A vision is a clear, compelling and inspiring picture of the future you want to create. It’s like a compass – it provides direction, motivation, and a sense of purpose. It really sets the course for where you want to go. Having a vision is great, but if you’ve got a vision but no goals, it can feel like you’re just floating in space—sort of abstract, kind of hard to grasp. And then, if you have goals but no clear vision, it can feel a bit pointless, like you’re just going through the motions without any real purpose.

What really works is when you set goals that are driven by a strong vision. That’s when things get exciting! A compelling vision can really light a fire under you, pushing you to take action. And hey—it's totally okay to revisit and refine that vision as life changes. Sometimes your goals might need a little adjusting to keep up with what’s important to you at that moment.

Now let’s talk about goal setting. Setting goals is essential for effective progress. Quite common approach is to use SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. While it works for some (feel free to use it!), I found one that resonates with me much more: SPVEM. It stands for Scary, Positive, Visual, Exciting, and Measurable. This framework is referenced by Chris Croft in a course Success Habits by Chris Croft available at LinkedIn Learning, which I wholeheartedly recommend; it’s one of those you MUST DO if you are into self-development.

• Scary: Chris says “Your goals should be ambitious to the point that they make you a little bit anxious. This is the feeling of your subconscious coming out of the comfort zone and starting to believe that it can achieve more than it previously believed”. Now that’s a powerful reminder that growth often lies beyond the familiar–when we actually embrace that uncomfortable feeling, it can open doors to our real potential. Dream big!

• Positive: Chris explains that ”In order to work, goals have to be framed in the positive so we can work towards them. Our minds can’t visualise the absence of a negative thing. So we need to can visualise the existence of a positive new one”. Think of it like replacing a habit that doesn’t benefit us much with one that serves us well, e.g. “I want to focus on eating more proteins” rather than “I want to stop eating sweets”.

• Visual: According to Chris ”The clearer the picture in your mind, the better”. Visualising the end result can be a powerful tool in achieving our goals. It’s like, taking a moment to imagine what that goal will actually look like once we’ve nailed it. If we can envision what we are after down to the last detail, the likelihood of us actually reaching that goal increases significantly.

• Exciting: As Chris explains “Your goals should excite you. They should stir your emotions because that’s the fuel to overcome your actions. To overcome your natural fears and laziness. To make things happen”. While being driven by emotions is not always a good thing, we can use these emotions to our advantage. We’re emotionally connected to our goals, that connection can push us to move past those obstacles, turning aspirations into tangible achievements.

• Measurable: That one is the same as in SMART–it’s about ensuring that the goal is quantifiable and can be tracked over time, so we can objectively determine progress and if we’ve met the targets. When you actually see tangible progress, it can really boost your motivation. It’s like, when you notice those small wins, it just makes you want to keep going, doesn’t it?

So, new year, new, better, you?  What's your vision for your health?