I've watched hundreds of senior leaders paralyze themselves trying to create the "perfect" vision for their next chapter.
They sit there trying to map out exactly where they'll be in 10 years:
- What their business will look like.
- How much revenue they'll generate.
- What their ideal day will be.
Every single detail is planned out with precision.
Then they get overwhelmed, decide it's not perfect enough, and do nothing.
They think vision needs to be a destination when really it just needs to be a direction.
Creating an impossible destination.
This is what I see happen constantly.
Leaders try to create this elaborate 10-year plan with specific milestones and metrics and timelines. They want to know exactly what success looks like before they're willing to take the first step. The vision becomes so detailed and so specific that it feels unachievable before they even start.
So they wait.
They keep refining and thinking it over whilst convincing themselves they need more clarity, when what they actually need is permission to not have everything figured out.
Your vision isn't supposed to be a rigid plan.
It's supposed to be a direction that tells you which way to point yourself.
It starts with 5 questions.
When I work with clients on vision, I don't ask them to create some grand 10-year plan.
I ask them five questions. That's it.
- What do you want more of in your life?
- What do you want less of?
- What do you want to start doing?
- What do you want to stop doing?
- What do you want to learn?
Answer those five questions honestly and you've got your direction.
You know what you're moving toward and what you're moving away from.
You know what matters and what doesn't.
You have enough clarity to take the next step without needing to see the entire staircase.
Creating your constraints.
But it doesn’t end there.
Once you have your answers to these five questions, there’s one more factor to consider.
Constraints show you what you actually want.
- Time constraints.
- Income constraints.
- Lifestyle non-negotiables.
Your constraints make your ideas either a go or a no-go.
They give you permission to rule things out quickly instead of spinning on possibilities that were never realistic in the first place.
Naming your constraints is what makes the dream achievable.
You're allowed to iterate.
With this in mind, your vision does not have to be set in stone for the rest of your career.
You're allowed to change direction as you go, and iterate, adjust, or completely pivot if needed.
The goal is to create enough direction to start moving and then adjust as you learn more about what you actually want.
That's how reinvention actually works.
Not with perfect plans, but with clear enough direction to take the next step.
If the ideas I’ve shared today resonate with you, then I know you will find my next live event extremely valuable on your path to exiting corporate and starting your own business.
It takes place on Wednesday, January 28 at 12:00pm Eastern Time.
You can sign up for free here.
See you soon,
Melina
The Reinvention Architect
P.S. To ensure these weekly emails reach you, drag this email into your ‘Primary’ tab or add me to your safe sender list. Thank you!
113 Cherry St. #92768, Seattle, WA 98104
Unsubscribe · Preferences