Two weeks ago, on the first week-end of September, as most parents with school kids, we had about three different competing options of how to spend the week-end.
Option one: spend time with family in a family event
Option two: golfing week-end with friends
Option three: unplug and relax and no-life together as a couple.
Or… do something that requires focus and discipline.
Even though we really wanted to go to a golf event with friends, and even though we really, really wanted to spend the day with family, we decided to take that weekend and spend a long day to refresh our family’s vision.
Why did we do it? Because the simple truth is: vision doesn’t shout.
Working on your vision and long-term goals doesn’t shout, but it’s so easy to let it get buried under everything else that feels much more important right now.
It had been about two years since we last had a really long conversation about our vision.
And it took us about 6-7 non-stop focused hours. To re-assess that what this busy life consist of, and would we even choose it again at this stage in our lives.
We went through 12 questions. Discussed, listened, argued, concluded.
I’ll put those questions here in the comment that we went through, if someone is interested in refreshing theirs. Nevertheless, I think the magic isn’t in these questions, but simply in taking the time at certain intervals to think about your vision.
Thinking about your vision is actually work, especially when talking family vision, because as it is a co-creation of 2 leaders of the family, it naturally involves some disagreement and longer discussions on points that “should be just simple 5 minute questions”.
For a talk like this, you need to be in shape. You need a fresh head and a rested mind; lots of time and an inspiring environment. There are actually quite a few things you need to get in order and line up for that.
But one thing we’ve seen is the boost of motivation.
I have noticed the same thing when I am coaching leaders. When they experience not having the motivation to deal with difficult things in their work, then very often they have either reached the end of their vision or that vision has become blurry and it needs to be rethought.
A well-thought-through vision creates a sense of excitement and it becomes much easier to do the difficult everyday things. And we have adopted this practice from personal goals and business vision also to our family.
