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Grounded vision

This is a tool I have developed to help my clients create a personal vision that works. One that leads with a strong WHY, and at the same time stands firmly grounded in their reality: their resources, and the needs of their “world” – the organisation, clients, or community they serve. In the integration of these three key dimensions – vision, resources and others’ needs – lies the key to a successful vision and to a fulfilled life. I am sharing the model below in relation to a personal (life) vision. It works equally well to define a vision for a professional initiative or project, your next career step, or your company.

Here is what it looks like:

1) Your resources: who you have become and who you are today. Your best qualities and capabilities, what you’re known for. These are

qualities “that brought you here, but won’t get you there”. You still want to know, honour, and sometimes still use these tried and trusted resources.
qualities that are emergent: skills you know you need to get to the next level, which you have to a certain degree and are still developing

Your resources are also your current role and responsibilities, your team, and your network across the organization and your community.

2) Others’ needs: what the world, your organization, clients, community, family need. Your resources enable you to create and deliver “the goods”, but your vision can only flourish when you put them to the service of others, improving their situation or lives in some way. Fulfilment and success happen in relationship to the world and the people around you, and you want to understand and serve these external needs around you.

3) Your personal vision: where you want to take your life – to align with your values – such as making a difference, happiness, fulfilment, balance, growth, prosperity, security, wellbeing. Your North Star of where you want to take your life from here: What are your values, i.e. what’s most valuable for you ? What qualities do you need to cultivate and what actions do you need to take to serve these values and reach this vision.

The sweet spot lies in the integration of these three dimensions.