Big Goals Require a Big Vision

The bigger your goal, the bigger your vision needs to be to motivate you to accomplish it. If your goal is to become a manager at the place where you work, what is it about being a manager that will motivate you to do what it takes to become a manager? Is your goal to become the top sales person in your organization? The question is, “Why bother?” Is it for the money? The prestige? The recognition? There is no wrong answer here. It is important to know what motivates you, so you can keep yourself motivated to prospect the new customer, learn all you can about the new products, make the extra sales and go the extra mile.
What do you really want?
Most people have financial goals, but what they really want is not money. They really want something else that having money provides for them. It may be a bigger house. Better education for the kids. The freedom to travel. Or perhaps they are motivated by intangibles like security, confidence, recognition or freedom from worrying about money.
Zig Ziglar is famous for saying, “Every year thousands of people go out and buy ¼ inch drill bits, but not one of them wanted a ¼ inch drill bit. They all wanted ¼ inch holes.”
What is it that you really want? What will motivate you to do what it takes to get it?
Put Your Vision In Writing
Write out your life vision. Include a description of what your ideal day is like. Talk about your feelings having accomplished your goals. Take time every day to read your vision and imagine yourself as having accomplished your goals.
Jack was a college student who wanted to graduate valedictorian of his class. He asked his mother to sew a wall hanging with a big “V” on it. Every day for four years he looked at that wall hanging and took a moment to think about what it would feel like to be named valedictorian of his graduating class. He thought about what he would say in his speech. He imagined the applause. Then, he went to class focused on making the grades necessary to be valedictorian. Sure enough, when his class graduated, Jack was named valedictorian. Only then did he tell all his friends what the wall hanging was all about. For four years they had questioned him. Now they all understood.
Detailed Description Makes Your Vision Real
You don’t have to be a novelist to write a detailed description of something you hold deeply in your heart. As you picture you life after you have achieved your goals, ask yourself, “What do I see?” “What do I hear” “What do I smell?” “What do I feel?” If your goal is to make enough money to put your children through the best education available, imagine yourself sitting in the audience other parents at an Ivy League college. Feel the enthusiasm. Hear the applause. Note the pride swelling up inside of you.
Emotion Gives Your Vision Power
Several studies have shown that memory is closely linked to emotion. If you experience deep emotion during an event, you will remember it forever. If you are a parent, you probably remember in vivid detail the events and surroundings related to the birth of your children. You can probably describe in detail the room you were in and what you were doing when you heard about the terrorist attacks of 9-11. When describing your vision, create a memory in advance. Describe what you feel when you realize the accomplishment of your goals.
Put Your Vision In Writing
Write out your life vision. Include a description of what your ideal day is like. Talk about your feelings having accomplished your goals. Take time every day to read your vision and imagine yourself as having accomplished your goals.
Jack was a college student who wanted to graduate valedictorian of his class. He asked his mother to sew a wall hanging with a big “V” on it. Every day for four years he looked at that wall hanging and took a moment to think about what it would feel like to be named valedictorian of his graduating class. He thought about what he would say in his speech. He imagined the applause. Then, he went to class focused on making the grades necessary to be valedictorian. Sure enough, when his class graduated, Jack was named valedictorian. Only then did he tell all his friends what the wall hanging was all about. For four years they had questioned him. Now they all understood.
Create a sensory map.
Take a moment to think of the most exciting and joyful experience of your life. You will probably begin feeling the same emotions all over again. You may begin to smile or laugh. Now mentally attach those feelings to your ultimate vision. You may need to repeat this exercise the first few times you read your vision. Soon you will discover that the emotions will come naturally and quickly.
Read Your Vision Every Day
It is important to keep your vision in front of you. This is the key to your motivation. So take time each day to imagine what it is you are working towards.
Set aside time, preferably at the beginning and end of each day, to:
• Read your vision.
• Create a mental picture of your life after you have reached your goals.
• Imagine the sights, smells and other sensory input.
• Feel the emotions of joy and elation that come from achieving your goals.
• Make your future yours today.
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