Have a Clear Vision

It's almost never understated to remind yourself of why you are doing something. If we don’t, we end up aimless and wondering because we don't have a direction or a reason to go anywhere. On the other hand, having a clear vision gives us a powerful reason to do something, even if the reason is small and silly. Understanding why gives you the discipline to stick with things long-term and occasionally provides a jumpstart of motivation to get working when you need it. While of course the idea of having a vision could be traced back thousands of years, my favorite person to hear this from is none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger. If for some odd reason, you don't know who he is...you're welcome. But Schwarzenegger is known for preaching that you need to have a vision - to know where you are going and what you are doing to get there. Just like many of you are subscribed to my newsletter, I'm subscribed to Arnold's. In a recent email, he shared the message he's shared for decades, even though he's now 75 years old and using it on new goals. Schwarzenegger said, "If you know your vision - the why you’re doing what you’re doing - and you do the reps ahead of time to really prepare for it so that you can minimize stress when it is time to perform, you can do almost anything." It's such a simple message that can be applied in many ways. Whether it's a fitness goal, a relationship goal, or just trying to figure out where you want your life to be in a year, you can apply the idea of a vision. All you need to do is decide exactly where you want to go and why (your vision) and then what you need to do to get there (putting in the reps). Some people say that you need a why to start and then the what and how will figure itself out as you go along. There's definitely truth to that, but don't forget that it's still important to learn and to put in the work needed to get there. You don't get anywhere amazing without working for it. Have a vision. If thinking one year or five years is too grand right now, think of the next 3 months. Where do you want to be? Who do you want to become? What work do I need to do to get there? If you have a vision you're excited about and you put in the work to execute it, you'll be surprised at how simple it can be to achieve exactly what you want in life.