 Self
Development Best Practices
Goals are
Useless ...
It’s Vision, You See by B e v v Beirl
Whoa!!!! Did a business coach actually say goals are
useless? Let’s complete the thought. Goals are useless
if there’s no vision. It seems that somewhere along the
way emphases have been on setting goals. We’re told we
must have short-term, mid-term and long-term goals.
We’re told that the goals must be specific and
measurable with a time frame attached. All of that is
great advice; however, what is a goal without a vision?
What is a goal? It's merely a stepping-stone to move us
forward in our life. We put several stepping-stones
together to forge the path to our ultimate dream or
vision. Maybe the reason goals are use(d)less is because
the dream or vision to which we are aspiring is vague or
unclear.
Do you have a clear vision of what you want and where
you want to be in your business, career, physical
location and even relationships?
You see, (no pun intended) ---- the first thing we must
do is create our VISION. Once we have a clear vision of
where we want to be 5,10, or 15 years from now, we can
work backwards and set the goals in place that will
deliver us to our vision.
In the 16th century, astronomer Nicolai Copernicus
fostered the vision of a multiplicity of worlds and a
wider universe. About 100 years later Copernicus’s
vision became not only accepted, but reality.
John F. Kennedy’s vision delivered in a speech in l961
lead NASA into outer space. Even though the critics were
many and harsh, Neil Armstrong planted the American flag
on the moon on July 20, 1969, nearly a decade after
Kennedy verbalized his vision.
Be advised that as you begin your visioning process
there are some vision killers. These killers are only as
strong as your vision is weak. Every successful person
has been challenged by these pesky gremlins and learned
how to mute them.
So pull out your sword and shield and prepare to
encounter:
Traditions
Fear of ridicule
Stereotypes of people, conditions, roles and governing
councils
Complacency
Fatigued leaders
Short-term thinking
“Naysayers”
“I have a dream that my
four children will one day live in a nation where they
will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the
content of their character. I have a dream today.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
On August 28, l963 Dr. King
verbalized his dream, his vision. He didn’t know how it
would come to fruition. What he knew was that his vision
was clear and he described it in detail in his renowned
speech delivered from the steps of the Lincoln monument.
As you create your vision,
dismiss the temptation to let the “how” stop you. If
your vision is clear enough, the how is not even a
factor. This can be especially hard for the analytical
types. Instead of pouring energy into the “how to”
steps, pour your energy into the details of the vision.
Use every sense. How do you feel; what does is smell
like in your new office or home or country? Where are
you; who surrounds you; what is the atmosphere? And how
do you feel when you wake up in the morning to begin a
new day?
Once you’ve created your vision, review it every night
before you go to sleep. Your vision should be so real
that when you wake every day, you feel as though you
have already arrived. Remember to offer gratitude for
the many things in your life you now enjoy and then roll
out of bed knowing that your vision is one day closer.
Is all this wishful thinking? No, no and no! What it is
-- is creating the life you want. What it is -- is being
your own genie!!!! Your wish is your command.
B e v v Beirl is a
successful businesswoman who has written and spoken on
human potential for over 25 years. Bevv is also the
editor of Bay Area Business Magazine. She can be reached
at:
editor@bayareabusinessmagazine.com.
Published August 2007,
Volume 1, Number 5,
Bay
Area Business Magazine
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