| Creating the Ultimate Vision for Ultimate Success | | | | going to the beach, reading trashy novels or |
| | | | watching more movies. |
| I've been thinking a lot lately about the importance of | | | | If you're staring outside at a blizzard and feel tears |
| having a clear, compelling vision to get you past all of | | | | begin to well up in your eyes, maybe your ideal place |
| life's challenges and obstacles. | | | | to work and play is in Florida or the Barbados. On the |
| In fact, it prompted me to do a little research about | | | | other hand, if the first snowflake sends you running |
| some of our society's most successful people. For | | | | for your skis, you're probably already in the right |
| example, did you know that: | | | | place. |
| · Einstein's teachers told his parents he would | | | | What are you grateful for? |
| never amount to anything. | | | | Record where you are today, and compare it to |
| · Thomas Edison went broke four times. | | | | where you were two, three, five or even 10 years |
| · Michael Jordan was cut from his high school | | | | ago. Note the differences, celebrate your successes - |
| basketball team. | | | | and resolve to change those things in your life you |
| · A newspaper editor fired Walt Disney for | | | | aren't happy with. |
| having no good ideas. | | | | How long do you expect to live - and when do you |
| · Steven Spielberg was put into a class for | | | | want to retire? |
| students with learning disabilities. | | | | What do you plan to do after you retire? What do |
| · Colonel Sanders talked to 1005 people before | | | | you want to achieve? And if you end up living ten |
| he could find one person willing to try his recipe. That | | | | years longer than you expected to, what will you do |
| makes his closing ratio 1005 to one - undeniably the | | | | with your time then? |
| worst I've ever seen. | | | | For that matter, why wait? Is there anything on your |
| What's inspiring to me about these highly successful | | | | retirement wish list you can start doing right now? |
| people isn't just their eventual accomplishments. It's | | | | ***** |
| how they were able to overcome their early failures | | | | When answering these questions, make sure you |
| and go on to achieve greatness. | | | | spend some uninterrupted thinking time. It could be |
| How did they succeed where so many others fail? | | | | on an airplane or train, on weekends, in front of the |
| Because they each had a grand and sincere vision of | | | | fire or while you're on vacation. Ideally, you should |
| what they wanted to accomplish. With a grand vision, | | | | choose someplace that's both comfortable and |
| there are no such things as permanent failures. There | | | | stimulating. But wherever you do your thinking, don't |
| are only temporary setbacks. | | | | give the development of your vision short shrift. |
| Ultimate success comes from having a strong vision. | | | | After all, as U.S. Senator Conrad Burns reminds us: |
| To me, a strong vision is all about setting clear goals. | | | | "In life you are given two ends, one to think with |
| So how can you find your ultimate vision? Try asking | | | | and the other to sit on. Your success in life depends |
| yourself some of the following questions: | | | | on which end you use the most. Heads you win, tails |
| What do you want to have? | | | | you lose." |
| Brainstorm wildly with this one, and don't hold back. | | | | Once you have the answers to these questions, |
| List everything you've ever dreamed of having. A | | | | surround yourself with people who will help you |
| new BMW. A trip around the world. Or maybe just a | | | | achieve your vision. My father always said - Colleen, if |
| couple of beach houses in Maui. Whatever it is you | | | | you want to be rich, study from people who are |
| desire, write it here. | | | | already rich. Similarly, you will more easily achieve |
| What do you want to experience? | | | | your vision if you associate with people who are |
| Perhaps a new culture? Parenthood? Or simply the | | | | already living it. This is the concept of behavior |
| pleasure of never again having to call anyone else | | | | congruence that I discussed on my blog on |
| "boss"? | | | | December 3, 2006 - you can find out more about it |
| What are you willing to give up? | | | | at |
| Achieving what you want is about making and | | | | Of course, things change over time, so be sure to |
| managing choices, so ask yourself what you're willing | | | | revisit your answers at least once a year to make |
| to give up in order to achieve your goals. | | | | sure your vision stays up to date with your lifestyle |
| If you want to grow your business by 50% this | | | | and what you've accomplished. It's okay for your |
| year, for example, maybe you have to give up your | | | | vision to be dynamic, just so long as what doesn't |
| C-rated customers. Maybe you have to give up an | | | | change is your commitment to it. |
| hour of sleep a night so you can come into the | | | | Regardless of any short-term changes that occur in |
| office and make your sales calls earlier. Or maybe | | | | your life, however, you may be surprised to find that |
| you have to give up working out seven days a week | | | | your grand vision hardly changes at all. If you answer |
| to stay at the office later. | | | | the questions above as honestly as you can, your |
| What's your ideal environment? | | | | vision today will likely be very similar to the vision you |
| What is the ideal environment you like to work and | | | | create five years from now, because they will both |
| play in? What do you want to do with your time | | | | come from your core hopes, dreams and values. |
| outside of work, or when you go home? Maybe it's | | | | Congratulations on taking the required steps for a |
| riding motorcycles, learning to cook or writing a | | | | successful 2007 and beyond. Feel free to send me |
| screenplay. Maybe it's having children, or spending | | | | your vision and goals for the year. It would be my |
| time with your family. Or it might just be as simple as | | | | pleasure to hold you accountable for achieving them! |