The New Year naturally lends itself to thoughts of what you want for the year and possibly years ahead.
Without a doubt the person who’s had the most influence on us when it comes to visioning is Robert Fritz. Fritz argues that most people limit themselves when it comes to visioning. They focus on what they believe is possible, rather than what they really want. When we do this we leave our dreams behind. We settle for compromise and usually create more of the same.
When we dare to dream of what we really want – we activate dynamic forces in our lives. The gap between our vision and what we currently experience sets up a creative tension. It brings our choices into stark relief. We start to notice what we do and don’t act on.
Christmas and New Year’s celebrations interrupt our usual routine, helping us to let go of what pre-occupies and distracts us. Hopefully you’ve entered the New Year unencumbered.
So why not connect with what you care about. A vision will have energy and gain momentum because they are important to us.
How do you connect deeply to what you care about? Is it in conversation with friends? Is it through recalling powerful life experiences or in meditation? Writing connects me to the things close to my heart. I recently found myself writing a feature article for a professional journal on the use of power in organisations and society. The more I wrote the more I realised that changing the way we understand and use power is a priority for me. The future of the planet, as far as I can see, depends our ability to make this shift. It’s not just important, it’s urgent.
When we know our priorities, what we want to achieve and the course of action we must take, becomes much clearer.
When we stay steadfastly committed to our vision we soon find ourselves recognising and addressing any beliefs that undermine it. Our vision, our values and our comfort zone jostle with each other until they work it out. It may take a while, but that’s ok. Just stay connected to your vision – and in many ways your life will do the rest.
When visions are compelling, we care enough to act on them, we are committed enough to make changes for they call for.
Our vision at GCI is to build a global community of coaches supporting conscious leadership and doing extraordinary work in the world. An important part of this commitment is training coaches who understand not only their own personal power but the intricacies of power, rank, diversity and inclusion. While few coach training programs address diversity and inclusion … for us, it’s all part of conscious leadership in organisations and communities.
Questions to ask yourself
What’s your vision?
Is it compelling? Do you believe in it? Have you compromised your vision in any way?
Does it hold emotional power for you and your staff?
What changes does your vision ask of you? How does it stretch you?
As you enter the dragon’s lair, what must you be ready to encounter …. in the environment …. and in yourself?
