I'm not just trying to make you feel good about yourself; I actually know that to be true. As more of us bring our life designs to bear in the world, we naturally bless those around us and help to create a more promise-filled and loving world, a world of unimagined possibilities.

What if you could have a vision map that directed you in your life? By following that guide you would know where to go next as you seek to give life your best. We all are here for each other, and when one person decides to live the life design they were blessed with at birth, that choice enriches the quality of life for us all.

Giving life your best does not mean driving yourself toward self-defeating standards of perfection; rather, it means staying true to the design that was crafted in your soul before you ever had your first thought. Deep within, we all have secret urges and dreams. Your Vision Map is a way of tapping into those urges and dreams and creating a picture of what you want to accomplish, with key steps for getting there.

What would you love to do? What brings you joy? In your heart of hearts, what do you long for? What would you do if you could not fail? These are the kinds of questions to ask yourself as you launch into creating a Vision Map.

You are unique, and your Vision Map will reflect your individuality. There is no magic formula or one right way to identify a vision and bring it to life. While I offer guidance, the creative adventure of focusing on a current dream and moving toward its fulfillment will be the product of your own ingenuity.

-Allow Your Vision To Have A Life Of Its Own

Creating your Vision Map is like giving birth. You play a critical role in identifying and launching your vision, but your dream has a life of its own. When it's first born, you need to protect your vision; but, as it develops, give your dream the freedom to grow in ways that you may never have expected. Flexibility is the key!

Commit to your dream, stay focused, and work diligently to attain your objectives, but relinquish the tendency to control all the details. Expect the universe to support you while staying completely open about how this might happen. Make friends with uncertainty and the array of possibilities it brings. Then the journey toward achieving your dream becomes an adventure filled with learning, opportunities, and delightful surprises.

-Drawing Your Vision Map

If you have brought a potential achievement or strength to mind but are not inspired by it, if there is not an element of fun in it, or if it only feels like a lot of hard work, then you're probably not following a truly inspired longing. When you have a deep desire to accomplish something positive and you can say, I would LOVE to do that, you probably are tapping into a true vision. Doing what you love is energizing! It stimulates creativity and feelings of satisfaction. It's good for your health, and it's one of the best motivators available.

Consider these questions:

What particular dream or vision pulls you most right now?

What is it that you would love to do?

Without censoring yourself, jot down individual words or phrases (and perhaps simple pictures or symbols) that pop into your mind. Allow yourself to dream and be adventuresome. When you're finished, look over what you've written and pick out a focus, a word, phrase, picture, or symbol that summarizes your answer and pinpoints the vision you want to bring to life.

Next, using a full-size, blank piece of paper, draw a circle about two inches in diameter in the center of the page. Place your focus, be it a word, phrase, or symbol inside the circle. Around this central focus, write down words for and images of things that can help you achieve your vision. Do this spontaneously, without censoring yourself. As appropriate, draw lines and arrows connecting the various items. Feel free to use colored pens or other creative touches. Do you want to create a logo for your vision?

Be sure to name your vision and place the title prominently on the page.

When you're finished, you will have the first draft of your Vision Map. It is an integrated one-page picture of your core vision and what is likely to help you bring it to life. At some point, you probably will want to create a more polished and refined version of your Vision Map, and you will most likely benefit by creating updated versions as your vision matures.

-Share Your Vision With Others

We may be hesitant to talk about our visions, but sharing our dreams usually is vital to our success. When you share your vision with clarity and enthusiasm, people and events often will begin to organize around it.

Based upon the feedback that you receive, fine tune your Vision Map. Then post it in a place where you will see it frequently. Each time you look at your map, update it, think about it, or share it, the imprint of your vision goes deeper into your being, and your probability of success increases. What will be the benefits of achieving your vision?

Write them down and frequently remind yourself of these rewards. This will help to keep you motivated. Don't immediately talk yourself out of something you really want to do simply because it might not seem practical, or you're worried about what others might think, or because you feel it's too late.

Proceed intelligently step-by-step, knowing you can always modify your course or change directions altogether. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. So trust in your heart of hearts, believe in your vision, and go for it!