You are pursuing goals, collecting achievements and striving for milestone – yet something feels off.
Despite all this, there is a quite sense of disconnection. You are doing everything right but nothing feels aligned.
It’s easy to assume that having a vision means creating a list of material desires: a dream home, a high-paying job, or a picture-perfect lifestyle. This belief is deeply embedded in the way we talk about success, as if vision is simply about acquiring more.
You feel a sense of void because real vision is not achieving surface level goals. It isn’t about what you want to have, it’s about how you want to live, who you want to become, and what truly matters to you at the core.
In this post, we’re going to move away from the noisy, material-centered idea of vision and create something deeper. I’ll walk you through a practical yet meaningful four-step process to help you uncover a life vision that feels genuine, grounded, and entirely your own.
This is not about perfection or performing for the world. It’s about coming home to yourself.
What Is Vision?
Vision is a crystal clear picture of how you want to live your life. It’s the why behind your choices.
A strong vision guides the kind of person you want to become, the kind of energy you want around you, and the kind of life that feels real and fulfilling — even when nothing looks perfect from the outside.
Most people confuse vision with a wishlist.
‘I want to own a big house, a luxury car or start a business.’
Go one step beyond and ask ‘why do I want this’?
You might want the big house and luxury car to lead a comfortable life. Maybe you want to start a business because you want to be your own boss.
That is the real vision.
All the choices you make and the materialistic things you will own are the consequences of the actions that you take to fulfill your vision. So instead of asking what you want to have, ask why you want it. That will lead you to your true vision..
How to Actually Create Your Vision: A 4-Step Guide
Step 1: Three Powerful Questions to Help You Create Clarity
The pressure of owning a grand and extravagant vision is nerve recking.
Instead of thinking of a 5-year plan, how about beginning by answering three simple questions?
- What do I not want anymore?
Sometimes eliminating the wrong answers helps you find the right one in an MCQ exam. Especially when all the options look like the right answer.
This strategy is helpful in the exam of life.
Start by answering what it is that you don’t want anymore in life.
It might be grinding yourself in a job that isn’t helping you in career growth. Or maybe being stuck in a relationship that is the cause of unhappiness and frustration.
Deep down you know that this isn’t what you want.
If you have never been honest with yourself about this, the time is now.
Don’t gatekeep your thoughts. Let the unfiltered truth manifest itself on paper.
Example:
I don’t want to feel like I’m just surviving day by day with no direction and keep working jobs that drain me and feel meaningless.
2. What kind of person do I want to become?
Nice? Kind? Friendly? Bold? Confident?
Describe in detail the person you want to become.
Here is an example to help you out:
I want to become a self-aware, confident, and kind person. I don’t want to be perfect — I want to be real. I want to become someone who abundantly loves oneself unconditionally. I want to keep learning and never stop believing in myself. I want to be the person that radiates positive energy and knows when and how to stand up for myself.
Ask this question to yourself. Close your eyes and let the image of who you want to be form from the depth of the mind.
You might know exactly what you want to become. Maybe you are too insecure to believe and own your vision of yourself. Your inner voices might be the villain who is stopping you.
Don’t let your insecurities guide you in the wrong direction.
For once, believe in the version of yourself, the one that you want to be.
Answer this question in as much detail as possible, even if you don’t 100% believe in it. Yet.
3.What does an ideal day in my life look like?
Zoom out.
Don’t think about where you want to reach in 5 years or 10 years.
Imagine your ideal day — how would it be?
What time will you wake up? What kind of job will you be doing? What leisure activities would you be enjoying?
Example:
I wake up at 6 am and start my day slowly with a morning routine that includes journaling and stretching. I work at a job or run a business that gives me meaning and flexibility. I end my day feeling proud, peaceful, and deeply alive — not drained.
Every day cannot be extraordinary. In fact, it is the ordinary and simple things that sum up and make one happy and content.
That’s why it’s important to reflect on how you would like to spend your day — ideally.
Step 2: Identify Key Themes
Read what you have journaled. Identify common themes that are standing out.
You might have missed these in the hustle and bustle of life.
Example:
Emerging Values:
- Freedom (from burnout and external pressure)
- Meaning (in work and relationships)
- Self-trust (no more second-guessing)
- Growth (creative, emotional, and professional)
- Simplicity (intentional living, not hustle culture)
Step 3: Write Your Mini Vision Statement
I find big life plans to be overwhelming. If you are like me, it intimidates you instead of motivating.
