Welcome to the age of information overload, a world where everyone can share their thoughts, ideas, experiences from anywhere and at any time. For business owners, this can be a huge asset – you no longer have to live only by trial-and-error, guessing your way through what works and what doesn’t.
Those who have “been there and done that†are sharing their experiences more than ever before, and a lot of that advice is free and even relatively easy to follow.
Then you realize that not everyone is saying the same thing. In fact, credible sources sometimes preach the exact opposite of one another!
“You should bootstrap†or “you should raise money.â€
“Avoid debt like the plague,†or “maximize your return with debt.â€
“Outsource your engineering work,†or “only hire in-houseâ€
This is where “information overload†becomes “information conflict.†And trying to follow all of it can send your business into an out-of-control tailspin.
Trying to do everything ends up with the same result as doing nothing — except you’re tired and broke at the end.
Having a clear vision for your business changes all of that. When there’s ambiguity or conflict, look to your vision. When there’s a tough decision to make, look to your vision.
Beyond being that “North Star,†a vision helps in other ways. A vision will:
Keep you focused.
Your business’s vision allows you to cut through the noise and dial in on what you actually need to be doing in order to have success. If you feel like you’re spinning your wheels, chances are you aren’t zeroed in on your business’s vision.
What can you be doing right now that will actually help your business grow in the fastest way possible? When you have your vision in mind, you can answer this question much more easily.
Inspire your team.
Think of a time you held a job you were excited to go to every day. My guess is you felt fulfilled by the work you were doing — and fulfillment is hard to come by if we don’t know what we’re working toward.
When we do have a big goal, a guiding light, a vision — and we see ourselves each day making progress toward that, that’s incredibly inspiring. And when an entire team feels that fulfillment and inspiration, they’re much more likely to succeed.
Give you a unique stance.
One of the most important things about having a strong vision for your business is that it makes you unique.
The modern marketplace is a crowded one, and “me-toos†don’t get noticed. Neither does inauthenticity — consumers can smell it from a mile away. But when you have a true vision, it makes you both unique and authentic — keys to attracting team members, customers, and press.
Prevent you from going broke.
Lots of successful business coaches and mentors talk about the dangers of being opportunistic. Always chasing down the “next great opportunity†can make you stray from the tasks at hand. A lot of these opportunities are expensive, too.
When you keep your business’s vision in mind, it allows you to say “no†to great marketing and flashy ideas. Rather than spending your time and money on a new idea, keep your head down and follow the path your vision needs you to in order for it to be fully realized.
Your business’s vision will evolve over time, which is great. If it’s not evolving over the years, something’s wrong. But, remember, that evolution takes time. Have you fully articulated your business’s current vision yet? If the answer is no, work on it now — the dividends will pay for the entire life of your business.
Yes, totally agree. No vision == no future.
Hello Tim.
First of, awesome. This is awesome.
Having a strong vision for a business is an essential to accomplish a great success. The vision draw us a blueprint that tells us where the business should be.
I do agree, what you’ve demonstrated in this article. The vision prevent us turning our wheel and direct our business to the incorrect way.
The vision help enjoy working hard to follow our dream which, in somehow, other do not understand what we’re doing.