In practice, among other things this meant helping them define and set goals, representing their desired outcomes or results.
Visualization
Inevitably, the most enjoyable and energizing stage of the process was visualizing what success would look like for them. At this stage I encouraged my clients to dream about what their success would look like and feel like when they achieved it.
Whether lawyers, financial planners or or work-at-home Moms, clients enjoyed the visualization exercise as much as I did.
In developing content for my website, it was only logical for me to include material that reflected visualization as component of strategic planning.
When looking for new visualization content, I came across the concept of a vision board...so based my web content about vision on developing a vision board.
A vision board is simple...yet powerful.
It contains images of goals...or results...that we would like to achieve. As part of writing about a vision board, I decided to try it out.
My Vision Board
In March of 2009, I
came up with 31 goals that I wanted to achieve by December 31, 2012. The only magic in that date was that it was then almost 4 years in the future.
I then searched Google images for images that reflected each of these goals, printed copies and posted the copies on my vision board.
My vision board remains on the wall to my left, a visual reminder of my goals.
With my goals set and captured in images posted beside me, I got on with other things.
Although I was constantly aware of the montage of images, I did not pay much attention to individual graphics.
Year End Reflections
About the middle of December '09, a number of seemingly unrelated events started to unfold.
As I started to reflect on the images on my vision board, I realized that I had made substantial progress on 7 of these goals. Not bad from a standing start.
When considering which goals I wanted to focus on for 2010, I identified the 15 that made the most sense. Many of these 15 goals meant living and working somewhere else. Hmmm.
Meanwhile, on another front, I had been trying to sell my car since the middle of September.
After virtually no serious interest in the car, on December 13, I finally got an interested purchaser that led to an agreement to sell the car. The agreement was subject to a safety check, which I did not expect would have been a problem.
On December 15, I learned that the mechanics who had serviced the car since we got it were not prepared to certify it. Damn!
In frustration, I went to the local passport office to get my passport renewed. Fortunately the renewal process went smoothly and I was advised that the new passport would be mailed on December 31.
When I got back from the passport office, there was an email from a Costa Rican friend whom I had met online. An issue had arisen that he wanted to discuss with me.
Instead of trying to discuss it by email, I suggested that we discuss it by phone, which we did the next morning at the agreed time. Happily, the issue was satisfactorily addressed.
I then checked my email and found a message from another potential purchaser for the car.
After a brief exchange of emails, I reached another agreement to sell the car 'as is'. We agreed to complete the transaction on Saturday.
Later that same day I heard a knock on the door and was mentally preparing my 'get-lost' speech for what I expected was yet another door-to-door canvasser.
Instead of one of these pests, I was absolutely delighted to see a young man whom I had met back in the spring of 2009.
Although I forgot his name and was too surprised and embarrassed to ask, I did remember that when we first met, he was in Toronto studying English. From Costa Rica, he wanted to say good bye before heading home. Wow!!
Before the sale of car was completed, two other people expressed interest in buying it as is...one for $300 more...if the planned sale fell through.
Happily, the car was sold the car on December 19 as planned. It went to a very happy new owner. Nice!
The following Monday, December 21, I received my new passport...10 days before it was even to have been mailed. Amazing!
On December 23, having lunch with a friend, we had a great server with a delightful Spanish accent. When my friend asked him where he was from, he answered with a proud smile...Costa Rica.
Costa Ricans studying in Toronto...who knew?
The Intersection of Three Themes
At that point, three themes were starting to come together:
- my planning process suggesting the time was near to live and work somewhere else
- with a new passport, I could travel
- all signs seemed to point to traveling to Costa Rica
This coming together seemed to tell me that that the Costa Rican seed that was planted in March, 2008 had germinated and was starting to grow.
As well as being very exciting, it was also very, very scary.
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