My Vision - My Anchor during the Pandemic

This is going to be our year – that is the echo of the voice in my head.

On January 1, 2020, my wife and I opened our house to any family, friends, existing or prospective entrepreneurs, and business owners to come to our home for a goal-setting event. The idea was to get as many goal-oriented people into one space, all setting their goals (personal, business, spiritual, philanthropy, etc.). This event energized everyone. We opened our house from 11 am – 6 pm and people came and went as they wished. The point was for them to share their goals with whoever was in the house at the time. We encouraged this so we could keep each other accountable, but more importantly, help each other as we go through the year. It was a fantastic success (This event was my wife’s idea – a great idea, baby).

Every year for 10 years, on January 1, I created my goals. Except I do not only set goals, I have a method—my method: VISION – GOALS – ACTION STEPs. I write a vision statement, a goal, and the action steps that I am willing to take to accomplish that goal, hence achieving my vision. I did not only want to accomplish my goals, but I have a vision of what I want.

My process - I create an overall vision for my entire life. I then develop individual visions for each aspect of my life that is driven from that overall vision. Therefore, I have a spiritual vision (encompassing my church activities and relationship with God), a vision for my relationship with my wife, and my children, one for my business, my job, my philanthropy and charity work, my finances, etc. While I have a vision for each aspect of my life (which means I also had goals and action steps for each aspect of my life), it all ties to the overall vision I have for myself.

Here is my original 2020 Vision, Goal, and Action Steps around finances:

Develop security for my family while supporting the causes that I believe in.

• Manage my money better by reducing my debt by 35% in 2020. Save more by increasing my savings by 25% in 2020. Give at least $xx K to charity and organization in 2020.

* Write down, review, and manage how I spend my money.

* Pay off all credit card balances at the end of each month. Work to not carry a balance from month-to-month.

* Use cash whenever possible

* Max out my 401K savings

* Save money for emergencies—$ xxx per month. We need to have $xxx K saves by the end of the year.

* Save for kid’s 529 plans. $xxx per month

* Max out my I.R.A.

* Help my wife max out her I.R.A. and 401K

* Give away at least $xx K to charity and causes that I believe in and want to support

* Support and Grow S.O.A.R! (www.soarny.org) – my non-profit. Will give a gift of $xx K by the end of June 2020.

* Give my tithes and offering every month

Over the last 12 weeks since this COVID-19 pandemic, one of the familiar conversations I kept hearing from most people is that they will not be able to accomplish their goals for 2020. I get questions like:

How has this pandemic impacted your goals for 2020?

Since I set goals with a vision first – this pandemic has not affected my vision. Actually, it has crystallized and validated the importance of my existing visions, and I have added new individual visions. My visions for my life have been an anchor and continue to push me forward during this time. However, what I may adjust is my goal and the action steps because of the pandemic, but because the vision is the driving force for the goal and the action steps, I am still on track for 2020.

During this time, develop a vision for your life, for all aspects of your life, and write it down, read it consistently. This is how you anchor yourself.

“Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.” - Habakkuk 2:2.

Share your vision for 2020 by sending us a comment.