Not just 2015, but 2014, 20 and 40.

What VISION do you have for your business, your life? Do you have them tied together?

Reflecting on 2014, I ask "how did that match up with my dream (vision) I have for the rest of my life?

Taking pages from three favorite sources (Michael Gerber, John Maxwell and Michael Hyatt), I think about how I want my life to look like in 25 years.....

Right now...think into that for a minute...before you move on. Were your 2014 goals a reflection of your 2040 dream/vision?

How do your goals for 2015 reflect forward into 2020? 2040? I'll be 85 years old in 2040 and I'm really paying attention to what I'm doing today and tomorrow and in 2015 to insure, with God's blessings, that my 2040 is some version of today's dream.

In "Put Your Dreams to the Test," Maxwell shares Hyatt's vision for Thomas Nelson books (back when Hyatt was the division leader). Here's part of that vision statement -



"Nelson Books is the world's largest, most respected provider of inspirations books.

1. We have ten franchise authors whose new books sell at least 100,000 copies in the first 12 months.

4. Authors are soliciting other authors on our behalf because they are so excited to be working with us.

5. The top agents routinely bring us their best authors and proposals because of our reputation for success.

6. We place at least four books a year on the New York Times bestsellers list.

8. We consistently exceed our budget in revenue and margin contribution."

(Notice that the vision statement is written in the "present" tense.)

As Maxwell points out, it is no accident Thomas Nelson became the number 1 publisher of inspirational materials in the world and the 6th largest publisher in the United States. A careful observer of Michael Hyatt in the years since leaving Thomas Nelson understands why he's achieved his success.

I've spent at least 5 hours the past few days looking back at 2014, reflecting on what I did, didn't do and how that plays into my 2015 (and 2020-40).

This week I'll spend more time reflecting INTO 2040 and how I act (behave) in 2015 to be able to act the way I want in 2020 and beyond. No doubt, there will be things I'll have to do in 2015 to build into the later years that I want be doing in later years.

But, those things though will be inline with my mission and my values.

To that end....vision, what are you dreaming about?

Write in down, list it out. It doesn't have to be fancy.