Vivid Vision

1. Create a Clear and Vivid Vision for Your Company's Future

One sentence can never do justice to this kind of all-encompassing experience. It's impossible to squeeze the level of detail necessary into a handful of words.

Beyond Traditional Vision Statements. Traditional mission statements often fail because they are vague, uninspiring, and created through a disconnected process. A Vivid Vision goes far beyond a single sentence, providing a detailed, three-dimensional view of what the company will look like in the future.

Visualization Technique. The Vivid Vision is inspired by Olympic coaching techniques of visualization. By mentally projecting yourself into the future, you can create a comprehensive and inspiring picture of your company's potential. This approach helps leaders move beyond pragmatic thinking and embrace bold, imaginative goals.

Key Characteristics of a Vivid Vision:

• Describes every aspect of the business
• Provides specific, detailed descriptions
• Focuses on the future state, not current limitations
• Inspires and aligns the entire team
• Goes beyond surface-level statements

2. Develop a Three-Year Vision That Inspires and Aligns Your Team

When people show up for work, knowing—not guessing—exactly what their chief executive envisions for the company three years out, down to the minor details, they're aligned.

Why Three Years? Three years is the optimal timeframe for a vision because it's long enough to inspire significant transformation but short enough to remain tangible. This duration allows for innovation, provides time for trial and error, and prevents the vision from becoming too abstract or disconnected.

Benefits of Team Alignment:

• Employees understand their role in the bigger picture
• Increased motivation and engagement
• Improved decision-making at all levels
• Reduced internal conflicts
• Creates a sense of shared purpose

Alignment Strategies:

• Communicate the vision clearly and consistently
• Involve team members in understanding the vision
• Provide opportunities for input and discussion
• Regularly review and reinforce the vision

3. Use Reverse Engineering to Transform Your Vision into Reality

The key to crossing the chasm between today and three years from now is by starting three years from now and working backward through time.

Reverse Engineering Process. Instead of incrementally improving from the current state, start by vividly describing the desired future state and then work backward to determine the steps needed to achieve it. This method prevents getting stuck in current limitations and encourages more innovative thinking.

Implementation Approach:

• Visualize the end goal in detail
• Break down the goal into smaller components
• Identify necessary projects and milestones
• Determine the sequence of actions
• Create a roadmap from future to present

Psychological Benefits:

• Reduces overwhelm by breaking big goals into manageable steps
• Provides clarity and direction
• Helps overcome fear of the unknown
• Encourages proactive planning

4. Break Down Your Big Goals into Manageable Projects

Every sentence in your Vivid Vision is a goal in and of itself. And to bring about each sentence, a certain number of projects will need to be performed in a certain order.

Project Management Strategy. Large, audacious goals can be intimidating. By breaking them down into smaller, actionable projects, you make progress more achievable and less overwhelming. Each project becomes a stepping stone toward the larger vision.

Goal Breakdown Techniques:

• Identify key initiatives in core purpose and values
• Prioritize human resources and organizational systems
• Focus on strategic thinking and meeting effectiveness
• Create clear, measurable project objectives
• Assign specific responsibilities

Motivation and Momentum:

• Small wins build confidence
• Provides clear direction
• Allows for adaptive planning
• Keeps team engaged and focused

5. Share Your Vision Internally and Externally

When you share your Vivid Vision with the world, the world comes to accept it. Sometimes, this happens very suddenly.

Internal Rollout Process:

• Share with employees first
• Read the document together
• Encourage team engagement
• Identify and address potential resistance
• Create a sense of shared purpose

External Communication Benefits:

• Excite potential employees
• Attract supportive suppliers
• Inspire potential customers
• Generate media interest
• Build credibility and trust

Communication Strategies:

• Be bold and inspiring
• Explain the three-year perspective
• Use multiple communication channels
• Provide context and reassurance
• Embrace potential criticism

6. Maintain and Revisit Your Vision Regularly

Part of using the Vivid Vision means revisiting it again and again.

Quarterly Review Process:

• Read the document together
• Highlight completed and in-progress goals
• Assess alignment and progress
• Celebrate achievements
• Maintain team motivation

Tracking and Adaptation:

• Use color-coding to track progress
• Discuss ongoing projects
• Adjust strategies as needed
• Maintain overall direction
• Keep the vision flexible yet consistent

Psychological Impact:

• Reinforces team commitment
• Provides continuous inspiration
• Maintains organizational momentum
• Prevents vision from becoming stale

7. Leverage Your Vision to Attract Talent and Opportunities

People don't want to work for exciting, inspiring companies; they want to work with them.

Talent Attraction Strategies:

• Use Vivid Vision in recruitment
• Attract aligned, passionate individuals
• Repel misaligned candidates
• Create a compelling employer brand
• Build a strong company culture

External Relationship Benefits:

• Excite suppliers and partners
• Attract potential investors
• Generate media interest
• Build credibility
• Create opportunities for collaboration

Networking and Growth:

• Position company as forward-thinking
• Inspire potential collaborations
• Create a magnetic organizational identity
• Differentiate from competitors

8. Apply the Vivid Vision Concept to Your Personal Life

The purpose of the personal Vivid Vision is to live a more conscious life.

Personal Vision Framework:

• Explore five key life areas: Fitness, Faith, Finance, Family, Friends
• Set specific, measurable personal goals
• Create a three-year personal roadmap
• Share vision with supportive network
• Track and celebrate personal progress

Life Alignment Strategies:

• Be precise with personal goals
• Create accountability
• Leverage support systems
• Maintain long-term perspective
• Make intentional life choices

Holistic Personal Development:

• Integrate personal and professional growth
• Create meaningful life direction
• Improve decision-making
• Increase personal fulfillment
• Build intentional relationships

9. Focus on Alignment and Engagement, Not Perfect Execution

Crossing items off the list isn't the only metric by which you can or should measure your success.

Success Metrics:

• Team alignment
• Employee engagement
• Organizational momentum
• Cultural transformation
• Collaborative problem-solving

Performance Indicators:

• Reduced internal conflicts
• Increased decision-making efficiency
• Enhanced team communication
• Improved organizational agility
• Sustained growth trajectory

Leadership Perspective:

• Prioritize team unity
• Embrace iterative progress
• Encourage innovative thinking
• Build a learning organization
• Maintain inspirational leadership

10. Embrace Bold and Revolutionary Thinking

If you don't have butterflies, no one else will.

Innovative Mindset Characteristics:

• Challenge status quo
• Think beyond current limitations
• Inspire through audacious goals
• Embrace potential criticism
• Maintain unwavering conviction

Revolutionary Thinking Strategies:

• Set Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals (BHAG)
• Encourage creative problem-solving
• Foster a culture of innovation
• Take calculated risks
• Learn from failures

Organizational Transformation:

• Create competitive advantage
• Attract visionary talent
• Generate external excitement
• Build a future-focused culture
• Drive meaningful change

Last updated: April 10, 2025