As is key in improving your effectiveness with most any endeavor, reflection on this journey is critical. Today, take the time to reflect on your vision.
Write it down.
Paint a vivid picture of your dream.
Then, as a communications expert once explained to me, it’s time to “reduce the sauce.” He was referring to the process in cooking when you’ve put all the ingredients into the pot, mixed them together, and have to keep cooking until it has condensed, and reduced…as you know, you end up with something more concentrated than what you began with.
So, reduce the sauce. Keep rewriting your vision until you can state it concisely and clearly in just a few sentences; no more than one short paragraph. When you reach that point, see if you can condense it down to one sentence.
Paul Martinelli, President of the John Maxwell Team, often says, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”
Give yourself the time to do this. Be patient with yourself. Try the words on for size. Let them roll around on your tongue to ensure they are your words and you are comfortable speaking them. Authenticity is important. Notice how your body feels as you say the words and declare your intentions. Trust your intuition when it says, “That’s just right; you can stop now!”
When you are finished it should be obvious who you are and what you stand for.
I spent years working on this one; refining it time and time, again. And it’s changed over the years, as I’ve learned more and reflected on my experiences. That’s the beauty of the journey.
I can’t wait to hear your vision statement…I hope you will share it with us here.
