My 2007 vision board now shows my achievements!
Today I’m talking about opportunities and goals. You know those little bits of serendipity which come along unexpectedly? Chances which appear in front of us and make us wonder…
Hmmmm – what if?
Should I do this?
Is it a good idea?
Can I? Me? Really?
Are you suffering with stringy brain?
When new Clients come to me for help, many are suffering with ‘stringy brain’ as one of my current Osteopaths calls it. And it really does explain that confusion about which direction we want to go in. I have been there myself and it’s a very uncomfortable place. There are so many loose ends dangling there that we don’t know how to untangle it all and create a plan that makes sense. More than that it has to resonate with our core, inspire us and fire us up to achieve those goals. Until we can become clear about our dreams and aspirations, we cannot get focus and clarity about what is the next indicated step on that path to our success.
About three years ago I felt dreadfully confused. I knew I wanted to have my own business again, to be the master of my destiny and to live a flexible life; not bound by other’s demands. But what to do? Should I work with Osteopaths or should I teach cookery in online videos? My own Business Coach eventually had enough of my dithering.
“Just flipping well choose ONE and get on with it”, she demanded. To be fair, she was right, it really was time to get on with it! So I chose to help Osteopaths, bought a web domain and got cracking.
Get yourself a vision board
I encourage my new Clients to think about where they are now, where they want to go and what they want to achieve. We are all different and no two lives and careers are the same.
The best way to get this down is to write it out, draw it out or, my favourite, to create a vision board. Taking a big sheet of coloured paper, pens, glue, scissors and a glass of something chilled, grab a selection of your favourite magazines and take some time out for yourself. This really does help to bring clarity about what we really desire.
Now think about all the things you would love to do, achieve and experience. On my own board I have an image of the world (global domination being my goal!!) as I also want to travel more. There are images of gorgeous notebooks (I want to write more), a lovely Audi (why not?) and lots of inspiring words like ‘Storytellers call a new beginning an invitation‘
Cut out all the images and words which resonate with you. You may find lots of the same pictures will attract you and that’s worth noting. Once you’ve got a great pile of cuttings, sift through and remove the ones which are less striking or strong. With what you have left, spread them out across the paper and overlap wherever you like. When it’s right, glue!
What will my vision board do for me?
Now when you have an opportunity come up, a choice between two paths or the possibility of change, your decision will be far easier. Why? Because you can quietly look at your vision board and ask, “Does this opportunity take me closer to my goals or further away?” And in that moment your gut will tell you the answer. Not in an airy fairy way but in a grounded way because you’ve already worked out what you want to achieve. This vision board will make decisions easier and stop those rash, jumpy, irrational and darn right ridiculous moves which later become regrets.
When you get clear about what you want in all areas of your life (business is not separate) you will find it far easier to take a look at your vision board and think about grasping those opportunities which take you closer to your goals. Intuitively you will push aside those bright shiny objects which are only going to distract and delay you from reaching your goals.
My vision board is bringing me success!
Almost every day now I get calls and emails from people saying that my name just keeps ‘popping up’ or that someone has told them that they really need to talk to me to get some business advice. I also get lots of offers to work with others in various capacities. However, my vision board keeps me steady on my path. I’m careful who I collaborate with because if I water myself down too far, I won’t be making such an impact in my niche.
My main vision was to be able to help Osteopaths anywhere in the world and indeed I now have Clients around the globe. I love that we can jump onto Skype and have a face to face coaching session and hammer out a plan! This week I had a wonderful email from an Osteopath in Auckland, New Zealand. She just wanted to wish me well and thank me for my weekly tips and insights.
Success is not just about making a living, it’s also about making a difference.
My latest vision board is all about business success because my children are both well, independent and self-sufficient now. It’s my time now and my two businesses are soaring!
So get a vision board, populate it with images of the life you want. Put it in a prominent position on your office wall or inside a cupboard door if you want to keep it more private. Look at it often and check in – are you living this life yet? If not, what is the next step you need to take? Which opportunity do you need to grab? Which changes do you need to adopt?
And most importantly which things do you need to dump, avoid or get rid of so that you can live the life you love? And do let me know if you need some help in unscrambling your stringy brain or implementing your plans. It turns out I made the right decision between helping Osteopaths or teaching cookery. I couldn’t possibly be happier.
