We often are so caught up in the day-to-day and what’s in front of us that we rarely take the time to find meaning for the things we do. We’re constantly living in a pull environment, where we’re trying to live up to expectations and obligations. Finding a vision that pulls you with inspiration and commitment will enable you to live with purpose and authenticity.
How do you define your own vision? I’d like to share the Push-Pull model by Roy Geer with you.
We are often times living in the lower half of the model, being pushed by problems, and weighed down by expectations and obligations. This is when you think “I should act this way in a meeting” or “I should have married by the time I am 30”.
The upper half of the model is where we are being pulled by our vision – to lead with inspiration and commitment to stay true to our purpose, values and strengths. The ability to lead with a long-term goal in sight makes every action meaningful, and every setback becomes a part of the journey instead of a source of anxiety.
Most leaders I’ve coached do not have a vision when they first come to me. They are always reacting to what the organizations want from them, what their family wants from them, what their friends want from them, and never put what they themselves want first. As a result, they are always in the problem – push area.
Living in obligation and expectations is not a healthy place to be. Constantly having to live up to what others have set out for you can be a struggle and we fail to notice that we have alternate choices.
When you identify your vision and align your actions to this purpose, you’re able to create motivation and have peace-of-mind that what you do ultimately contributes to something much bigger.
During my time in the corporate world, I worked 15-16 hours a day and felt like I had to be a certain way. I had expectations from my family that I had to live up to, but also at the workplace as a leader. To establish my vision, understand my own skills and strengths have helped to pull myself. Carrying out my vision, I was finally able to incorporate the higher purpose into my life and be in a much better state even when my tasks at hand didn’t change.
So, I’d like you to ask yourself, where are you?
And is that the most productive place to be?
Now the reality is that we are not always going to be able to live in our defined vision. Push are always going to be present in our everyday work and home lives, but recognizing their impact gives us opportunities to grow and learn. What is important is knowing that you have a choice of where you choose to live, that you do not have to remain in a static state and that you have the resource and vision to navigate through the “push” to “pull” when needed.
Remember, you’re not right or wrong being in a certain area, but knowing your vision allows you to lead a purposeful life and know the reasons for your actions.
For those who want to establish their vision, please read the following article from Harvard Business Review – From Purpose to Impact.
