How can you create your future?

Previous entry left with “Plan your future to create it. Envision the future you want, map how to get there, set goals and achieve them.”

It’s not really as easy as that sounds. If it were, everybody would do it, all the time. As is, very few do. Both organizations and individuals are more frequently reactive than planful.

But those that are actively engaged in creating their future are more successful and satisfied than the rest.

Step 1 is to envision the future you want.

When operating reactively, under stress, just coping, that can be a great challenge.

It requires a decision to put the present “on hold” for short period, to disconnect from the stress, to recognize that the all-consuming crises will have to wait a bit.

The important work of envisioning the future has to take priority over the urgent, if only for a little while.

Is "a little while" all this takes?!?

Well, that depends – on how many people need to be involved. When an individual creates her own vision of the future, is can be pretty quick, with guidance and attention.

When a small organization envisions its future, those various views need to be reconciled to a meaningful consensus. That takes longer, but still can be achieved in a morning.

When a larger organization does this, more people need to be involved and engaged, and it becomes an ongoing process. The senior leadership creates the vision, and then needs to engage the rest of the organization. While more time on the calendar will pass, it’s still just a very few hours at a time, spread over several weeks.

Is it worth the time and effort?

When you consider that the alternative is staying reactive, and what that costs, it certainly is.