Do you have a vision for your blogging or writing career?

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by True North Business Development, but all opinions are my own.

For several months I’ve been wrestling over many questions regarding the future of See Jane Write and my future as a writer and blogger.

Should I make See Jane Write a national organization?

What should I do with my personal brand Writeous Babe? 

Can I grow my writing career and build a business? 

Should I relaunch my magazine? 

How can I and how should I make See Jane Write bigger and better? 

Every night before bed I’d make up my mind about what’s next for me and See Jane Write and every morning I’d change my mind after getting inspired with a new idea.

I asked everybody from my husband and my lawyer to almost complete strangers what I should do. I asked my intern and my closest friends. I asked business coaches and brand strategists. I asked God.

My hope was that everyone would suggest I do the same thing. But, of course, everyone gave different, often conflicting advice. Then one day my intern said to me, “At the end of the day only you can make the decision.” Out of the mouths of babes…

She was right. So then I was faced with a new question: Why on earth couldn’t I make a decision?!

Enter Lois Weinblatt of True North Business Development.

Lois specializes in helping entrepreneurs and organizations define a clear vision for their business and their lives. Last month I attended one of Lois’ workshop and had an epiphany: I HAVE NO VISION FOR SEE JANE WRITE!

I sure thought I did. But what I really had was a mission and that’s not the same thing. Lois explained the difference: A mission is aspirational. It’s why you do what you do but it’s work that will never be done. My mission is to empower women and girls through the written word. That’s why I write, that’s why I encourage other women to write, and that’s why I started See Jane Write. But this is work that will never be over. I will never wake up one day and declare that all women and girls have been sufficiently empowered!

A vision, on the other hand, is “a definition of success at a specific point in the future,” Lois explained. Where do you want to go? When do you want to get there? What does it look like?

“The question isn’t which road do you take, it’s where are you going,” Lois said.

I realized I’d been asking all these people for directions and had no idea where I was trying to go!

Lois explained that once you’ve defined your vision, decision making is easy. If something doesn’t get you closer to your vision, you don’t do it. Plain and simple. And I know this. I preach this to my clients who struggle with time management. But what I didn’t know was that I didn’t have a vision in the first place.

Do you have a vision for your business, blog, or writing career? Do you have a clear definition of success at a specific point in the future? Do you know where do you want to go, when you want to get there and what it will look like when you arrive?

Lois is a sponsor for this year’s Bloganista Mini-Con presented by Laura Vincent Printing & Design and will be at the event to chat with you about the importance of having a vision and the process of defining one for yourself. But, I’ll be honest with you. I would have written about her and this experience even if she weren’t a sponsor. Lois’ workshop made me a true believer in the power of knowing your “True North.” Two weeks after that workshop I hired her to help me with See Jane Write. With Lois’ help I am going to define a clear vision for See Jane Write and for my writing career and I am confident that after that I will be unstoppable!

What’s your vision for your blogging or writing career?