I want to start this blog with talking about what's paramount in any endeavour in life, creative, business or otherwise.
We need to know where we're aiming, to have a final goal drive us day by day.
What is vision, first of all?
The below is pasted from Merriam-Webster dictionary
"unusual discernment or foresight
a person of vision"
I'm referring here to the meaning of the word as an intelligent foresight, something you want to work towards. It gives meaning to your daily tasks, it provides you with purpose, a reason to keep going even when times are tough.
Have you lost vision?
I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I've felt, at some point in life, that I was wandering aimlessly: I had lost vision.
This is however not something to be always taken as a failure in my opinion. Vision is bound to evolve and change direction. Perhaps we have explored a certain avenue to the max we are satisfied with, or perhaps it doesn't satisfy us anymore. It could also be that we have been side-tracked from our business goals. This might seem an irrelevant observation, but it's important for me to make that distinction, to define whether we have exhausted or lost track of our vision as opposed to when we have actually failed, so we can adjust accordingly.
If you believe in your business, others will and will help you achieve your goals
I have been lucky enough to (almost) always know what I wanted.
When I bought my first camera with money I should have spent more wisely for some (see mother), I felt like I coulnd't have spent it better.
When I upgraded to a better camera and started learning about lighting, I knew I wanted to use my skills in the commercial area, and craft something well planned for a specific purpose. While everyone else was asking me why I wouldn't shoot weddings, which in everyone's mind are the most remunerative photographic services, I knew my road lead to commercial photography and stuck with it.
It's been a slow start, and I couldn't have done it without the massive support from my partner: I'm definitely not here to brag, on the contrary. What I want to highlight is that the support came from the trust in my willpower, the fact that I knew what I wanted and I have always given it all to get it. Which means, I had vision.Â
Learn, get inspired and share your knowledge
After vision, comes creativity. How do we realise our vision? How have others?
As I'm inspired by other business stories (some of which are my clients!) and always look for ways to work more efficiently, I have started this blog to provide hopefully some inspiration and guidance to you all.
Check back or subscribe to my newsletter below to stay inspired.
Would you like to share tips and tools about visual communication and business? Get in touch, I'd love to host some guest articles and grow a community of imaginative entrepreneurs.
And let's not forget to keep track of what we're aiming for.
It is January, this time fits well with reviewing your progress and checking your vision and actions are still aligning. Let's check back before the end of year though, and keep realigning from there.
Till the next focal point!
Stef