WRITING A PERSONAL VISION STATEMENT
by Dr. Linda Phillips-Jones

In a nutshell, your personal vision is what you want to be, do, feel, think, own, associate with, and impact by some date in the future. We recommend that you identify your Personal Vision as a development strategy. We're providing some tools to help you identify and implement your personal vision.

In a previous article, we encouraged you to begin thinking about your personal vision. If you have not yet done so, go to Creating or Revising Your Personal Vision (Tool #1). Print a copy, and spend at least an hour by yourself completing it. You won't be able to do this task if you don't complete that important initial step.)

It's now time to pull together your research and write a Personal Vision Statement. Your vision must be unique and appropriate for you, so we offer the following Personal Vision Statement only as an example:

I am more physically fit, almost finished with my formal education, actively involved in two close personal relationships, worshipping and serving God regularly, having fun every day, and making at least 75% as much money as now doing work that I love.

Notice in this sample that the person included several areas of life (physical, intellectual, social, spiritual, emotional, and career). It's a picture of how the person sees himself/herself and is written in the present tense.

Use the following tool to synthesize what you've learned about yourself and to write your own statement.

Tool #2: Personal Vision Statement

1. Based on my personal research, these are the main things that motivate me/bring me joy and satisfaction:

2. My greatest strengths/abilities/traits/things I do best:

3. At least two things I can start doing/do more often that use my strengths and bring me joy:

4. This is my Personal Vision Statement for myself (in 50 words or less):

Talk about your findings and your Vision Statement with someone you trust. If necessary, make a second, better draft, but don't compromise your passion. Think big, and hold onto your excitement! Now you're ready to turn your Vision Statement into an action plan.