“Vision without a task is only a dream. A task without a vision is but drudgery. But vision with a task is a dream fulfilled.”       -Anonymous

If I had a dollar for every time a client told me about their dream during one of our meetings, I would be a very wealthy man. Dreams are wonderful… it’s great to dream big. But a dream is not the same as having a vision. Having a vision is inspirational and can be life changing. Having a vision is how a great leader gets from impossible to possible. Having a vision is the difference between failure and success.

A dream comes to us in our sleep, unconsciously or subconsciously. It is a succession of thoughts, images, sounds and/or emotions which pass through the mind during sleep when the "self" system is not keeping us alert to the world around us. On the other hand, a vision is a moment of clarity – a lucid, waking moment of insight into our future.

A vision, unlike a dream, is goal oriented and involves a series of tasks. It is focused, thought-out and planned. It is not just imagined. It is tangible and attainable and, with the right steps, will be your reality.

Think about a vision for yourself. It can be business related or personal. Look three or five years down the road. Where do you want to be? What are the steps you need to take to get there? Put your vision into writing and set short term goals for it along the way. Stay focused and work your vision each and every day. Yet, don’t forget to dream at night.