Mapping Out Your Family Vision
We all only have 24 hours in a day, and nearly all of us split this time across multiple areas. Because UPLEVEL Leaders are high-achieving, purpose-driven individuals, we are goal-oriented, which means that we have goals for our lives that help us to achieve our vision. Oftentimes we may focus on goals outside of the home and are intentional about setting our visions, vision boards and goal-setting which include our home, but not necessarily inclusive of our families. Because of this, once we find things are competing with our time, we become frustrated because our team/family isn’t supportive. We don’t understand why different family members don’t understand each other and there isn’t any peace. This is why it’s important to have a family vision.
When you come together with your family to create a shared family vision and goals, everyone wins. Family vision helps you avoid assignment distractions. If you don’t have a shared family vision, it cost your family time and money. However, having one will help you to be more focused and ensure you stay aligned to your assignment. Having a family vision will help you with the process of creating your personal vision and goals based upon what your family has agreed upon.
My husband and I call ourselves Team Moton and we even teach our 20-month-old son about being part of a great team. Sometimes he wants our attention, but we are talking to one another or working on something that requires us not to give him our undivided attention, so we stop acknowledging him (in that moment) and tell him that we are busy doing something for the greater good of the whole team. It doesn’t always work because he is a toddler, but we are teaching him these principles early. When he wants his daddy, but he is leaving for work, we tell him daddy is going to work that part of his job on the team.
Last night in the car on our way home from dinner, my husband and I were talking, and he kept starting a conversation very loudly in attempt to get our attention. We stopped our conversation, engaged with him, and after about the third time I told him Daddy and I can have a conversation without him. My husband let him talk and then asked, “Are you done now? Cool, Mommy and I are talking.” No one is too young to participate on the team. As the family grows and moves to different stages, so does their active involvement in being a member of the family team and contributing in some way.
Creating a family vision and goals reduces stress, frustration, confusion and feelings of being unsupported. When you create a shared vision and goals each family member can accurately hold each other accountable and when misunderstandings or miscommunication arises, you can refer back to what the family agreed to. For instance, maybe your kids do not understand why you have been working late or on your laptop when you are home. You can remind them that it is temporary and that you achieving this individual goal of completing a work project helps with the overall family vision and goals. Be specific and explain how it helps. For instance maybe you’re wanting to take a family vacation, be present for one of their upcoming events, or moving into a new home, so the task you are performing in that moment is moving you all closer to that goal. When the kids are not being their BEST selves at home or school you can talk to them about how the behavior is not reflective of a great teammate and how they are not helping family be successful in their vison.
Most importantly shared family vision and goals allows each family member the opportunity to support, encourage and celebrate each other, especially on the days someone desires to give up.
Pray and perhaps do a family fast before you embark on this journey so that you all are led by Holy Spirit. It may take some time to complete each part, but it will be a great foundation for your year and it can create great memories and traditions.
Our family vision is inclusive of all family members, however our goals in each category are sometimes segmented for my husband and I, and then the three of us together.
Below are a some simple steps you and your family can take to create your own shared vision and goals.
1. Create a family mission statement (this is one sentence that speaks to your family’s core values and long-term overarching goal)
2. Pick a theme for 2019 (Team Moton’s theme is centered around procrastination and consistency).
3. Write a vision statement for that theme (a one sentence statement that identifies what your family wants to achieve or accomplish this year, a declaration of your family’s goals; a roadmap).
4. Find a scripture that is relevant to the vision to decree over your family daily.
5. Find a name of God that resonates with your spirit and aligns with your vision (https://tonyevans.org/praying-and-pronouncing-the-names-of-god/) (Team Moton’s Elohim Ozer Li-God My Helper).
6. Pick 3-5 areas that you want to create goals in (examples financially, health, spiritual, emotional, mental, relationship, fun, self-care). Our areas this year are around one of our businesses, home, family time, health, and spiritual.
7. Write 1-3 S.M.A.R.T.E.R Goals for each area.
· S-Specific and Simple
· M-Measurable and Meaningful
· A-Attainable and Action-Oriented
· R-Relevant and Realistic
· T-Time-based
· E-Excitable
· R-Reassess and Reward
8. Turn you goals into decrees based on scripture and pray them as a family (an official statement that something must happen; a formal & authoritative order or judgment, especially having the force of law ie scripture). Example: I decree I am royalty, and I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.I decree our family loves and serves God.
9. Find an inspirational song that your family can worship to throughout the year based on your vision and goals.
10. Create a family vision board based on elements from steps 1-9.
11. Repeat steps 1-10 for your personal life, but make sure it aligns with your family vision and goals.
Let me know how everything works out for you and your family. I’d love to hear how implementing a family vision impacts you and your family.