Almost three decades ago I was talking with a senior executive about the value of building shared vision with his team and stakeholders. He held up his hand, “I’ve already been through the vision process with my team.”

I was interested and asked him to share the vision with me. He turned away and shuffled through the files in his desk drawer. Then, he called his administrative assistant and asked, “Jessie, where do we keep those vision materials?”

It’s a good question.

Where do you keep your vision? Is it hidden away somewhere where you can’t find it? Is it a document that resides in a file (even an electronic one) that requires serious hunting to uncover? Or is it ever-present in your awareness?

The word vision may be overused.

How about dream? What’s your dream? And where do you keep your dream? Is it hidden away in the back of your mind? Or is it right there in your everyday awareness, shaping and informing your choices?

It’s safer to keep your dream in a file.

It stays “pure” and untouched. To bring your dream out into the world is messy. It’s gritty. It’s gutsy and real. The interaction of your dream with the realities of day-to-day life will transform you and your dream. The world – your team, your customers, and your competitors – will all get their hands on your dream. And, if you’re open, will help you shape it into something that serves all of you.

Questions for Reflection & Action:

• So, what’s your next step in bringing your dream out into the world?
• What’s a small step that you can take today to bring your dream to life?

Related posts:

1. Are You the Right Person?
2. What to do when you don’t know what to do
3. What are Core Values?
4. What’s your mantra?
5. How Strong is Your Attention Muscle?