This Weeks Topic: VISION: IS IT A TOOL? OR A GIMMICK?
"Hold with faith and purpose the vision of yourself in the better environment, but act upon your present environment with all your heart, and with all your strength, and with all your mind."
- Wallace Wattles
Happy Belated Thanksgiving to all my US readers. I hope you had a wonderful weekend! And thanks to all the rest of you for being here. I appreciate it!
Recently, I had occasion to take part in two fairly high-level discussions. One with other coaches. The other with business consultants.
The topic in both cases was "visioning."
Simplisitic Definitions
The consensus was that success was a matter of 1) visioning an outcome, and 2) taking action to make it happen. In both groups, there was a great deal of excitement, as if they'd just discovered a long-lost secret.
But, in both cases, their notion of visioning was very general. It involved coming up with concepts such as "success," "happiness," and "change" — and then giving general examples "the best consultant in the country," "a life filled with joy" or "increasing our revenues."
What Are Your Success Critiera?
When I asked how they would know when they had achieved their vision, they said they'd "feel" successful, or happy, or changed. The consultants were a bit more specific. They'd set targets such as "a 15% increase in sales."
I allowed that "feeling" successful could well be one criteria for success, as could "a 15% increase," but suggested that other criteria would make the vision stronger, and more effective.
An effective vision, I suggested, requires that you specify clear and compelling success criteria — standards that help you measure progress and recognize the result when completed.
Just because you feel like you're the "best consultant in the country", I asserted, "doesn't make it true." But if you set, focus on and meet a series of specific standards, you might well achieve the success you envision.
"Are You Nuts?"
A few people thought my comments were interesting. Some thought they were ridiculous and one thought I was "anal; hung up on measurement."
Sadly, more than a few agreed. No one seemed to want to craft a specific vision with clear standards for realization. The best either group could come up with was "a vision statement" — an inspiring but very general outline of results they wanted to achieve.
Good start, I allowed, but not sufficient for creating real and lasting success!
I pointed out that that concepts such as "best in our business," "most effective systems" and "flexibility" or "ability to change" were great places to start, but were so general they could describe almost any business or coach.
To differentiate their version of success from other people's, I suggested, they'd have to get specific, and detail their success criteria.
I gave examples such as, "#1 in sales amongst all our competitors," "gross sales of $X, with a profit of Y%," or "A coaching practice consistently carrying 20-30 clients, and making $x," or "90% of my clients rate my coaching as excellent or very good."
Again, much head shaking and muttering. I'm sure I heard the word "anal" again.
Pushing The Envelope
So, reluctantly, I pressed on. I further suggested that, unless you ground vision in reality, and accurately, objectively describe the current state of your result — relative to your success criteria — it's very difficult to take appropriate action, or measure progress toward your desired result.
Now, they really turned on me.
"Your are way too hung up on measurement and objectivity," said a woman who'd been promoting "vision boards."
"Visioning," she said, "works on another, holistic dimension of thought. It guides your actions intuitively, even when you're not conscious of it. Vision is all about intuition and attraction!"
That may be partly true, I allowed.
But is intuition enough to create a successful business or the life you truly want? Is it enough to guide your action in all sorts of situations, and under all kinds of conditions?
Or does your approach rely on taking action only when you feel like it?
"Why would you take action if you didn't feel like it?" asked the vision board woman.
Feelings Are NOT A Sufficient Standard Of Measurement
"Creators take action, even when they don't feel like it," I said, "because they want to create a result that is more important to them than their temporary feelings."
Now I'd done it.
"Feelings, and expressing them," she almost shouted, "are what creativity and visioning are all about!"
"No," I said," hooked now, and knowing I should bow out with grace but wanting to try one more time, "visioning is all about the act of creating — about focusing on what matters and taking action to bring into being the result you want to create, with whatever you have to work with.
"Feelings are important," I agreed, "but they are not enough to consistently move you from where you are to where you would love to be."
The Act of Creating Involves Vision, Current Reality and Action
"To effectively and efficiently create desired results," I said, "you must clearly see AND feel your result as if you had already created it. Your vision must be compelling, passionate, but it must also be clear and detailed enough that you would recognize it if you create it.
"And you also have to clearly know where you are, where you're starting from and what you have to work with — and what you lack.
"And you must start where you are, and take action that honours your current reality AND supports your vision.
"And do so in a way that allows you to learn from mistakes, make adjustments and carry on consistently in the face of set-backs and adversity.
"That's what creating is," I said. "And visioning" is only one, albeit important, aspect of that approach."
So, what happened?
Well, they didn't lynch me, but they certainly won't be asking me back to their discussion groups. A few people did give me their card and asked to be put on this mailing list.
What do you think?
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If you want to go deeper into the place of vision in the creating process, check out this earlier article of mine. "Vision As A Success Tool" at
http://bruceelkin.hubpages.com/hub/VISION-AS-A-CREATIVE-FORCE
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UPDATE ON MY NEW E-BOOK — THRIVE!
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The "fr.ee" deal on THRIVE is now over. In order for Smashwords to push it to the ereader sites such as Kindle, Kobo, the iStore, etc… I had to put a price on it.
It's just $4.95 and you download to your computer, tablet, e-reader and even some phones. If you're interested, check it out at:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/90569
THRIVE is still fr.ee on my website. For more info and testimonials, please go to:
www.bruceelkin.com/thrive-e-book.html
And, then, because you don't want to sign up for my newsletter again, email me and I'll give you the URL at which you can download a PDF copy for yourself!
Nearly 600 folks have downloaded a copy. Here's what one reader said:
"Bruce has created a very informative, easy-to-read ebook by taking care of all the little details: strong organization, clear, approachable style, use of great examples, and -thankfully- large font size!
"The content is stuff they don't teach in schools, yet so useful in everyday life. It is also refreshingly different from the usual "motivational" book formula.
"Highly recommended!"
— Chris Ralston, Duncan, BC Canada
Thank you, Chris!
If you read THRIVE! and liked it, how about posting a short review on my Smashwords page: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/90569
It'd help me a lot, and I'd be very grateful. Thanks!
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THIS WEEK'S VIDEOS:
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The consultant in the first vid does a good job of outlining what a vision is and what it does.
In his talk, he states (as I would) that:
"There are three things you need to know to get to where you want to go.
1.Where do you want to go?
2.Where are you now?
3.How will you get there?
"All three aspects are equally important, but it is usually best to start with the future in mind. This way you will be Pulled by Your Vision instead of being Pushed by Your Pain."
He uses US examples, and it's slanted toward business, but the concepts are applicable to anyone's life and/or work vision.
Check it out at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvxhk5vmqTw
The second vision is titled "Simple Gifts" and it's a lovely song of thanks-giving by Alison Kraus and Yo Yo Ma that will resonate with people anywhere.
Check it out at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYi9Vr8bHJY&feature=related
Enjoy!
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QUOTABLE QUOTES
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"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he (or she) will meet with success unexpected in common hours."
— Henry David Thoreau
“The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision.”
— Helen Keller
"The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise."
— F. Scott Fitzgerald
“Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with Vision is making a positive difference.”
— Joel Barker
“A vision is not just a picture of what could be; it is an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more.”
— Rosabeth Moss Kanter
“When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid”
— Audre Lourde
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Take care of yourself!
Bruce
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Copyright (c) 2011 by Bruce Elkin. All rights worldwide reserved.
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