Module 14 · Vision & long-term thinking · Lesson 1 of 6

What a life vision is — and isn’t

A vision describes a life you want to live, not a list of things to get.

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The idea

A life vision is a picture of the life you would like to be living in the longer run — not a list of things to get, but a description of what a good life would look like for you: how you spend your days, who you are with, what you do, what you care for, how you feel.

A vision is different from goals. Goals are specific and finishable: a degree, a savings target, a marathon. A vision is broader and ongoing: “a calm home full of people I love, work that uses my mind, time outdoors”. Goals are steps; the vision is the direction they add up to.

A good vision is honest rather than impressive. It describes a life you would actually want to wake up in, not one designed to look good to others. It can be vague in places — that is fine. It will change as you do.

Why it matters

Without a vision, goals can pile up without adding up to anything. A vision gives goals a reason and helps you notice when a goal is pulling you away from the life you want.

See it happen

Olga has a long list of goals — a promotion, a new car, learning Italian, a bigger flat — but feels her life lacks direction.

The first read

She assumes the answer is more goals, better organised, and starts ranking the list by importance.

With this idea

She writes a vision instead: a slower life with more time for friends, creative work and travel. Measured against it, the promotion and the bigger flat matter less, and learning Italian and a part-time creative course matter more. Her goals now point somewhere.

What changed

She wrote a vision first, and let it decide which goals mattered.

Easy to get wrong

• Writing a vision that is really a shopping list. Things can be part of it, but a vision is about how you live.
• Making it perfect before using it. A rough vision is useful; you will revise it anyway.

What this rests on

Practical wisdom. A widely used way of working. Useful to try — not a scientific law.

Try it: A rough vision

1. Imagine your life ten years from now, going well by your own standards.
2. Write a few sentences on how you spend your days, who is around you, and what you care for.
3. Underline two or three things that feel most important.

Reflect

• What would you like to be true of your life in five years that is not about money or status?
• Which of your current goals connects to your vision — and which does not?

Use it in the coming days

Add your rough vision to My Vision Board this week, and link one current goal to it.

Where to do it: My Vision Board

My Vision Board is where the picture of the life you are building lives.