The Power of Vision in the New Year
January used to be a black hole. A foggy void. A blank spot. A blur.
Coming off of the busyness of the holidays and year-end, it was a welcome break.
But for most of my life, January simply slipped by. Little to nothing of significance was accomplished as I slowly turned my attention to the year to come. It typically wasn’t until February, sometimes even March, that I felt like I hit a stride for the new year.
Now, January is one of my favorite months. Full of possibility. Clarity. Anticipation. It’s also one of the most productive times of my entire year.
Today, I’d like to share why January can be the most strategically valuable time of your year, how you can cut through the fog, and develop your own personal imago – a vision of a future that will be, but does not yet exist.
Let’s start with what January might be for you today.
January and When Life Gets in the Way
As I mentioned, January used to slip by for me. It wasn’t a bad month per se, but a lost opportunity. It was all too easy for the beginning of the year to disappear in a blur.
I would characterize my relationship with January throughout my life into four stages – which of these do you most relate to today?
Stage 1: Didn’t understand the potential, didn’t care. When I was younger, January was just another month. It was simply the time to go back to school or, later in life, to return to work. But I was unaware of the potential in a new year, new rhythms, and the opportunity to change my perspective and trajectory.
Stage 2: Aware of the potential but lacking a system. As I grew in responsibility – both in leadership and as a husband and father, I began to realize the possibilities that a new year brings. I wanted to take advantage of that potential, but I didn’t have a system – a structured way to learn from the prior year and plan for the next.
Stage 3: Had a system but didn’t make the time, have the discipline. Once I developed the beginnings of a system, the next challenge was to maintain the discipline to do it and do it proactively. Each year, I would start my reflection and planning in mid-to-late January – some years, I wouldn’t find the time until February. I became aware that I was losing the first couple months of the year in getting my act together, but with young children at home and prioritizing family during the holidays, I didn’t see a way to carve out the time in December.
Stage 4: Have a system AND the discipline to make the time to review and plan. Today, I set aside one work day (or two half-days) in December to reflect on the year that is ending, and take another half day over the holidays to plot out my priorities for the year to come. Today, I start January with a list of priorities and goals for the year. More on that in a little bit.
💡 Takeaway: Once you understand the power and potential of having a system to develop a vision for the coming year, January can become a month full of professional potential and personal clarity.
The Power of Vision
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
Millennia ago, the writer of Proverbs captured this wisdom – vision is crucial to surviving and thriving. I remember hearing that phrase growing up – “where there is no vision, the people perish.” It rang true, but I wasn’t sure what it meant. Vision is such a squishy concept – what is a vision, really? And why is it important?
Having a clear vision for the new year is important for four reasons:
Vision gives purpose. A personal vision gives meaning to what you decide to focus on, choose to do, and choose NOT to do (which is just as important – what you say no to).
Vision gives clarity. There are plenty of moments in life that are unclear or foggy. Having a vision provides clarity and cuts through the fog.
Vision gives context. Vision helps you see your journey right now in a broader context. It places this present moment in the context of your overall life trajectory.
Vision helps us prioritize. At any given moment, there are many different things we can focus on. Having a clear vision is an excellent tool for prioritizing. You can ask yourself, “Which of these things is most likely to contribute to making progress towards my vision?”
I don’t know about you, but it’s hard for me at any given moment to see where I am in life's grand journey. It’s often only in hindsight that I can see the overall arc of where I’m headed. But with a practice of reflection and casting vision, I can better understand where my little “dot” currently is on the journey of life.
💡 Takeaway: Vision is a practical tool to give purpose, provide clarity, put our decisions in context, and enable us to zoom out and see ourselves on the journey – where we are today and where we want to be.
What’s your Imago for the New Year?
The word “imago” is not just the name of our company.
In Latin, imago is a word picture of a vision of a future that will be, but does not yet exist. Translated, Imago is the idea of a final image – a word picture of a caterpillar that will become a butterfly. It’s the last stage of maturity. A metamorphosis. The final shape.
Imago is a vision of a future that will be, but does not yet exist.
For you, in January, this year is a future that will be but does not yet exist. It’s your own personal imago.
What is your imago for this new year? Who are you today, where do you want to go, and who do you want to be?
💡 Takeaway: Imago is a vision of a future that will be, but does not yet exist. Having a clear vision, a clear imago, for the new year creates clarity and direction.
Let’s conclude by looking at the simple four-step process I use to develop a vision for the coming year.
4 Steps to Craft a Vision for the New Year
Over the holidays, I posted a guide to how I reflect and plan for the new year:
Article:
Personal Planning for the New Year:
4 Steps to a Fulfilling and Productive New Year
I highly recommend you read the complete 4-step guide, but here are the steps briefly:
Step 1: Reflection. Mentally walk through the past year and write down milestones, both good and bad. Reflect, ask yourself, “What do I notice?” and “What have I learned?”
Step 2: Priorities. Set and review your top priorities personally and professionally across four different time horizons – Lifetime, 10-year, 3-year, and 1-year priorities.
Step 3: Measurable Goals. Translate your 1-Year priorities into measurable goals. Ask, “What can I measure that will indicate that I’m making progress on this priority?”
Step 4: One-Word Focus. Boil down next year’s priorities into a single-word vision. What one word or phrase can be a shortcut – a reminder of what is important throughout the year?
The next step is to schedule time on your calendar to do these four steps.
You don’t have to have a perfect plan in advance – just schedule the time and make the commitment to yourself.
Look for 2-4 hours here in the next week, and book it on your calendar. For me, mornings are the best time to reflect and think. Find a nice spot, be it at a coffee shop, home, or a quiet office, and get to it!
💡 Takeaway: Carving out a half or a full day early in the year to reflect, set priorities, measurable goals, and a one-word vision for the year to come is powerful. You won’t regret it.
January used to be a missed opportunity. Today, it’s one of the most strategically important and productive months of my year. My hope is that with your own imago – vision for the future – you will find the same send of clarity and anticipation.
Until next week… Surfs Up! 🌊
- Dave
About the Author | Dave Raley
Consultant, speaker, and writer Dave Raley is the founder of Imago Consulting, a firm that helps non-profits and businesses create profitable growth through sustainable innovation. He’s the author of a weekly trendspotting report called The Wave Report, and the co-founder of the Purpose & Profit Podcast — a show about the ideas at the intersection of nonprofit causes and for-profit brands.
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