Posts Tagged ‘vision board’

Most people wait until New Year’s to start contemplating the new year and setting resolutions and goals.  But, not the people that I hang out with.  You people are on fire!  It’s barely December and everyone I know is beginning to make some assessment of 2009 and some plans for 2010.  I have a process that I run through at the end of each year and I thought I’d share it with you.  They are my Ten Questions for Spectacular Direction:

1. What did I accomplish this year?
2. What were my biggest disappointments?
3. What did I learn?
4. What 10 things do I do that I love to do?
5. What 10 things do I do that I don’t love to do?  How can I stop doing some of these things?
6. What roles do I play in my life?  For help, look at these areas and determine which roles you play:  career, money, health & fitness, love life, friends & family, personal & spiritual development, environment, and fun& recreation.  I use sassy titles like “Mother of the Year” instead of “Mom” and “God’s Girl” instead of “Confirmation Teacher” and “The Woman of His Dreams” instead of “Wife” and “The Girl Everyone is Talking About” instead of “networker.”  We all play so many roles in our lives.  Consolidate them a little, make about 8 “Title Roles” and list the sub roles underneath them.  For example:  “Mother of the Year” might have sub roles: chef, taxi driver, cheerleader, tutor, housekeeper, coach, personal shopper, librarian, gamer and ATM.  “The Best Coach in SCV” might have roles like “Coach, CTI Ambassador, ICF Board Member, WE Marketing Coordinator, blogger, networker, Get Clients Now facilitator, etc.”
7. What are my goals for each of my top 8 Roles?  Set SMART Goals:  specific, measurable, achievable, resonant, and thrilling (that might be a little different than the SMART goals you are accustomed to – I’ll write more about that another day).
8. What one or two roles are my major focus for next year?  What are my top 10 goals for next year?
9. What’s really most important to me?  What are my top 4 values that will get me the results I want next year?  I call these my “Cornerstones” and I “run” my decisions through them.
10. What support do I need to achieve my goals?  Education, resources, consulting, coaching, a buddy, a support system, etc.

Okay, I know that there are really more than ten questions on that list.  But, it’s worth it and you’re worth it.  It normally takes me about 3 hours to go through the process.  I write down all my answers and produce a lovely little one page summary that I hang on my wall all year, which I also give a sassy name (last year’s was “Sunshine 2009″, this year’s is “Win in 2010″).  As a reward, I normally treat myself to a vision board.  If I’ve done it right, my goals are a little breath taking and I treat myself to a glass of champagne to celebrate the success that I am starring in the face.

In order to get results in your life, manage your focus. Do you notice when you get a new car, you start seeing that car everywhere? It’s because you are now focused on that car. Do you ever focus on dieting and all you want to do is cheat? It is because focusing on deprivation makes you feel deprived. Have you been focusing on the “sorry state of the economy” and feeling financial stress? There is an easier way, a result’s oriented way.

The first step is to get clear about what you want. This is actually the step where most people get stuck. Most people focus on what they don’t want, rather than focusing on the result they want to create. When you focus on what you don’t want, you get more of what you don’t want. It’s called The Law of Attraction. So, what do you want? State your intentions in the positive. Rather than getting out of debt, focus on being financially abundant. Rather than losing weight, focus on being healthy. Rather than cleaning up the disaster in your office, focus on getting organized. Rather than focusing on the current “economic crisis”, focus on gratitude for the abundance in your life. Stating your intention is only the first step.

The next step is to get really clear about what you want and create your vision. You can do this by keeping a journal, by creating a vision board or by visualizing the result in your mind. A journal can be used to create your original vision and to practice a daily visioning activity such as writing one affirmation to use during the day and keeping a record of five successes for the day. A vision board can be easily created using a blank poster and pictures and words from magazines to create a collage focused on your desired result. Simply spending three to five minutes once or twice a day visualizing your success with your eyes closed is especially effective. Visualizing your success clearly and re-visiting your vision is imperative to your success.

Any success you have created in your life is likely the result of active visualization. You think about it all day long and nothing can distract you from your result. Obstacles become problems to solve instead of insurmountable hurdles. Focus on your outcomes and practice staying clear about your visions and watch your results show up in your life faster, better and easier than ever before.

Carrie Kish is a life coach who believes YOU are destined for greatness! She helps her clients get focused and create visions in her Destiny Board workshops. For more information, visit www.CarrieKish.com or call 661.255.2100.