If you’re running a company, you’re the one responsible for creating your company’s Vivid Vision®. The problem with that is, you’ve probably built yourself a nice office, somewhere that’s nice, clean, and comfortable. It’s your perfect workspace… most of the time, but not when you’re writing your Vivid Vision®.
But why?
Comfort Lacks Creativity
To write a Vivid Vision® that is filled with outside-of-the-box ideas, you need to physically be somewhere that makes you think outside of the box.
Your office space is too comfortable. It’s filled with everything you need to get your day-to-day work done, whether that’s your laptop, your favorite books, or pictures of your family when you need a bit of motivation. The problem is, it takes discomfort to think outside of the box enough to create an amazing Vivid Vision®.
You Need to Go Some Place That Inspires You
“The first thing you can do to unlock your creative side is to get into a creative space. By sitting in the same, old office you do all your work in, you’re going to have a much harder time breaking from the serious, logical mindset that’s required to do all your other work.” – Cameron Herold
To write a great Vivid Vision®, get out of the office and go somewhere inspirational. You could write by the ocean, in the forest, or even in a hammock in your backyard! Anywhere that gets you out of the box that is your office.
Your Comfort Zone Holds Unforseen Distractions
New places ooze inspiration and they lack a lot of the distractions that can be detrimental to your Vivid Vision® process. Your office is brimming with distractions — emails, phone calls, people popping their heads in the door. These kinds of interruptions can shatter your flow and drag the Vivid Vision® process out indefinitely.
To visualize your future properly, you need to really focus.
Trying to conduct the visualization exercises that are essential to your Vivid Vision® process in places like your office or a boardroom doesn’t work. It surrounds you with the minutiae of the office environment — the hum of the copier, the murmur of phone conversations, even the white noise of the air conditioner. These sounds can subconsciously lock your brain into rigid, business-first thought patterns that will stifle the creativity it takes to imagine a bright, exciting future in your Vivid Vision®.
You Need to Remove Yourself from the Rational
Going somewhere new and away from the comfort of your day-to-day allows you to remove yourself from rational thought somewhat.
A lot of leaders are decidedly left-brained. They’ve been successful their whole lives using rational, pragmatic thinking. That’s just the kind of thinking that can ruin the Vivid Vision® visualization process.
The idea is to visualize the “where” that you want to take your company without concerning yourself with the “how.” It’s easy to get caught up in the “how” when you’re surrounded by sales charts and spreadsheets. Freeing yourself from the office, in turn, frees your mind from the boundaries of business metrics. You’ll be able to fantasize without letting reality rain on your parade.
Most people complain that they spend too much time in the office anyway. This is the perfect excuse to get out of it! Enjoy the sunshine, breath in the fresh air, and visualize your perfect Vivid Vision®.
Do you have any interesting places you like to go to get inspired? Let us know in the comments below.
If you have questions or would like more information, I’d be happy to help. Please send an email, and my team will get in touch with you!
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in September 2016 and has been edited for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
