At The Fast Forward Group, we help people and teams play big and focus on what’s important in their whole life. If you’ve done the Fast Forward program, you know that the first step is to Declare a Bold Vision and Share It. You fast forward out one year ahead and write a Vision for extraordinary success – as if it’s already happened. In our own organization, we walk the walk and each year everyone on our team writes a Bold Vision and–starting in January–one person shares their Vision week by week in our team meetings.
By the time it was my turn in mid-March, I was simply NOT feeling it. As I saw the New York region shutting down, Italy suffering, events canceled, life put on hold — I didn’t want to write my Vision or share it. A lot of thoughts raced through my mind: Should I feign optimism? Pretend I knew when things would return to normal? Was there even a point with so many unknowns?
But as I hunkered down to write my Vision, to my surprise, my melancholy was replaced with inspiration and confidence, and the words started to flow. I saw that now is not the time to pause. Now is the time to throw your hat over the wall and set bold intentions. Even though I can’t control the circumstances — I could see there were actually a lot of things I can control, including: my thoughts, how I behave, actions I choose to take and choose not to take, my relationships and my outlook.
What If I Fail?
I realized that my Vision for success is so valuable even if I fail. It’s actually not about achieving everything in your Vision just as you have written it. It’s about how you play in your life, how you show up, and how you impact the people around you. There has never been a better time to have a Vision — and a bold one at that. It requires intention, discipline and resilience: staying on track, overcoming setbacks, resetting. But it’s worth it, because we have one life.
If you feel like I did: feeling a sense of dread or fear about the future, sadness about things that have been canceled or put on a long term hold, consider asking yourself “what IS POSSIBLE now?”
Some ideas I thought of that might apply to you:
Get Innovative
- What new offerings could your organization create to address the new world of work?
- How can those offerings remain relevant when we shift back to our regular routine? What foundational, strategic and personal advances can you make during this time of disruption?
- Is there a big strategic plan you’ve been putting off? A side hustle you’ve been meaning to start?
Start Bonding
At a time when social distancing is keeping us physically apart, there are opportunities to bring people together, not only this year, but for years to come.
- You could establish regular team drinks – first virtual, then in person – that will build deeper connections.
- You could collectively donate or virtually volunteer for organizations making a difference in your community at this time.
- Reading your Vision with your team can inspire them to action and bring you closer together.
Do More Things You Love
When team members are happy and satisfied in their personal lives, they’re more likely to be effective and fulfilled professionally. Are there personal goals that you now have time for? This is not about piling on to your to-do list, but prioritizing things that make you happy.
-
- Are there books you would like to read?
- A language you would like to learn?
- Old friendships you would like to rekindle?
- Distant relatives you’d like to get closer to? An opportunity to get even closer as a family.
- Is there an exercise routine you can implement in your home? I’m creating at-home Bikram yoga conditions in my bathroom!
If you’re ready to replace your melancholy, the Fast Forward Bold Vision exercise is a good place to start.
