Setting Vision-Based Goals

Podcast Episode 2:  Welcome to Episode 2 of Grow For It!  It’s a podcast designed for small business owners, manager and professionals.  I’m Jim and my goal is to work in that space between your ears to help your to focus on the activities and areas that really matter to your overall success.  It’s about your mindset, your focus…your headspace.  If we win it there, you’ll go further and farther than you ever thought you could.  Sound interesting?

Then let’s jump in…

In Episode 1, we discussed the importance of aligning your day to day activities, your D2D activities, with your vision.  We also talked about what it can feel like when you instinctively know you’re not getting to those areas that allow you to tap into your passion.  Those activities that allow you to be optimally effective.

Let’s step back and talk about DEFINING YOU VISION.

As we go through this, think in terms of your BUSINESS, your CAREER…and maybe even your LIFE. 

Vision sets the mark and defines where you’re heading.  This is Long-Ball guys.  I’m not talking about next week, next month or quarter, not even next year. 

Your vision is SO MUCH BIGGER than that.  It might take some of us years to get there.  Unfortunately, some never do.

Vision is the destination.  Without a clearly defined end point, how will you ever know where you’re heading?  Whether you’re on course, or in WHY you started the journey in the first place? 

Let’s try defining what your VISION ISN'T.  It’s easy to confuse it with GOALS.  There’s a HUGE DIFFERENCE. 

You vision can be closely associated with your “WHY.”  It’s something that should move or inspire you.  It might elicit an emotional response from you (or others).  It can also motivate others to join you along the journey.  They might be co-workers, clients, key vendors, or even investors.

Your VISION should seem beyond your grasp, at least for today.  If it’s not…

…put it back in the oven and let it back a little while longer.  YOU NEED TO BE THINKING BIGGER.

Vision is different from Goals.  If your VISION is your WHY, then GOALS are your HOW. 

Goals are much more concrete, right?

They define specific actions.

Goals have a specific deadline, a sense of URGENCY.  Not that your Vision doesn’t, but goals are much more tactical.

A GOAL, and goal setting, is meant to move you closer towards your VISION.  Therefore, by its very nature, your VISION MUST be bigger than your immediate, quarterly or annual goals.

Remember, your VISION can apply to your business, your career and even your life.

How you get there, if you get there, depends on the goals you set and how successful you were at achieving them.

To put it another way, GOALS are something you ACHIEVE.  Vision is somewhere you ARRIVE, if you’re lucky. Either way, the proper Vision makes for an interesting trip.

Let me share a brief story to illustrate how your VISION can drive what you do on a D2D (day to day) basis.

Back in the early to mid-90’s, I worked for GE.  Jack Welch was still the CEO.  His vision for each GE business was that each would be #1 or #2 in the world.  Many of us believed it was possible.  I was in a field sales role at the time for GE Appliances.

My largest client was a distributor in the Minneapolis area.  I knew Jack’s GE VISION, I had already bought into it.  My contribution was to relentlessly gain market share and deliver on my revenue targets.  This distributor happened to be a distributor for several leading brands, most of which were direct competitors.

I eventually found out about a huge, new development that was in the works.  My largest distributor was going to bid on the project.  Unfortunately, he decided to price the bid in a way that virtually ensured the development would go to a competitive brand.

After several attempts to convince him to work with us, instead of deliberately against us, it was clear he wasn’t going to budge.  I began a series of meetings with the developer and ended up taking the entire project direct.  We elected to bypass the distributor, even though we made every attempt to work with him.  That was a $1MM project.

To be honest, we would have made better margin going through him – but it was clear I was faced with either winning the project and increasing our market share, or standing on the sidelines with 100% of nothing.

I wasn’t going to let that happen because Jack’s VISION, our VISION, was to drive market share to become #1 or #2 in the world.

