To read the beginning of this three-part series on identities and habits, click here for part one.
As we continue discussing identity and habits, it’s time to think about your vision. (And no, we’re not talking about your eyesight). This is the vision for your life and your business. You definitely have one – something drove you to start your business.
It’s important to keep your vision top of mind as you tune into the thoughts and feelings that pop up throughout each day. One of the ways you can manage your negativity bias is to focus on your vision. And then, as you’ll see later, you can separate what you think out of habit as opposed to what reflects who you are.
Your vision is about what you want your life and your business to look like. Just as importantly, it focuses on what you want those areas to feel like. What do you want to be? What do you want to do? And what do you want to have?
If it’s been a while since you’ve done any daydreaming, make time within the next 24 hours. Include as part of your visualization. Ask yourself what you want to be, do and have. Also, take the time to dig into your ‘why’ – why you want what you want.
If you’re not in the habit of frequently taking time to visualize your big picture as well as your day-to-day goals, that’s a habit you’ll want to incorporate on a regular basis.
The future you
Here’s another question – who do you need to reach your vision? To reach the things you want to do, be and have?
To develop into the entrepreneur you dream of becoming and bring your business to the next level, you’ll likely need to make some changes.
Think about how you see yourself and what you do on a daily, weekly, monthly or annual basis Think about what may need to change to become the entrepreneur you aspire to be.
Here’s an example. To grow your business, you may have to take on a team. Whether that means employees or contractors, you’ll have to step into your leadership role in a way you may not be doing right now. So, who are you as a leader? What skills and qualities will help you become a leader that people want to work for? How can you be a better communicator or delegator?
Reaching your business vision
Let me share with you a time when I had to change. A little more than a decade ago, I was miserable. I was working as a lawyer and lobbyist in an organization I thought had poor leadership. I was doing a job – a part of which, at least, I no longer enjoyed. Every night I carried my job-related misery home to my husband.
I hated Mondays, and Fridays couldn’t arrive soon enough. You might be able to relate. I was asking questions about life and whether what I was doing was all there was. Of course, I knew that it wasn’t. I was doing a lot of talk about what needed to change but not taking nearly enough action to make it happen.
The journey I was on was stagnant because I was looking for certainty and security. It was easier to stay where I was (and being miserable) than to step out and try something different, to start the business I knew I wanted. But when I projected that misery into the future, I knew I needed to change what I was doing and the person I was becoming. I started focusing not just on starting a business but also on being the kind of business owner I wanted to be. I did what was required of me.
You might have a similar story that led you towards starting your business. I want you to yourself: is there something keeping you from stepping up and taking your business to the next level? Have you become the business owner you wanted to be? If not, who do you need to become? How can you reach everything you want to do, be and have in your life and for your business?
This article will continue in Part III to discuss connecting your identity with your habits. If you missed Part I, be sure to read it here!
If you’re looking for more content on developing your business vision, read The Importance of Sight and Vision: A Collective Effort.
About the author
Whitnie Wiley is a leader in organizational, leadership and employee development.
After spending years in companies with crummy cultures and lousy leadership, Wiley has dedicated herself to helping organizations and individuals adopt and implement strategies that create workplaces and cultures people love to work in.
As an in-demand coach, speaker, and trainer, Wiley shares wisdom from her own life experiences, as well as those of her clients, with grace, humility and humor to drive change in today’s business world.
Her clients include aspiring, emerging and new executives aiming to be the kinds of leaders even they’d want to work for and organizations seeking to hire, retain, develop and promote the best talent.
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