How to Start Creating a Vision That Pulls You Into the Future

I've known since long before becoming a consultant how powerful visioning practices can be.

I first used a visioning exercise when I was looking for my first post-college job. That vision helped pull me forward into a world that was, well, a bit scary with how much was unknown.

Now I frequently use large-scale group graphics and facilitation practices to help individuals and teams create compelling visions of the future they hope to create.

In other circumstances, the value of visioning is to give a group confidence that they can retain the most essential parts of their company and culture in the midst of planned or necessary change.

We create their vision. And then we turn their vision into long- and short-term plans and clear follow-up practices. And then, well, then...often vision-led individuals and teams even exceed what they'd planned. Visions can be lots of fun to create.

The process and outcome provide much insight and energy to move forward, even when you - or the group you're working with, hasn't been able to move forward before.

Here are two small exercises you can use to try out or kick-start the visioning process. Both are adapted from "Visioning, Ten Steps to Designing the Life of Your Dreams," by Lucia Capacchione

1. Create a focus phrase.

Find a few words or a phrase that clearly expresses what you most want in your business or some part of your life.

As Lucia Capacchione notes in her book, "When your mind starts chasing all over the place, the focus phrase is the still point you return to. You let extraneous, distracting, and disruptive thoughts go their own way. Instead of allowing your mind to roam about and take control, you take charge of it. You decide where you want your thoughts to go and where to put your energy."

If you're unsure of what to use for your focus phrase, start with a question that's relevant to the area of your life for which you're creating your vision. For example:

- What's in the year ahead for me?
- What kind of business do I really want?
- Who is my ideal customer?
- Who is the reader for my first book?

Or if you already have some idea of the phrase you want, be more definite. Here are examples:

- My ideal 2010
- My ideal business
- My ideal customer
- The reader of my book

You can use a focus phrase for other phases of your life, such as:

- My next trip
- My ideal home (or office)
- My perfect relationship
- The new me

Capture the focus phrase in some way so it's easy to use, such as by writing it on a 3x5 card you carry with you and refer to frequently. It can help you make decisions about how to spend precious resources, such as time, attention, energy, money.

For visioning purposes, use the phrase to help you select images that support your focus area in the next exercise. It helps you quickly find images that support your focus phrase and goal.

2. Research by collecting images and words that grab you

- Collect images from magazines, direct mail, newspapers, and other sources.

Use ones that express a specific dream, wish or desire from which you can later create a collage, using simple art-making tools such as poster board, glue sticks, colored markers.

- Using your focus phrase, start paging through your collection of photos and phrases.

Cut out images and words that speak to you about your focus phrase or theme.

- When you're ready to start assembling a college - if you choose to do so - select the pictures and words that "leap off the page at you," expressing most strongly what you seek and hope to create and experience in the next phase of your work or life.

- Don't analyze or think much about your choices.

Just focus on your theme. Go with your intuition and feelings.

- If an image or phrase grabs you, grab it.

Don't edit right now.

Keep your mind open, and your imagination free.

If thoughts of obstacles start trying to take over, let go of them. You can do the editing and winnowing process later, if you find the visioning process valuable so far.