Why December Is the Time to Set Your Vision for 2025

December is the time of the year most people are thinking about everyone in their life EXCEPT the most important person.  And that person is YOU.  If you are not thinking about YOU and your personal vision for your life in December, you may miss the opportunity to create the life you want! 

When you take time to focus on your vision, your dreams, the life that will light you up, success will be within your reach.

If you wait until January to start to focus on your Vision, you run the risk of losing the opportunity among your New Year's resolutions, which are usually basic goals like lose weight, exercise  x-times/week, read more books or get a new job.   A true vision is a big, bold future-based idea of the impact and result you want to make in your own life, which requires planning and goals to get there.  It’s like looking into a crystal ball and seeing you living the life of your dreams in action through your career, your business or other professional endeavor. 

Recently, I came across one of Oprah's newest videos - and I was  struck by how much it had in common with my own new book – Start with Vision -  which was released in November.

While most of us recognize Oprah as a global media mogul, philanthropist, producer, actress and the host of the highest rated TV show of its kind in history, she was born into a life of poverty in Mississippi, a life that few people escape. Yet she managed to achieve an extraordinary career and life beyond anyone’s expectations. How did she do it?  Oprah has said that she always had a clear vision for the life she wanted to create and the impact she wanted to have on people.  She kept her vision foremost in her mind in spite of setbacks, challenges and failures.

I quote Oprah in Chapter 1 of Start with Vision:  

Trevor Noah interviewed Oprah asking her:  " You've talked to everyone in the world who is successful. What is the common characteristic that you find gets people to where they want to go?"  

Oprah answered: "People get where they want to go because they know where they want to go. Most people don’t know where they want to go. " 

In Oprah’s  video she  urges listeners to start working on their personal vision now and not wait for the new year -  because it’s the most important tool to reach our own unique vision of a successful life.   

We are not taught to define our vision in college, grad school or by most career counselors. Most people need guidance to identify their own unique vision. I was fortunate to have an executive coach guide me through this process.  In my own work with individuals and groups, I take them through a set process to discover their own visions for success. Those who relentlessly pursue their newly discovered visions,  and have the tools to overcome setbacks, are successful. This is why I decided to share a process for vision discovery in  my own book. 

My personal vision is to create a world where gender equality is a given and no longer a goal.  This requires the collaboration of men and women, and it requires women to identify and work towards achieving their visions.  Vision is the first of 7 tenets of leadership which are at the core of my work.  The other six tenets – presence, communication, relationships, mindset, courage and confidence – provide the actions needed to overcome  the challenges we each face on the journey to reach our visions.   With the help of Start with Vision, my hope is for you to discover and reach your own personal vision of success.  Together, we can create a world of peace, well-being and prosperity for all (and my own vision).