If Only I Had CLARITY…

“I wish I knew my vision for the future.”

 “I don’t know what they want from me. It’s hard to meet expectations when I have no idea what they are.”

“I feel like I’m in a constant fog. I long for crystal clarity and precision – but they seem so elusive.”

Clients often come to me with these frustrations and maybe you’ve experienced them, too. Having a clear, long-term vision makes short-term decisions so much easier, but clarifying that vision can prove challenging. Yogi Berra probably summed it up best when he famously said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably end up someplace else.”

Do you know where you’re going? 

Would you like to?

Ambiguity, in certain forms, can actually be beneficial. When I help clients discern their vision and set Bold Goals, for example, I always stress that in the early phases we only need clarity on the WHAT, not the HOW. Focusing on the ‘how’ too early trips up too many people and causes the unfortunate side effects of dreaming small or quitting before starting. Once the ‘what’ is clear, then we get to the ‘how.’

But clarity is absolutely essential in other areas. You cannot presume your team will meet your expectations if you haven’t clearly laid them out. It’s difficult to put in long hours toward a fuzzy vision or with an unclear purpose.

If you follow the MAP Inc. Facebook page or have attended my workshops, you’ve likely heard one of my mantras: Dream Big, Start Small. Gaining clarity of vision and goals isn’t difficult if you have the right guidance and process (which you’ll really experience if you’re attending Spark!). But in addition to big picture clarity, you also want to bring more clarity to your daily experience. Three starting points:

1. Remove distractions for chunks of time. 

Choose the project that needs your attention, decide what minor milestone you want to meet, then select a (brief) “Power Focus” time frame. Thirty minutes is a good start. Shut down your email indicators, turn off social media, put the “do not disturb” sign on your door, and get to work. You will be amazed how much you can accomplish in a short period of purposeful, focused, uninterrupted time.

2. Book a standing Friday Strategy Hour.

Once you employ Tip #1 a few times and start reveling in the joy that comes with completion, start designating time for visioning and proactive planning for the future. I challenge many of my clients to block 1-2 hours on Fridays for reviewing goal progress, envisioning the future, and planning the week ahead. You may think you don’t have time, but you’ll be amazed how much time this actually gives you. (Review Stephen Covey’s time management matrix in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People if you need a reminder – or justification.)

3. Clear your desk. 

This may seem trivial, but your physical space impacts your productivity and mood in more ways than you might realize. Clear your work area, even if it means putting everything in a nearby box for the time being. Give yourself the gift of space to work on one project without 50 others screaming for your attention.

I challenge you to implement, consistently, one of the above tips, or one that you come up with on your own. Something small to start, so you can experience success and its compound effects. Like Liz Smith writes, “Begin somewhere. You cannot build a reputation on what you intend to do.”

And for those of you attending Spark, starting your small clarifying steps now will pave the way for deep, visionary clarity when we get together on October 3!