Declaring Your Vision

We’ve spent the past weeks exploring what is required to create a viable vision and we’ve reached a culminating step – declaration. How will you release your vision out into the world? 

Throughout my years, both in work and life, I have made a practice of declaring my visions. At a minimum, I post a phrase or picture where I can see it. Often, I co-opt others into my vision to hold myself accountable and hear other perspectives and ideas that help me move towards it. 

Here are some declaration examples:  

• During my career, when faced with difficult issues, I would pull my teams together and express the vision I had for the organization. Using the vision as our guide, we worked together and came up with innovative approaches and processes which were implemented and moved us towards the desired outcome. Often the dialogues would refine the vision as multiple perspectives highlighted both positive and negative aspects. While the core of what was desired did not change, the parameters could. 
• After I retired and moved to the Island of Hawaii, I created a vision board of what I wanted to have happen while living there. Setting my intentions with a vision board, I eventually found myself living in a house with an ocean-view and my art being accepted into multiple Hawaiian galleries.  

I have no doubt that if you were to stop and think about it, those times that you declared a vision and set an intention to do something yielded results. 

The power of declaring can influence, inspire, and drive change. When you bring others into your vision, you expand your resources to achieve it. Look to our history books – Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Susan B. Anthony – all of these (and more) had a vision and were able to declare it in ways that still resonate today. They influenced, inspired, and drove change. 

In our first blog on vision, I wrote: 

Having a vision, a clear and aspirational description of the desired outcome, acts as a North Star to guide you. It becomes a powerful source of motivation especially when you face challenges. This is true as an individual, a team, or an organization. 

This remains true. Declaring your vision will yield benefits. Take every opportunity to put it into the world and see what results. 

This week: Can you clearly articulate your vision (personal or professional)? What do you want your message to be? When you are ready, choose a couple of people with whom you can share what you want to see. Choose them wisely as you want them to be a part of your support network not a detractor.