Saturday, January 8, 2011

My Wants, Vision and Mission!

Happy New Year!  I hope all is going well with your resolutions!

It is quite normal to hear about resolutions that have already failed and it has me thinking whether we really choose resolutions that align with society’s beliefs rather than our own deepest desires.  Some people even choose to not come up with new years resolutions as they feel it just sets them up for failure.  This is disappointing to hear as goals can truly help us maximize our true potential and a new year is a great excuse to start goal setting.

So, to discover those meaningful goals that you can achieve with all your heart, here is a journaling activity that might just help:  My Wants, Vision and Mission.

MY WANTS, VISION & MISSION
Note: This technique is meant to give clarity to one who is facing uncertainty.  This technique can apply to any situation big or small where the outcome may not be decided. 

a) Sometimes to discover what we truly want in our lives, it is helpful to start with all the things we do not want. 

Don’t Wants:  Write down your “don’t wants” of all the things that are less desirable and make a note of how you feel, just focusing on them.  Example: “I don’t want to spend less time with my family.”

Wants:  Now, write down all the opposite of your ‘don’t wants’ and try to be specific.  Example: “I want to spend 2 full hours with my family, 6 days a week.”

b)  Vision:  Summarize your ‘Wants’ as if it is in the present- as if you have already achieved or have your wants.  This can be a paragraph or a page, it is entirely up to you.  Example: “I am spending quality time with my family, 2 hours a day, 6 days a week and I am cherishing every minute of it.”

A second part of this activity includes challenging yourself even more and getting to specifics.  Using your wants to drive you, where do you see yourself in 3 months/6 months/one year?  What are the steps you are going to take towards getting to your vision? 

c) Mission:  What is the MISSION STATEMENT for your new attitude in life?  Write out a mantra, positive affirmation, poem, song, drawing etc. that describes how you are going to deal with conflict and fear in your life.  Or finish off the statement: “Whenever I encounter a challenge, I will…”


I would love to hear your thoughts on this activity and how you felt before and after doing it.  I know it’s magical power has brought some great abundance to my life.

Gautam Khanna

"Growth itself contains the germ of happiness."- Pearl S. Buck