Unleash the Power Within
What’s your vision?
When you focus on your vision, you’re able to accomplish anything
Do you tend to control the events in your life, or are events controlling you? The amount of stress you feel is directly related to how in control you feel about your life. As the stress piles up, your sense that you are in charge of your life can slip away even further. When you’re disconnected from your passions, you lose sight of your vision. You feel like you’re a spectator in your own life, helpless to do anything but watch as things happen to you.
There’s a way to change that. If you want to stop letting other things control you, then you need to take control of your own mind. It’s all about reshaping the way you think about yourself and your life. If you’re ready to make that change in your life and regain control of your direction, the best thing you can do is focus on your vision.
What’s your vision? Gaining clarity
When you begin to feel adrift in life, get back to basics and focus on your vision: the life and career that would bring you lasting contentment. This isn’t about money – it’s about being true to yourself. Find honest answers to questions like: What does your ideal life look like? What do you most want to leave behind when all is said and done? What’s your vision, your dream? That’s what you need to fix at the forefront of your mind. When you focus on vision instead of everything going on around you, you’ll sharpen your ability to get what you want and make yourself more resilient against the bleak thoughts that can crowd your mind when you’re stressed out.
What we choose to focus on – and the way we talk to ourselves about that focus – has a massive effect on how we feel. If you focus on the things you can’t control, such as the past, all the things you’ve failed at or what’s missing from your life, it’s easy to lose your vision. We’ve all been there – life seems to crush something that you were excited about, or someone betrays you, or you betray yourself.
Once you let yourself think in that way, the stress will creep in, clouding your vision. You’ll soon feel overwhelmed and even depressed. This is the origin of that loss of control, that sense that you aren’t in command of your own life. When you don’t consistently focus on vision, you’re a manager, an operator – not a creator.
Giving focused vision meaning
What’s your vision able to accomplish? It can transform your life if you let it. It takes real courage to pursue your passions – settling for the status quo can feel safer, since there are fewer unknowns. When we talk about living aligned with your purpose, what we’re really talking about is giving focused vision meaning. When you’re true to your strengths, skills and aspirations, you’re focused on where you want to go and you begin to pursue meaningful goals to get there. You’re on the way to self-actualization and nothing can get in your way.
Making your vision a reality
Leaders focus on what they can control, what they have and what they want. Once you learn to focus on vision, you’ll stop being a manager and become a creator once again.
Focus on your vision
Deciding to focus on vision means determining the way you want your life to go. To create a life where you’re thriving, not just surviving, you must focus on creating a compelling future. Pick anything – a goal, dream or desire – that you want so much, you’re going to find yourself compelled to make it happen. Don’t be modest or shy about what you want to do with your life. Dream big: What legacy do you want to leave behind? How do you want people to remember you? What would you have to accomplish in order to look back at your life and say, “I have no regrets”?
If you think about it, you’ve actually already done this before. Whether or not you’ve been keeping track of it along the way, there are things that you’ve wanted and have gotten for yourself. You are responsible for everything that you have in your life today. That means you’re also responsible for everything you’ll have in your life going forward. If you want to thrive, you must develop focused vision, meaning you focus on outcomes you can control, the difference you can make and what you’re grateful for.
Work out what you want to accomplish in your life and the legacy you’d like to leave. Maybe that’s starting your own business to leave your family financially independent. Maybe that’s traveling to every country in the world. Maybe that’s looking after all the hungry in a particular city. No vision is too large.
Set achievable goals
Nothing happens overnight, including your vision. All good things in life take time and effort, and even that can hang up those of us fully driven by vision. Accept that you will not change the world in a day. You’re starting with yourself – and changing yourself has a ripple effect that will change the world.
When you focus on vision, the key is setting achievable, intelligent goals for yourself. Each small milestone is one step closer to your vision and the life you want to live. Break your vision into smaller portions. If you want to help families put food on the table, your early goals might involve donating to charities that feed the hungry, then becoming involved in those charities by helping them distribute the food. From there you can build out the goals until they ladder up to where you want to be.
As you do this, keep your eye on the prize. Focus on vision and what you want, not on any setbacks you may encounter.
Manage your state
When you focus on vision, many elements in your life will fall into place on their own. Things that used to be massive stressors will seem minor in comparison. You understand that you aren’t just encountering one blow after another; no matter what happens, you’re still working toward your vision, toward what you want your life to be. And once you remember that all life is a work in progress and that changes and minor problems do not need to derail you, you’ll experience true breakthroughs.
The truth is our life is really the only thing in the world we can control. Focus on your vision and let the stress fall away – your life is waiting for you.
Make yourself a priority
When you’re working to give focused vision meaning, make yourself and your vision a priority. Your mindset is key, so do what you need to do to keep your outlook fresh and forward-thinking. Now is the time to build your confidence, nurture positive relationships and prioritize your mental health. Surround yourself with people who support you in pursuing your goals. And if an activity or pursuit detracts from your vision, set it aside or delegate it.
Think about your vision holistically
To give focused vision meaning, the outcomes you seek must enhance your entire life. Don’t get stuck in a rut considering only one outcome, like your dream job. Think holistically about all areas of your life, along the lines of:
Health
Strategize to get the body you want, create more energy and nourish yourself with a wholesome diet.
Time
Learn to manage your time so you’re engaging in activities aligned with your vision.
Accomplishments
What legacy do you want to leave? What are the accomplishments, relationships and character you’ll be remembered for?
Ability
Make a plan to develop your professional and interpersonal skills.
Relationships
Commit to creating extraordinary relationships that enhance your life.
Wealth
Understand what it takes to build wealth and financial independence and set goals accordingly.
Experiences
What experiences do you want to enjoy in life? Write them down, and commit to making them a reality.
Contentment
Decide what happiness means for you, and make it the bottom line of every decision you make.
Get the support you need to focus on your vision by attending Unleash the Power Within. This 3 ½-day event with Tony Robbins will give you the strategies and confidence you need to create massive change in your life.