Let’s just forget about it, for now, and focus on mini vision statements.
It might sound simple, but these are powerful enough to make impactful changes in your life.
A mini vision statement is a brief 1–2 sentence that captures your vision in life.
Examples:
- Career → “I want to build a career that gives me freedom and meaning.”
- Health → “I want to feel light, energized, and strong.”
- Mindset → “I want to stop doubting myself and start trusting what I know.”
It’s easier to write in a pocket journal or on sticky notes. Short, concise, and impactful at the same time.
This is going to be your North Star, the one that will help you choose your goals and make those big life plans.
Step 4: Choose Your North Star
Condense this into a simple yet clear sentence that perfectly encapsulates your mini vision statements.
Example:
I’m creating a life filled with calm, freedom, and self-trust — where my work feels meaningful, my mind feels clear, and my days feel like mine.
Why stick to just one sentence?
- This makes it easier to memorize. A 5 sentence vision sounds amazing, but it fades away faster.
- A simple sentence makes your Yes or No filter. Is the choices you are making in life aligned with the vision statement? When it becomes too long, you will not use it in decision making.
If you think you need more clarity, your mini vision statements will help you with it. It will assist you to go deeper into every aspect of life.
One sentence vision statement is the root and mini vision statements are the branches. You need to have strong roots for the tree to flourish.
Make it Real (and Stick to It)
It’s not enough to have a vision.
Write down your vision statement.
Even that’s not enough.
What good will come if you document it somewhere and forget about it?
You’ve got to keep it visible so it stays alive in your mind.
Options to Make Your Vision Visible:
- Sticky notes: Write down your mini vision statement on sticky notes. Place it on your mirror, desk, or laptop. Somewhere you can see it all the time.
- Phone wallpaper: Write your vision in a calming font and make it your phone wallpaper.
- Daily journaling: Don’t like displaying your vision? Chances are others will see your vision. Judge or mock you for it. If you want to keep it private and safe, write your mini vision in your journal or pocket notebook. Read it before you start your day, every day.
- Digital Vision Board: If you like doing things digitally, use a tool like Canva, Pinterest, or Notion to create a visual version of your vision.
- Physical Vision Board: Do you enjoy craft? For creative types who like cutting and pasting, go old school with magazines and glue. Make a physical vision board from scratch.
Format doesn’t have any importance. The key is that you should come up with a system where you’ll actually see your vision.
Forget about making it perfect or aesthetic. This is for you.
The Secret: Your Vision Can Change
Do you still want to live life the same way as you had imagined as a teenager? Maybe yes. Maybe no.
It’s okay if it’s a no.
Because you evolve with time. Experiences change your perspective. You discover new things. You discover yourself.
Your clarity will grow as you grow.
And your vision might change. Or rather, evolve to fit the new version of yourself.
That’s good.
That’s it? Doesn’t Creating a Vision Have to Be Complicated?
If you’ve spent any time in the self-help space, you’ve probably seen it:
Vision boards with aesthetic magazine cutouts, journaling challenges, long complicated goal planners, and 20-step life planning frameworks.
If that excites you? Go for it.
Those complicated things were never my cup of tea.
I know creating a vision is the foundation for life.
I believe that clarity can be gained from making things less complicated.
Your vision comes into existence from finally listening to yourself.
Sometimes it is easier to hide behind these enormous planners and vision boards to avoid being honest with oneself — what do I want?
The truth is:
You don’t need another planner. You don’t need 10 worksheets.
What you actually need is a strong, honest and clear vision statements that feel true when you read them. It feels like you.
That’s it.
Build your vision from the inside out, not from the outside in.
Simple doesn’t mean small. It means focused and clear. And clear is what actually moves your life forward.
Conclusion
Don’t think that you can come up with your vision statement in one weekend. That’s not how it is.
It will take some time, may be weeks, to come up with one that feels true and personal to you.
You should observe yourself, understand the choices you make, what makes you happy, what makes you sad… and so on.
Only from these observations can you answer the three questions mentioned here.
So, take your time to create your vision statement by weaving words that carry meaning, clarity and the essence of you.
You might also like:
➡️5 Simple Rules to Help You Begin Your Self Development Journey
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