Setting a Vision

When kids hear the word ‘vision,’ they think of eyesight, but we encourage students to think about creating a vision to reach a goal.

Creating a vision is one of the best steps any goal setter can take. If you want a Black Belt, you set the goal and then earn it. If you want the house, you set the goal and then you get it. This is all good; however, a piece of the puzzle is missing. Vision doesn’t stop with the Black Belt or the house. It goes further by envisioning what kind of life you want to live. This means when you create a vision, you’ll need a better view of what you want out of life.

When you have a vision of what you want, you automatically feel passionate about it, which helps you achieve it. If you ever asked your children to clean their rooms, chances are they didn’t want to do it. However, if you told them you wanted their help in redecorating their rooms, they jumped right in to help because they were dreaming of the colors and ways it could change. It’s human nature and we all do it. That small step of visualizing the possibility makes a big difference in achieving goals.

Below are a few suggestions you may find useful in teaching envisioning goals at home:

• Ask your kids what they want to be when they grow up; then, discuss the steps they will need to take to reach that goal. Sure, their vision will change over the years, but the process of realizing the goal stays the same.

• Share with your children a goal you had when you were their age and how you would dream about the end result. Example: You dreamed of playing professional sports, so you practiced every day. You may not be a professional athlete, but you still enjoy the sport.

• Even if you don’t have your dream job, share with your kids how passionate you are about other activities, e.g. hobbies, sports, community service, clubs, etc.