Your Ultimate Guide to Staying On Track With Your Vision: 12 Tools You Can Use
In our last post, we laid the groundwork for setting up a robust system to keep your goals within reach. Now, let's dive into a curated selection of tools and resources designed to support your journey every step of the way.
Here's your essential toolkit for vision-setting and staying on course:
When You Need to Get Inspired: Speakers on Vision
If you are stuck when thinking about your big-picture future - check out these TED talks to get energized about where you are headed.
"3 Ways to Plan for the (Very) Long Term" by Ari Wallach: Embrace the 'longpath' mindset and make decisions that will echo positively into the future.
Think you’re too late to start dreaming a big dream? Get encouraged by Kate McKinnon’s talk “Women, Aging and Visibility.”
"How to Build Your Creative Confidence" by David Kelley: Discover and harness your inherent creative potential (remember, we can all be creative!).
Podcast Picks: Tune into Your Future
If you prefer a longer format, listen to one of these podcasts to get you thinking about your vision.
The Good Life Project - “How to Invite Magic Into Your life - Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat, Pray, Love)": Explore how design thinking can shape a life of fulfillment and meaning.
The Tim Ferriss Show - "How to Design a Life – Debbie Millman": Learn practical steps for crafting a remarkable life with a ten-year plan.
Remember that transformational moments are often sparked by other changes or chapter breaks with “The Science of Making — and Keeping — New Year’s Resolutions - Hal Hershfield” from 10 Percent Happier
Goal-setting Structures: Crafting Your Roadmap
After you have your vision in mind, there are many ways to approach breaking it down into goals - these are a few examples to get you started.
The 1-3-5 Rule: Keep your ambitions in check by setting one big goal, three medium ones, and five small ones, ensuring a balanced and achievable vision. Revisit the categories throughout the year and adjust as needed.
SMART Goals: Define what success looks like with goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Here’s an NPR Life Kit episode that covers how to create a SMART goal.
B.H.A.G (Big Hairy Audacious Goals): Dare to dream big with goals that challenge and inspire you over the long term. Remember to break them down into digestible steps!
Tracking Tools: Your Daily Companions
You can test a few to see what works with your own preferences and practices (I use a combination of all three to manage different parts of my life!).
Todoist: For those who love ticking off tasks, Todoist offers a sleek interface to manage your to-dos and short-term goals with ease or set recurring reminders for your longer-term aspirations.
Trello: Visualize your project progress with Trello's card-based layout – ideal for those who think in pictures and great for collaboration with a partner or your family.
The Old-fashioned Calendar and Journal Method: Sometimes, pen and paper are all you need to sketch out your dreams and keep a tangible record of your progress.
Remember, the path to your future is uniquely yours. These tools and resources are here to guide, inspire, and motivate you. But the real magic happens when you blend them with your personal touch and commitment.
Ready to take the leap? Let's make your vision a reality, one step at a time.
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