How to Write a Strong Personal Vision Statement – Your vision statement is a snapshot of the future you desire for yourself. Think of your vision statement as your purpose, your why, and your all!
Your vision statement is an integration of your beliefs, inspirations, goals, values, skills, experience, career, financial status, and personal development. It is all of these things put together in one statement to represent the future you desire.
Here is an interesting excerpt from the novel – Alice in Wonderland:
“Alice came to the fork in the road. ‘Which road do I take?’ She asked. ‘Where do you want to go?’ Responded the Cheshire Cat. ‘I don’t know,’ Alice answered. Then, said the Cat, ‘It doesn’t matter.’”
~ Lewis Carrol, in Alice Wonderland
Not having a vision statement is like being at a fork in the road and not knowing which road to take. As the Cat rightly said, it doesn’t matter at that point which road Alice takes. Since Alice doesn’t know where she is headed, any road will take her anywhere since she does not have any preferred destination.
When you have a clear personal vision, you will take on each day with firm control and guidance for your decisions and with clarity and purpose-driven actions. You will end each year achieving your greatness!
How to Write a Strong Personal Vision Statement
So, how do you craft a winning vision statement that matters to you?
The key to writing a strong vision statement is to be true to the future you envision for yourself. Keep in mind that this is not other people’s vision for you, it is a vision of “you” for “yourself”. So, make it as personal as you possibly can!
When you create your vision statement, you are making a short statement that answers these five questions:
- What do you do?
- How do you do what you do?
- What do you want to achieve?
- How do you want to achieve it?
- What does success look like to you?
The hardest part of writing a vision statement is finding the right words that truly demonstrate your purpose and values, and at the same time, provide guidance and clarity for your actions.
Here is your guide to writing a strong personal vision statement.
Reflect on your Core Values and Passions
Remember, a strong vision statement should be personal, inspiring, and specific to your aspirations. It should motivate and guide you toward your goals while aligning with your values and passions.
Think Long-Term, Dream Big!
When you craft your vision statement, stretch your imagination. This is the moment for you to think long-term and dream big! Do not limit your dreams!
Remember, you create your tomorrow by what you dream of today. Forecast your future five to ten years from now and focus on success rather than hurdles.
As you think about what, why, how, and the success of what you do, think in the long term and dream big!
Make it Compelling and Inspiring
Your vision statement must evoke your interest powerfully. Infuse your passion in your vision and make it inspiring! As you think about what success looks like for you in the future, make it such that it compels and inspires you not to give up.
Write It Down in a Short Statement
Write your concise vision statement down to make yourself accountable! Put all these together and write them down in one short statement (no longer than two sentences) to reflect the future and vision you desire.
Use a portable notebook, something you can easily reference. As times go by, you can go back and see where you started and what you have achieved.
“A vision just carried to the heart may soon be forgotten, but a vision written down is visible, can be referenced, and can easily be achieved.“
~ Dr. Charity Ezenwa-Onuaku
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Review Your Vision Statement Annually
Your vision statement should not be set in stone. Review your vision statement every year to see where you started and where you are. Things may have changed.
As you grow and learn more things, and as you connect to more people, develop more skills, and complete some life milestones, you will notice that your what, why, and how may begin to change. Also, your definition of success may begin to change as well.
Reviewing your vision statement every year will reveal your progress so far, provide an opportunity to appreciate your efforts, and motivate you to never give up. This will also reveal areas for you to improve on and identify how you can make the next year better.
Examples of Strong Personal Vision Statements
- “To live a life that radiates love, compassion, and kindness, inspiring others to do the same.”
- “To become a leading innovator in sustainable energy solutions, creating a cleaner future for generations to come.”
- “To build a diverse and inclusive community that empowers individuals to grow and thrive.”
- “To craft stories that ignite imagination, challenge perspectives, and leave a lasting impact on readers.”
- “To create art that captures the beauty of the human experience and evokes emotions that connect us all.”
- “To use my strong writing and coaching skills to become a best-selling author and be known all over the world as a renowned author and writing coach.”
- “My ultimate vision is to start my own business, run it, and grow it to a 7-figure business within the next 5 years.”
Now go create your own and bring your vision to life! Give clarity to your life and purpose to your actions.
Remember, this is a personal and subjective process, so feel free to experiment and refine your statement until it truly reflects your aspirations and values.