here’s a free guide I created that walks you through 8-steps to bring more REALNESS into your business (“Define Your Vision” is the first step): olianderson.co.uk/blueprint
