Arise2Live Podcast
Transcript for Episode #153 ‘Transform Misty Notions into Your Vision Story (Leadership)’
Host: Scott Weaver
Date Feb 23, 2022
Intro: Welcome to Arise2Live Podcast, episode 153. Do you feel dreams for your business, family, and life are only misty notions? Today Scott tells why you need to take control of your future with a vision story by not running a company using misty notions on the road to some ‘whatever’ future. Arise2Live’s purpose is to bring clarity and perspective. Let’s get started with today’s episode.
.Scott R. Weaver:
“And they said, ‘Boy, you just follow your dreams!’ But my dreams were only misty notions.” Those words are from an old 1990’s song by Rich Mullins – ‘The Maker of Noses’ to be specific. That phrase ‘my dreams were only misty notions’ has challenged me since I graduated from college. Challenged me to move away from my own misty notions masquerading as goals and dreams to buckle down to paint a clear picture of the future I want.
Are your dreams for your business, family, and life seem like misty notions? Or maybe your vision has become clouded because of transition and the change that’s going on. If so, you need to write out your vision story to describe that place where you want to be and need to go.
Hello everyone, my name is Scott Weaver, the Arise2Live business coach and in this episode I will be talking about why you should write out your vision of the future, your vision story. This is important. So important that for all you business leaders out there, I double dog-dare you to do this.
If you are at all interested in solidifying your business dreams and want to inspire your team on your dreams, I have a coaching package that will guide you through it. Check out Arise2Live.com/vision or set up a video call with me Arise2Live.com/schedule. The links are in the show notes.
Please share this podcast with other business owners, founders, and entrepreneurs. I need your help to get everyone to Arise 2 Live.
I’m no stranger to creating a vision story. Over my life, I’ve probably created about five or so and these helped me guide me through some big, very big transitions and big step-outs in my life. One of those was the move from Oregon to Tennessee for my family and business in 2020. That vision to move, in that process, I had more than a few wake ups at night with my stomach turning. It was a big move. It was no easy thing to leave extended family and business connections behind.
But yet, that vision of the future for myself brought about the crystal-clear clarity why I was moving to TN in the first place and a picture of what I was going to do once I got there. That clarity provided confidence and a focus that simplified the many decisions along the way and prevented me from running off course during the first year of the pandemic. We moved during the Covid pandemic. It was an adventure but a good one. In business terms, my vision of the future provided the clarity to have better management, see the best opportunities, and provide inspiration for my team.
When I start coaching with a new client, I start with where they want to go. What’s the destination for all their planned effort? Because knowing what the finish line looks like in the business, focuses my coaching power and the business owner’s effort towards a common goal, a common dream.
Even today, wherever you are, you need to ask yourself: Where do you want to go?
That’s what your vision story is —a place in the future you want to go. Is it more revenues and income? Is it more time freedom from the business? Is there a desire to positively impact people’s lives with your product or service in the marketplace? These type of dreams and desires are often mistaken as dollar goals, basically a number—I’m going make X dollars by next year–but in reality, these are actually future destinations of what your dreams will look like when you have accomplished them.
Whatever unique place you want to go, it’s not going to happen without clarity of knowing what type of success looks like, your type of success looks like. In the real world, every business has their own unique definition of success.
However, way too many businesses owners and founders out there are racing to the future fueled by misty notions. Notions that fade away when owners get wrapped into the day-to-day tactical work and feeling important that they are solving employee’s problems. In other words, staying busy feels like good progress to the future.
However, staying busy is a symptom of a lack of vision. Too often in America, being busy has replaced the purpose. As the America poet Henry David Thoreau puts it, “It’s not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?”
He wrote this close to 200 years ago. Even then, there is a tendency for us humans to substitute “busy-ness” for purpose and then ultimately drift off course on some auto-pilot mission to a place not likely going to be liked. A place of more chaos, being bossed around by others, losing time freedom, or not reaching the income to support the lifestyle you want. Yes, being on auto-pilot is not a good thing.
I have a desire to see all of you be successful in your business. Part of reaching success is by writing out your future destination and then work backwards to plan out the steps to today, then guide your business forward, like steps on stairs to the next level. But these are not random stairs to some “whatever” floor. These are stairs to your dreams.
Uhm, another way to put it is from a Wayne Gretzky quote: “A good Hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.”
I want all of you to be great. Your dreams and future are important. So writing out a vision story is like going to where the puck is going to be at.
When vision planning is done right, it captures two things near and dear to all of us business folks. It captures your entrepreneur spirit, and your entrepreneur dream. A clear vision unifies them together and is bigger than the day-to-day stuff that can so easily side-track us. Top business owners envision what their company will look like—a crystal-clear image of future revenues, number of employees, the type of customer products, even the company culture.
Okay, for you new listeners out there, an Arise2Live episode must have a list. It’s just my style, I got to say, like boom, here are the key points that you can take to the bank.
So, boom, here’s a list of 4 reasons why you need to write out your vision story. This list is, indeed, in order.
1) It is important to lead your company’s direction based on a sharp picture of the future, not some misty notion or how much coffee you had in the morning.
An entrepreneur paints a detailed picture of the future to lead themselves, to lead their company, and to lead their customers by capturing your entrepreneurial spirit, your dreams, and values so others can see. The research is clear: A major indicator of business success is when the owner values match the company’s direction.
2) It is important to possess the core ingredients to win the game: clarity of mind, certainty of direction, and strong commitment. In other words, with these things you’ll be a better leader and owner.
3) Having a vision story energizes you in your day-to-day commitments and that story motivates your team and employees to catch the wave, your wave. Your clear vision creates company-wide proactive actions toward your common goal. That is extremely exciting and it prevents fire fighting.
4) The fourth important reason to have a vision story is the results. You actually see better management, you spot better opportunities, and in the end, increased profits.
In the real world, your company’s vision is more important than quarterly goals or even the mighty annual plan. This is because it is your story. It is your finish line for strategy, plans, and goals. But it is so much more!
When done right, writing out your vision has the power to combine your Entrepreneurial Spirit with your Entrepreneurial Dream. The benefits of a crystal-clear vision can’t be overstated. This clarity can’t come until your misty notions are nurtured into a vision story. Your vision story.
In closing, I double dog dare you to write out your vision story so you, will Arise2Live.
Sponsor: If you are interested in having a sherpa, or a guide, in creating your vision story for your business, a real vision of the future, please check out the coaching packages at Arise2Live.com/vision or book a video call at Arise2Live.com/schedule (links are on the show notes and also on my website). Please don’t delay if you are facing transition or realize that it’s time to nurture those misty notions into a solid vision. Your future, your business, your company, your employees are very important and that what makes the vision of where you are taking your company so important. So don’t delay on taking the time to really map out to where you want to go. It’s worth it.