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I see so many want-repreneurs these days just throwing spaghetti at the wall, crossing their fingers that something will stick, and it breaks my heart. Instead of a thriving business, all they get for their trouble is a floor covered in half-cooked idea-noodles. They give up, burn out, wander off to the next thing on their list? and wonder why they?re not ?making it.?

Entrepreneurship has been painfully romanticized.

People want to become the next Oprah or Gary Vee. They want to sit on the beach with a laptop on their knees. And they think they can get there with an onslaught of social media posts and a couple high-ticket offers.

But just as if you were trying to create a delicious pasta dish, you have to be patient and deliberate. You need quality ingredients, an appropriate combination of flavors, and the proper cook time. In other words, you need a clear vision, and steps to get there.

What does it mean to have a vision for your business?

It means you can see the world that you want to create with your business. You can see the changes that you want to make and the movement you want to lead. You can see the empire that you want to build, and you can see how this will benefit everyone who takes part.

As someone who started her entrepreneurial journey at the age of 6, I can tell you this with confidence:

Just focusing on making the next sale, and the next, will lead you straight into burnout.

What keeps you moving forward and even increases your momentum, on the other hand, is holding that vision in your mind. 

In my case, I?m truly passionate about building a space where misfits and misunderstood geniuses can feel safe to sustainably express who they are and what they believe in. ?It?s that certainty in my vision which allows me to cut out all the noise and clutter and stay focused on what I?m creating.

If you?re not sure what your vision is, ask yourself:

?Why did I start my business in the first place??

?What benefits does my work bring to my clients??

?Why is this important to me, personally??

?What do I and my business stand for??

 

Four ways having a clear vision helps your business?

1. A vision gives you something to work toward.

If you don?t have a big picture in place you?ll only be hustling your days away, chasing sales and trying all the latest gimmicks. You?ll sacrifice your priorities and your values if you think it will bring you closer to your financial goals. And you will be scattered and unfocused as you scramble for whatever tactics are close at hand, instead of aligning with your greater purpose.

With a vision in place, you?ll have a solid foundation beneath you?it?s your ?recipe,? so to speak, guiding you toward the grand results you dream of. It gives you an idea of where you?re going after your 100th sale.

?Tip:

Ask yourself where you want to be in a year. In five years. What do you want your life and your business to look like? What difference do you want to be making in the world?

Related: Are You Looking Ahead or Below?

??????2. Being very clear on your vision means you can share it with a varied audience.

Without a clear vision, you?ll find it very hard to build brand loyalty because you?ll only be selling your products. Not your brand. Not your message. Just a product. It?s just ?noodles,? and you can get noodles anywhere. Your vision is like your special homemade sauce, elevating your offers to a new and unique level.

People love to be connected to businesses that have a strong vision because they feel like they?re part of something big and exciting. This is why businesses like Disney thrive after a century or more: they know how to share their vision, their message, their purpose with people of all walks of life. And that relationship will then be passed down for generations as kids who love it grow up and share it with their own kids. 

?Tip:

Break your vision down into its most basic components, and articulate it in the simplest way possible. Now it will be easier for you to adapt and creatively package that message for a variety of target markets.

Related: 3 Key Ingredients for a Successful Business

3. When you?re clear on your vision, others are clear on it, too.

When people don?t know what you stand for or what your business is all about, they?re going to just pass you over. A vision or purpose appeals to their personality. It tugs on their emotions. It makes them want to get involved! But for that to happen, they have to be very clear on what exactly your vision is.

This doesn?t just mean clients and customers?it also means investors, partners, team support and anyone else you can network with. When others can get on board with your vision, and believe in it as strongly as you do, they?re going to want to help you succeed. Just understand that it needs to ?cook,? as some people may require a little time to warm up to your brilliant ideas.

?Tip:

Speak and share about your vision often, in many ways and in many places. Don?t be afraid to reach out directly and invite people to get involved.

????????4. The more people that share your vision, the more momentum you build.

Entrepreneurship is not a solo journey. It can?t be. There?s far too much involved for any single person to do it all themselves, and if you try, you?re going to burn out quick. Your business, your vision, and the world you dream of creating? They all deserve better.

Here?s the good news: as more people invest in your vision (financially, emotionally, or otherwise), the growth increases exponentially. It?s a snowball effect of energy and excitement and word of mouth, creating a sort of community around that singular purpose. And suddenly, instead of a measly little spaghetti dinner for one, you?ve got a whole spaghetti festival going on!

?Tip:

Find ways to create and support this sense of community? through social media, a mailing list, group challenges etc.

If you?re ready to STOP throwing spaghetti at the wall and START feeding and nourishing your audience, there?s no way around it. You?ve got to have a clear vision. 

Entrepreneurship is not a relaxing and sunny lifestyle like all the ads and memes want you to think. It?s not easy, and it?s not quick. It is, however? delicious when done right.

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