“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become your destiny.”
– Lao Tzu
As a business and career coach for women of color and allies, these words by Lao Tzu hit home for me. They remind us that our thoughts, words, and actions are deeply connected and have the power to shape our lives and legacies—the very essence of the work I do with my clients. Our professional lives ebb and flow over time, and the truth is that cycle won’t end. Some days, months, or even years as a business owner or executive leader will be effortless, as if guided by pure intuition. Other periods of your professional life will have you feeling completely lost without a sense of direction. And unfortunately, stretches of feeling stagnant will come around as well.
What’s important to remember during all phases of your life: energy flows where attention goes.
Tony Robbins has a principle which he calls CANI – Constant And Never-ending Improvement–a concept which can be helpful in achieving your goals. No matter what season of life or business you’re in, if you seek improvement, creating a vision for what you want to achieve in the future, you’ll continue building a meaningful legacy. What you say, think, and act on will pave the way.
Keep reading to find my practical ideas on how to focus your energy on practices that help you build a strong legacy and dream big, especially when you’re feeling lost. Take special note of the reflective questions to kickstart your visioning!
Setting Your North Star and Crafting a Personal Vision Statement
Since energy flows where attention goes, you better get a good idea of what you want to put your attention toward. In creating a vision for your future that you can rely on to help you navigate ups and downs in your professional life, a great exercise is to find your north star. Haven’t heard of your north star? Martha Beck wrote a book called “Finding Your North Star” which guides you to reconnect with your inner compass, silencing external pressures and limiting beliefs. Finding your north star means creating a life filled with purpose, joy, and fulfillment–claiming the life you were meant to live. When you can pinpoint the principles that fuel your passions, you always know where to refocus in times of doubt.
To get started, ask yourself:
What are those core principles that guide your choices?
What values would you want your personal North Star to embody?
Once you reflect a bit on your North Star, you can integrate it into a personal vision statement. It can be just one or two sentences and super simple, but it should remind you of what you’re working toward and creating, just like a mission statement.
What do you want to achieve?
How do you want to make a mark?
This isn’t just an exercise. It’s about getting to the core of what drives you, aligning your path with these principles, and steering your journey with purpose. Your North Star and vision statement help you focus on what truly matters. Keep them handy and put intention into them.
The Power of Vision Boards
When it comes to aligning your energy with your goals, vision boards may seem cliche but they got that way for a reason.
In case you don’t know, vision boards are collections of images, words, and symbols representing your goals. It’s not arts and crafts (though you can absolutely tap into your creativity while doing it!) ; it’s a strategic tool to keep your aspirations front and center.
Vision boards tap into the power of visualization. It may seem woo-woo spiritual, but the power of visualization is even used by athletes. When you see your goals regularly, it imprints on your mind. Imagining an action or reality activates similar brain regions as actually performing it, priming the brain for future action.
I’ve seen clients turn their goals into reality through vision boards. Whether it’s a career milestone or a personal achievement, vision boards can be a game-changer. I had a client who consistently envisioned her goal of wanting to go to Argentina with her partner while having a team to support her business and she recently made it a reality!
What images or symbols would you include on your vision board to represent your most cherished goals?
Aligning Personal and Professional Goals
When your personal and professional goals align, you don’t have to juggle opposing priorities and values. It’s about trying to wake up every day with a sense of purpose because what you do professionally resonates with who you are personally.
For me, coaching women of color and allies wasn’t just a professional decision; it was deeply personal. Being a woman of color has impacted my life and work in so many ways, and creating space for women of color to succeed in business was hugely important to me. Now, my personal passions are integrated deeply into my business. It’s all over my messaging and is the core of my mission. Aligning personal values with professional goals creates a powerful synergy.
Reflect on your values and what matters to you.
How can your professional goals align and be integrated with your personal passions?
Attention Management Techniques
If you want to direct your energy into what matters, you’ll need practical strategies to manage your focus. Here’s some tangible strategies to try:
Mindful Time Blocking: Instead of diving into tasks haphazardly and jumping between different priorities, try time blocking. Designate specific chunks of time for different tasks so that you won’t be tempted to get distracted tackling multiple projects at once. I fully realize that if you have ADHD or are neurodivergent, time blocking won’t always work well for you. I’d highly suggest tuning in to this conversation on my podcast for unique tips and coping mechanisms that will help you. You can even choose to time block by day rather than hour to give yourself more time-flexibility. Personally, I’ve found that setting specific days for client calls and different days for administrative tasks allows me to be present when I need to be most. It aligns with my value of creating client-centric coaching.
Prioritization with the Eisenhower Matrix: Not all tasks are created equal. The Eisenhower Matrix helps you categorize tasks into four quadrants—urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither. It’s a no-nonsense way to prioritize.
Digital Detox: In a world buzzing with notifications and constant communication in the global workforce, consider a digital detox. Designate specific periods where you silence notifications or step away from screens. It’s a sanity-saving move. You can try out special iPhone features or focus apps to help with the willpower!
How can you implement attention management techniques to help you focus on your overall vision?
Let me be clear, these attention management techniques aren’t about squeezing more work into your day; they’re about optimizing your focus so you can fit more of what matters into your day.
How can you incorporate mindfulness practices into your daily routine to better focus your attention on your vision?
Reflective Wrap-Up
If you’re feeling stuck in your business, career, or personal goals just remember: energy flows where attention goes. What you think, say, and do can impact your life for the better when you create a strong vision and stay true to your intentions.
If you would like further support in your career, business, or leadership, my team and I would love to support you in creating a sustainable life through our coaching services! You can schedule a 30-minute legacy business or career review call with me to see if it’s a good fit to work together, and you’ll receive 3 action-items from me.
