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It’s that time of year, my year-end traditional piece of content. Like your favorite holiday movie, you (hopefully) don’t get sick of it, and, similar to that movie (again, hopefully), it’s a new experience each time – you get something out of it you didn’t last year.
I am sharing with you an exercise I like to do to set me up for the next three years, on a rolling three-year basis. I can’t really stand the pressure of resolutions, which have never seemed that meaningful to me. It could be because of the ones I’ve chosen, but I’d rather think about where I want to be and what I want my life to look like than to make rules for myself and restrict things like carbohydrates (!!!) or those new boots I want but don’t need. This exercise sets a better intention. I’m striving for a future I can visualize rather than disciplining for an outcome I don’t control.
Before I share how to do the exercise, a personal story on why it is so powerful.
It was Seattle in 1999. Grunge was just past its peak but very local. Music was everywhere. Krist Novoselic (from Nirvana) was in front of me in yoga class one day. I met Michael Stipe from REM at a holiday party. (My friend invited him to join us for dinner after. He declined. 🙂 I admired her boldness!) The World Trade Organization protests were happening outside my office, and I had to take back alleys to get out of town safely.
Overall, it was a fun time living there – I had a good job and a full social life. One morning, as I sat on the bus to work, reveling in the great weekend I had just enjoyed, while simultaneously plotting what I’d do the following weekend, I realized:
I didn’t want to live for the weekends anymore.
It just hit me as I looked around the bus at all the people who had no idea of the lightning strike that had just occurred, because they were too busy vacantly staring straight ahead.
My mind went into action. What can I say, I resort to checklists at the first opportunity. “What do I do now?” I wondered?
Over the next few weeks, I started to dream about what my life should be like. I knew I wanted to be back in a small town in the mountains, with access to the city I loved. I wanted a small home, like a cabin, but not rustic; cozy. As for my career, I would be doing something creative. And it would be my own business. I wasn’t sure what exactly, but I’d be working independently.
Geographically, I wanted to stay in the Northwest.
Other criteria: I need to be able to ski. Skiing is central to my existence and happiness.
I mentally painted a detailed picture of what I wanted my life to look like. I didn’t know how it would happen. But I carried this vision around with me in my head and began talking about it.
The following year, the company I worked for purchased Schweitzer Mountain, a ski resort in Sandpoint, Idaho that I had never heard of. I was sent there several times to assist with projects and fell in love with the area and the community.
In the fall of 2001, their marketing director resigned just before ski season began, and I was asked to take her position. I had two weeks to wrap up my job in Seattle, prepare my condo for rent, pack up, and move to start a new life and find a place to live. I’d have to present the ski season marketing plan to the executive team days after arrival.
Three years later, I needed more challenge than the ski resort job could give me. But by then, I’d met Patrick, who would eventually become my husband, and I’d created a life I didn’t want to leave. I had no choice but to take my ultimate big leap: leave my dream job and start my practice.
I took the pieces I loved about my work – communications and public relations and launched Big Leap Creative in 2004, with the ski resort agreeing to be my first client.
Patrick and I bought a small home on the outskirts of Sandpoint. One morning in July of 2004, as I made my coffee, it hit me.
Holy crap! This is what I had envisioned back in Seattle!
It took me five years to ultimately realize that dream, but let’s say after three, I was well on my way, which is why I like to do a three-year vision instead of New Year’s resolutions.
Vishen Lakhiani confirms this thinking:
“We tend to overestimate what we can accomplish in one year, but we underestimate what we can do in three years.” – The Code of the Extraordinary Mind
A vision helps us be clear on what we want. Resolutions focus on how we get there. For some, that’s great. But I reckon most of us don’t know how we want to get there.
Your Vision Exercise
Vishen Lakhiani walks you through it in his book linked above, but I have created a worksheet inspired by it.
Consider the three primary categories of life. Within each of these categories, are dozens of questions:
Experiences – Describe the adventures and relationships you want to have.
Growth – Describe your physical, mental, and intellectual growth.
Contribution – Describe your career, creative outlets, and community participation.
You can read his book or download my vision worksheet here to help you visualize your future. Work on it this afternoon! It takes about 15 minutes, and revisiting your sheets over time keeps your goals clear and motivating. Shows you where you still need to focus but also, how much you have to celebrate!
Remember, don’t worry about the “how.”
Focus on the end game and how it feels to you, which gives you the freedom and confidence to get clear without stressing over the details of the ‘how.’
We all know that when you have a road map for what you want, you are far more likely to achieve it. So give it a try, and please share with me any ideas or processes you use by leaving a comment below.
Also, if you’d like a strategic thought partner in the new year to help you achieve that vision, I have a few coaching spaces open starting in mid-January! Reply here, and we can set up a call to discuss. We also have one room left for our Pause in Provence Retreat in September! We have a great group assembled so far and cannot wait to relax in stunning Provence and reimagine our next chapters together.
I sincerely wish you a Happy New Year, and thank you for being part of this community.
Take care out there.
When you’re ready, here are a few ways I can help you and your team:
Need to get better at telling your story? (Or the story you tell yourself!) I can work with you one-to-one or with your team to help you prepare for your next presentation, pitch, or even navigate your next big change.
Looking for an engaging speaker? I deliver inspiring keynotes that help people connect to their stories and each other to better engage their teams, customers, and communities.
See a video showcasing my work here and if you need help with one of the items below, let’s schedule a time to talk.
Need something else you think I can help with? I’d love to connect.
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