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"The people I see who are successful in bringing their vision to fruition are people who have a clear vision. They know where they are heading, they are excited and inspired by it, but they are holding it lightly. They don't need to figure everything out, and they are open to having opportunities come their way. They are receptive to how their vision is going to manifest." --Jennifer Lee, Artizen Coaching
Many of you have big visions for a better world and want to make a difference in 2009. I asked Jennifer Lee, founder of Artizen Coaching, to talk about how to find your purpose, make your big vision real, and deal with the fears that can come up when you pursue your dreams.
Jennifer is a certified coach, artist and yogini based in Oakland, California. She is the author of The Right-Brain Business Plan e-Book and the creator of the Unfolding Your Life Vision Kit. She was also featured in the book, The Girl's Guide to Kicking Your Career Into Gear and her art visioning work is showcased in The Vision Board: The Secret to an Extraordinary Life.
Below is the edited transcript from my Big Vision Podcast interview with Jennifer Lee from January 22, 2009.
If someone who you were coaching said, "I want to make a difference. I want to make the world a better place, but I'm not exactly sure what I want to do," how would you help them figure that out? What tips can you offer for figuring out what your purpose is?
Sometimes that feels so big, you know, they feel called to do something, but they don't know what it is. A place where we can start is looking at their values. What is most important to them? What makes them tick? It really shows what brings them alive. When they are in alignment with that, then things will come more easily. If they are clear on what their values are, they can take action from there.
Also, getting in touch with what's their essence? Who are they as a person? What is the impact they want to have in this world? From there, we can translate that into, what might that look like in a job, or a project that they might do in their community, so that they are bringing that out into the world, and serving people in whatever way is in line with their values.
Once people figure out how they want to make a difference, how do you help them figure out the steps to make it real?
A lot of times that is where people get stuck, their vision seems so big that they don't even know where to start, and that stops them. People might get stuck in the "how," and the entire plan. It becomes analysis paralysis. One of the places that we look to is, what's just one thing you can do now?
If they just start taking one step forward, then they can learn, was that the right thing to do? Was it not? How can I course correct? Pick a place to start from. It doesn't have to be the right thing, it doesn't necessarily have to be logical. Once you start building momentum, and you start getting feedback, and you engage people, then you will start knowing, "Oh this is really catching on," or "That wasn't so good," or "That wasn't what I expected." Pick up, move on, and just keep taking the next step.
I try and have them be confident enough to move forward and not worry about, "Is this is the actual right first step that I must take?" because that's what paralyzes them.
I would imagine fear is one of the biggest obstacles that people experience. Usually they're pursuing their dream, something they hold close to their heart. What are tips, exercises, or advice you give them to deal with that fear?
I would say that the fear often comes the loudest when you are onto something that is really big or really in line with what you want. In coaching, we have a term called the "gremlin" or the "saboteur." That's the voice inside your head, or the many voices that say, "I can't," or "You don't have enough degrees," or "How are you going to earn a
