How to Create a Vision for Your Life

Do you ever wonder why you're doing all of this -- what is the point? Why are you working so hard? When you understand your true passions in life and can see how your work fits into the bigger picture, your life becomes more meaningful -- and it's easier to stay motivated!

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Suspend reality for a moment. Take several deep breaths and close your eyes. Think about what you would do if you were wildly rich and didn't need a job. What if you won the lottery? How would you spend your days? What would you new life look like?

2. If you could have anything in life -- no restrictions -- what would you have? And you can have anything. If a magic genie appeared, what would you wish for right now?

3. Imagine that there is nothing in your way, nothing is "impossible" -- what would you want your life to be like? You could be as confident as you'd like, have whatever skills or intelligence you'd like, and have any relationships, live wherever, travel anywhere, and there is plenty of time. What would you do?

4. Now picture yourself living this life. What would it be like in five years? In ten? What things would you have? What would you love most in life? How would you give love to others? What would your work be like? How would you see yourself? How would others see you?

5. Now make this ridiculously BIG! I give you permission to just go crazy now with imagining whatever you'd like! However "out there" it sounds, just go with it. Keep picturing YOU living this AMAZING FULFILLING life. Imagine a picture or a movie or a book of your life -- what would be in it?

6. Next, read this paragraph and then close your eyes. Imagine you are walking in a beautiful forest down a long path. You feel comfortable and happy. What are you walking towards? What lies ahead? What is glimmering just beyond the horizon line? Close your eyes and picture this.

7. Now, imagine it is the end of your full, loving and happy life -- what do you want to leave behind as a legacy? What impact do you want to have made large or small? What will have mattered most? What things won't matter?

8. Now take a note pad and jot down as many notes as you can about your "out there" ideas. Write every single thing down without judging how silly it may seem.

9. Look at your list and notice themes. Maybe you wanted to marry Brad Pitt, and find that absurd and funny! Yet, what does that tell you? Are you looking for love? See how this works? Take your ideas from "unrealistic" notice the theme behind your idea, and write it down. Look for symbols here, more than specifics. If you wanted to ride wild horses, are you looking to get out in nature more? Are you seeking adventure? Look for the theme.
   
   What comes up most often? What seems to be missing from your life? What things did you thought you would want, that you didn't even mention? Put your notes into categories such as: love, work, friendship, learning, self-development, travel, building a future, etc.

10. Next, weave together your ideas into a vision for your life. Take your most important ideas -- the ones that jump off the page at you and resonate in your heart -- and write those down. See this as a beautiful painting you are creating and you get to include whatever you'd like! This is your new vision for your life. It will guide you and give you a feeling of purpose, even on those bad days.

11. Finally, create your vision board. Use a piece of paper and glue on magazine cut outs that represent everything you want in your life! You can write words as well, or draw. Hang up the board in a place you see often, to remind you of your vision. You can also create a very large vision board by tacking pictures to a bulletin board, or by using large paper or poster board. If you are an artist, paint or sculpt your vision. You can also photocopy your vision and reduce it to a tiny board you can fold up and keep in your pocket!

Tips & Warnings

• Be careful not to judge your ideas as silly, because this will stop the brainstorming process.
• Note, you may feel resistant or feel that your ideas are IMPOSSIBLE but that is just fear talking. Any goal can be worked towards.
• If you feel very resistant, take a break and come back to this. Give yourself permission to suspend reality for a moment and go to an "imaginary" place to do the exercise, without worrying whether these goals are possible.

Resources

• More information...

[npd65]

on 9/7/2009 Wow, very nice article. I think most people travel through life aimlessly, wanting more and more, but never really knowing what they really want.

[respectfully]

on 9/7/2009 GREAT INSPIRATIONAL ARTICLE. Everyone wants to go somewhere in life. It is just how bad you work at it.
everyone needs to read this and picture where they want to be. 5* rec

[ianto]

on 7/14/2009 What an inspiring article. Thank you. 5* and a recommend

[BamaHorseman]

on 12/30/2008 So trully inspiring and wonderful advice.
A must read for everyone. 5 stars***** is not good enough.
20 stars******************** smile

[meacham01]

on 12/11/2008 Julie, I can feel what it is like to be there and I have three words that describe it:
Warmth and literary gateway.
I get many inspirational thoughts when I look at pictures, pictures of all kinds whether it be of a ship disappearing in the fog or an eagle soaring close to the ridge of a snow topped mountain. Thank you.