THE POWER OF VISUALIZING YOUR VISION

The one technique that can have a significant impact on your pursuit of your vision, is visualization.  You’ve already taken a powerful step, you’ve written it down.  Now you should post it somewhere that you see it every day.  The more you read it, the more solidified it becomes in your mind. 

To take it a step further, ask yourself what it will be like when you realize your vision? 

How will you feel? 

What will life, your community, your company be like when you finally arrive at your destination?  

The power of visualization works by imprinting into your brain the emotions, the feelings and the actual pseudo-reality of your success.  This technique allows you to see yourself having already won your race.  You’ll almost taste that sweetest of victories.

Now that you’ve had a taste of your success, it’s time to get to work. 

If you listened to the previous episode, you’ll know what’s coming next…

…Once again, I’m asking you to take out a sheet of paper.

Do you know your VISION?  Have you already DEFINED it?

If so, write it in the center of the paper and draw a box around it.

If you don’t have it yet, pause this podcast and write down what you think it should be.  It might take a few iterations to get it right.  Then, make sure you come back to us. 

Before we go any further, I’m going to ask you to read your VISION.  Don’t be shy.

Read it out loud.

Is it big enough to inspire you?

How could you make it even better?

Is it truly worth the journey to the place you hope to arrive, or is it really more like a goal?

Do you need to refine it?  It’s okay.  You might have to think even bigger. 

Remember friends, this is about your business, your career and maybe even your life, so make it something that actually speaks to you.

If you’re satisfied, again draw a box around it. 

Now ask yourself, what would have to HAPPEN to ensure I eventually arrive there?

For some of us, that might mean expanding into a new market.  We can set a series of goals for that. List it, and put a circle around it.

For others, it might mean developing a new skill or capability.  Maybe that means going back to school or getting more training.  We can set a series of goals for that as well.  List it and put a circle around it.

Still, for others, that may mean developing new business relationships or partnerships.

Again, yes, we can set a series of goals for that too.  Yep, circle this one.

Continue listing these “HAPPENINGS” all around your VISION BOX.  Draw arrows from you circles to the box in the middle.  Take time to fill up the page over the next few days.

You might begin stepping down a level and listing SUB-HAPPENINGS, or individual activities that must be pursued to achieve what you listed in the “HAPPENINGS CIRCLES.”

Those step-downs might be similar to your annual or quarterly goals.

Like I commented earlier, we can also set a series of goals for that.

As we go through this exercise, what we’re doing is DECONSTRUCTING our VISION into a series of HAPPENINGS and GOALS that are very much in line with our VISION. 

That my friends, is how we begin to tap back into our passion.  You’ll see the direct relationship between what you’re doing, and how it relates to the bigger picture.

If you can’t see that correlation, it may be time to ask, “WHY AM I STILL DOING IT?”

By the way, if you need a little motivation for the journey, I encourage you to check out a video from Les Brown on YouTube.  Search for “Les Brown, Are You Limiting Your Vision?”  I’ll put a link to the video in the podcast notes.  If you haven’t begun using YouTube for motivational speeches, it may be time you started.  

Friends, if your vision is large enough, you’re going to need it.  There will be days full of doubt and frustration.  Anything worth having is going to demand your best efforts.  Prepare yourself.  YouTube videos are a terrific resource. 

Well, that about does it for this episode.  I want to thank you for giving me some of your time.  I know you’re busy.  I’m working on more episodes, so why don’t you SUBSCRIBE to this podcast?

If you’d like more information about me or my consulting services, I invite you to check out JimRayConsultingServices.com.  You’ll find a series of blog posts and videos.  You can always connect with my business FACEBOOK page to make sure we keep in touch. 

Finally, before you go, if you found this information helpful, would you consider going to iTUNES and leaving a 5-star review for this podcast?  That’s extremely helpful in ensuring GROW FOR IT ranks well and enables other people, just like you to find it.

Until next time, Focus on your Vision and if you’re ready, Let’s GROW FOR IT! 

Resource:  Les Brown, Are You Limiting Your Vision?