2020: The Year of Perfect Vision
The year uttered by optometrists for decades has finally arrived: 2020. What better year to master the factor attributed to success when clear, blamed for failure when absent, and sought by coaches the world over: vision.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines vision this way: “the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom.” Said another way, vision is a vivid picture of what life will look like with goals attained.
The Baby Billionaire teaches others to establish a clear vision of financial independence.
As the new year unfolds, it’s the perfect time to clarify your family’s vision, make plans to realize it, and take steps to evaluate your progress. Why? We’re glad you asked.
The Growing Importance of Focus
Distraction has never been so abundant, varied, and widely embraced. “I’m bored” used to be a common refrain of childhood. Now, boredom is painted over with distraction – still present, just medicated by likes, comments, and shares. What’s wrong with this? Boredom is a fabulous motivator. It gets us out of bed, inspires us to action, and promotes growth. When Warren Buffett and Bill Gates first met, Bill Gates, Sr. presented his son and his famous dinner guest with a question: what quality do you admire most in a person. The answer? Have a look:
Becoming a Family of Vision
If you’re still reading, you’re likely convinced that it’s due time to clarify your vision for the year. So what’s next? Our take: do it as a family. Brainstorm a master list of goals as a family, then give each member of the family three votes. Tally all of the votes to narrow your list down to three specific goals. Life coach Tony Robbins has this unexpected advice when it comes to vision: “make it achievable.” Even the most ambitious of people agree that this is not the time to say you’ll make 10x the income, or buy a mansion by year-end. Focus on a few goals. Draft them together. Make them achievable. Perhaps your vision is to save more, waste less food, or start a business together. One family we profiled did just that – to great success.
Benchmark, Evaluate, and Adjust
Each month, take a look at your three goals and measure your progress. Perhaps you’ll create a chart for the fridge, or use an app to make benchmarks for each goal. Regardless of the tools you use to check in on your vision, evaluate your progress together, and consider next steps in unison. If you come to realize that your vision was too ambitious, adjust your goals. It’s better to adjust your goals and stay the course than abandon your plans in a pile of defeat. At the end of the year, discuss what you learned, how you bonded, and what to adjust for next year. The specific goals—of saving for that new puppy, reducing waste, or putting down the phones at dinnertime—are certainly valuable. But the process of working toward a vision as a family can create invaluable memories and lasting bonds. Here’s to 2020 vision in 2020!
