If you’ve been reading my articles since the beginning of the year then you know that I am following the book, The Heart of a Visionary and working through the workbook to help bloggers and those who want a successful online business and help with planning their online dream.
So far I’ve covered–
3. Your One Dream Has No Value Until You Give It Away For Free where I wrote about picking your one thing -your one dream – setting up a place to work and giving away your dream for free in the beginning.
2. Getting Rid of Beliefs That Stop Your Dream Progress Once and For All where I pointed out the thoughts that can get in the way of your online dream success.
1. New Year Goals: The Heart of the Visionary for 1 Year where I introduced you to the workbook and my plan for the year.
This week it’s time to put together your dream Vision Plan.
A vision plan works like a compass to let you know when your dream has drifted off course and you are headed away from your dream. This is easier to do than what you might think.
Because life will try to get in the way of your dream.
Life happens no matter what kind of good you are bringing into your life. People move out of your life, kids go away to school, parents get sick, pets die, jobs change, marriages end, and health can change. A vision plan will help you continue working your dream when life is kicking you around a bit like only life can.
A vision plan can be that beacon of light that can give you hope and a plan when you feel like giving up on your dream.
Shiloh Sofia McCloud, the author of Heart of a Visionary divides her vision plan into two parts. The first part is getting down your idea and the second part is the realization of the idea. From creating the path to living the path. She further advises that you dream big during this process so that it goes your world. Expect what you don’t expect to show up.
Make sure when you start this process that you are in a comfortable place you love where you won’t be distracted while you write (or type). Use your imagination and don’t let fear or any “I can’ts” stop you from writing it down. Turn off that side of your brain for now. It’s just trying to protect you. Bless it and tell it to come back later when you aren’t busy…or maybe not at all…?…
Ready to start?
Get out your paper and take notes so you know what to write a the top of your papers, or copy and paste the questions into Word for completing when you are ready.
Creating a Vision Plan For:
(Your Name)
(Date started – later date completed)
1. The Why
A. Passion: Naming the Vision
Write your vision and your passion and why you feel compelled to create it.
B. Vision: Living the Vision
Imagine what it will look like when you are living your vision, describe it.
2. The What
A. Product or Service: Naming the Vision
Create and explain your products or menu of services.
B. Success: Living the Vision
Imagine your product or service being very successful, explain what it looks like and feels like. Come from a place of success when you write.
3. The Who
A. Client: Naming the Vision
Explain who you are serving, your customer, and their needs and wants. And most importantly, why is it important to you to reach them.
B. Collective: Living the Vision
See yourself fulfilling your greatest work for your clients, for the world, share it.
4. The How
A. Purpose: Naming the Vision.
Explain how and in what ways you will fulfill your life purpose with your vision.
B. Mission: Living the Vision
Imagine sharing your purpose as a mission statement with others. What is it?
5. The Where
A. Venue: Naming the Vision
Explain the environment in which your work is realized, the space it happens in. Where the work is delivered. There may be several locations.
B. Marketplace: Living the Vision
Envision your work in your favorite marketplace where your offering is appreciated, purchased and valued. See yourself there, representing it.
6. How Much
Need: Naming the Vision
Write down how much you are being compensated now, and what you see in the next 6 months, then in the next year. And in 5 years.
B. Livelihood: Living the Vision
Imagine the time when your livelihood and compensation is as you would like it to be, share it here in detail and what it gives you. And how long away is it?
7. The Who I Am
A. Identity: Naming the Vision
Explain how who you are is suited for this work, why it is in alignment with you and your legend. Do you have a working title for your position?
B. Legend: Living the Vision
Imagine yourself at the zenith of your career, respected and well-known. Share your legend–how you want to be seen, what you want to be recognized for.
8. The Sale
A. Customer Service: Naming the Vision
Create your customer service standards and your values and commitments.
B. Happy Customers: Living the Vision
Imagine a scenario where a customer has returned for a “big deal.” It is the kind of deal you dream of in your kind of business — see it and tell it.
9. The Wow
A. Gift: Naming the Vision
Describe the gift you bring to your work and why this work makes use of your gifts and skills. Also share the gift you get back.
B. Gratitude: Living the Vision
Imagine a time of utter gratitude and thanksgiving, a celebration regarding your Vision being acknowledged. See it and share it!
10. The Women
A. Pleasure: Naming the Vision
What is the personal pleasure and self value you feel you will experience through your creation? How does it add to you?
B. Peace: Living the Vision
Envision a time when all is well with your life work, things are smooth and good and balanced. A day when you have a peaceful sense of accomplishment.
11. The Who Else
A. Friends and Family: Naming the Vision
Write down how you feel your friends and family will benefit, or how it may impact them. What will it bring? Take? Provide?
B. Community: Living the Vision
Imagine the new friends/connections/contacts you will be creating. Write a story about it.
12. The Wisdom
A. Knowledge: Naming the Vision
Explain what you hope to gain from your work, in terms of personal development and growth. What is the education and transformation you will experience?
B. Experience: Living the Vision
Invent a scenario where you feel proud of yourself and what you’ve created. See yourself presenting on your work, you feel brilliant! Radiant! Tell!
13. The Where you Live
A. Home: Naming the Vision
Describe how where you live will facilitate your work journey and your rest time.
B. Future Home: Living the Vision
Travel to your homestead, yes, the home of your dreams. Write it here!
14. The Within
A. Self Care: Naming the Vision
Create a self-care and spiritual (or rejuvenating) practice plan and explain it in detail.
B. Self-Empowerment: Living the Vision
Imagine yourself at peak vitality, doing everything you should do for you. What do you look and feel like? What about the clothes, your sense of confidence?
15. The Completion
A. Retirement: Naming the Vision
Explain your exit strategy, if there is one, otherwise your kick-back plans.
B. Legacy: Living the vision
Invent the vision, where you feel as if your life was very well-lived and that good work was done and that you were a part of making a difference and can enjoy some time to just be. Where do you see yourself?
16. Dreaming the Future: Create a Vision Timeline
Create a historic timeline of your dream in 20 years, 10 years, 5 years, 1 year, 1 month and next week.
Now doesn’t that seem easy?
Remember that, “Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.” (Joel A. Barker)
This exercise helps you visualize your dream and the actions needed to making it come true. Next week I’ll share what I wrote on mine and my thoughts on the process of creating a vision plan.
Now, create your vision plan and I’ll see you next week.
Catherine Hughes
Give us your thoughts!
Shiloh has owned galleries for over twelve years, and made over two million dollars in the sales of her art.
Her original paintings are internationally collected and her product line is represented at galleries and fine shops throughout the United States. In addition to an extensive line of original sacred art and prints.
Shiloh has published over seven books as well as creativity journals, visionary cards and offerings of her writings.
Thousands of women have deepened in their creative practice through Shiloh’s illustrated Color of Woman journals and by participating in her revolutionary creativity workshops and mentorship.. Pick up a copy of this book and work it with me.
*****
A special shout out to Samsung for sending me a Galaxy phone to use and a tablet to test. The phone took the photo of the book you see featured above in this post. I have written about these two products and why they should be a part of your creative business plan. I am absolutely in love with these products!
Catherine Hughes is the founder of 8 Women Dream. She is passionate about helping women step out of their own way and strike out into a world waiting for their special talents. She’s a published author and a former award-winning mom blogger. Catherine has helped companies both large and small create engaging web content, social media narratives, and unique blogging platforms. She claims to be a redhead but don’t hold that against her.
