A Clear Goal Isn’t Always Enough
Achieving your goals takes vision and creative tension too.
“A goal is an actionable checkbox. A vision is the end state you see yourself in after the box is checked.”
You need more than a goal – you also need a vision to succeed.
Okay, bear with me because this might sound simplistic. However, understanding the difference between goals and vision and why you need both, will allow you to take action towards your goals and hold yourself accountable.
I was talking with a friend this weekend who was toying with the idea of going to the gym on Sunday. This “mini goal,” as I’ll call it, fit into their larger goal of more activity and weight loss.
The problem was, the goal wasn’t enticing her. She was dreading it. It didn’t seem fun.
The difference between your vision and your goal is your ability to see the end state.
Whether it’s the gym or something else, we all have actions we need to take that contribute to the larger goals we deeply care about. The problem is we get stuck when the '“mini goals” aren’t that interesting or pleasant.
The Vision Can Pull you Through the Hard Work of Goal Achievement
I shared with my friend the thing that works for me in this situation: to envision myself after achieving the goal, not during the hard, uninteresting part of it.
You might have a clear goal, but it’s important to also have a clear vision of the end state after having achieved that goal.
This is the difference between a vision and a goal:
The goal is the actionable checkbox.
The vision is the state you see yourself in after the box is checked.
I said to my friend, “Think of how you’ll feel at 3 o’clock when you get home – sweaty and satisfied, endorphins pumping through you. You’ll feel great in your body and be so glad you went. You’d never say, ‘I shouldn’t have used my time for that’.”
Next Time: Set Your Goal and Envision Having Achieved It
The next time you have a goal you’re resisting, try projecting forward in your mind, past your goal achievement, and imagine how you’ll feel. Then, use that vision to pull yourself forward through the uncomfortable part of accomplishing your goal.
View a few examples below of the distinction between vision and goal.
Use Creative Tension to Pull You Through Your Goals Toward Your Vision
Peter Senge talks about the term creative tension: this is the natural tension you feel between where you are now and where you want to go – your vision.
It’s up to you as to whether that tension is mostly emotional (E.g., angst, overwhelm) or mostly creative (E.g., motivating, inspiring). Creative tension can propel you forward like a slingshot toward your vision for your future reality. Let it!
Quick Takeaways to Start Accomplishing Your Goals
Goals and visions are not the same. Goals require action and hard work, while visions are the motivational end state after the goal is achieved.
You need both. Goals are the roadmap. Visions are your motivating force.
Use mental projection to build momentum. Instead of focusing on the hard or unpleasant work required to complete the goal, visualize yourself on the other side of it, feeling great.
Leverage creative tension, the gap between your current reality and where you want to go, to propel action.
Whether you have individual or team goals, let’s work together on achieving them. Book a consultation to begin.
