Ethan Martin
Insights for the Second Half of 2023

We are at the end of our second quarter, 50% through 2023. What a year it's been!

This is designed to share some critical insights and questions to help you grow as a leader and increase your impact as we move into the second half of the year.

Insights for the Second Half of 2023
Ethan Martin
An Inspiring Big Hairy Audacious Goal: The Key ...

We are excited to share our updated BHAG - We made our BHAG measurable, and it is a result of a significant takeaway from our global Scaling Up coaching work - people flourish when they have a good job.  Everything begins with a good job, and the CEOs we partner with share our passion for creating jobs that allow their team to flourish.

An Inspiring Big Hairy Audacious Goal: The Key to Long-Term Success
April Bascos
Grit and the Want-To Factor (™): High Doers for ...

Grit is one of the pinnacles of PFD Group’s “Want-To Factor,” a trademarked designation that identifies the ultimate doers of any group. People with high Want-To Factors are the most likely to get things done. Learn more on how to find high Want-To candidates for your business.

Grit and the Want-To Factor (™): High Doers for Your Company's Success
Karissa Feese
What Makes a Great Leader?

The question of what makes a great leader has long been a focus of PFD Group’s coaching and strategic planning services, as great leaders build and leverage great communities. Among other things, a great community can help leaders learn more about themselves, which can help them build and grow better businesses.

What Makes a Great Leader?
Ethan Martin
A Checklist for Your Next Annual Planning ...

When holding your annual planning meeting, you want attendees to focus on the important details of planning your business, with full attention and in a strategic environment conducive to the future-planning process. Last-minute planning of the meeting can result in an unfocused event. We’ve prepared a checklist for your annual planning meeting with tips and strategies to consider in organizing the finer details.

A Checklist for Your Next Annual Planning Meeting (FREE Download)

I AM Statements

Vision Boarding: Creating Your Future and Your Personal Why

There is no correct time to invest in personal growth, but the beginning of each year is always a motivator for people to lay out big plans for their personal life. Here at PFD, we encourage companies to have a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal), 3HAG, and 1HAG, but we are also working on our personal Vision Boards (VB).

A Vision Board is your personal WHY.

That feeling of being overwhelmed or feeling like you are on a hamster wheel is taxing on your mental and physical health. A VB is a fabulous tool to keep you motivated and focused, which is enormously important as we all continue to face uncertain times.

My (Liz Kaufman’s) Vision Board - Pictures on a useable whiteboard. It has some visual elements with a focus on functionality, as I wanted the ability to regularly update it with words that are inspiring to me.

My (Liz Kaufman’s) Vision Board - Pictures on a useable whiteboard. It has some visual elements with a focus on functionality, as I wanted the ability to regularly update it with words that are inspiring to me.

Whether you have built a VB in the past or if this is your first time, we have some advice on how to get started:

 
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Know What You Want

Most advice with regards to building a VB includes, “if you have no time or money limitations, what do you want”. This advice is exactly what is needed, but can be overwhelming, therefore we have two activities to help:

  • MY 75 – Taking the advice of no limitations due to time, money, or circumstances, list 75 things you want and want to achieve. Do not overthink this activity, just begin listing your hearts’ desires. Here are a few questions to help you get started:

    •  Where do you want to go?

    • Who do you want to meet?

    • What do you want to read and/or learn?

    • Who do you want to help?

    • What is the newest gadget that makes you excited?

    • What relationships would you like to grow?

  • I AM statements – This activity is used by many personal growth coaches. When you write down “I AM” statements, it helps you actualize who you want to become. This is about your heart, mind, and soul. Words are the building blocks of your life, so ensure you are speaking positive words about yourself. Here are a few statements to help you get started:

    • I am generous with my money and time

    • I am respected within my care

    • I am part of a caring and loving family

    • I am an entrepreneur

    • I am confident

    • I am a home owner

Emmalee Harper’s Vision Board. It is made on two acrylic sheets sandwiched together, with printed pictures in between. It is highly visual and design-focused, with some added functionality of being able to write on it with a dry-erase marker. 

Emmalee Harper’s Vision Board. It is made on two acrylic sheets sandwiched together, with printed pictures in between. It is highly visual and design-focused, with some added functionality of being able to write on it with a dry-erase marker. 

 
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Build Your Vision Board

There is no right or wrong way to build your VB. There are only two qualifications; it should fit your personality/style and you should be able to see it daily. Here are a few ideas:

Materials

All you need is a blank wall, some pictures, paper, and tape, however, there are many examples of materials that can build a Vision Board that will work for your space and personality. A few ideas include:

  • Corkboard 

  • Whiteboard

  • Acrylic Board (following this tutorial)

  • Canvas

  • Blank wall

  • Window 

Style

Whether it be highly stylized or simple, it should be both functional and energizing. At PFD we have three examples of styles that you’ll see throughout this post:

  • My (Liz’s) Vision Board - Pictures on a useable whiteboard. It has some visual elements with a focus on functionality, as I wanted the ability to regularly update it with words that are inspiring to me.

  • Emmalee Harper’s Vision Board – It is made on two acrylic sheets sandwiched together, with printed pictures in between. It is highly visual and design-focused, with added some functionality of being able to write on it with a dry-erase marker. She also added some gold leaf to the pictures as an extra, fun touch.

  • Ethan Martin’s Vision Board - Magazine clippings on canvas. It is highly visual, comprised of inspiring pictures and quotes.

Content

You do not need to include everything from you, MY 75 or I AM statements, but ensure your board is a mix of categories, personal growth, inspirational quotes, huge aspirations that scare you, short term wins that will energize you, and anything else that speaks to you. This board is YOU poured out into a visualization; it is not supposed to speak to someone else.

 

Ethan Martin’s Vision Board - Magazine clippings on canvas. It is highly visual, comprised of inspiring pictures and quotes.

Ethan Martin’s Vision Board - Magazine clippings on canvas. It is highly visual, comprised of inspiring pictures and quotes.

 
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Keep Your Board Fresh

As you achieve a win, first celebrate it, then replace it with a new goal (which is why you developed a My 75 and I AM statements). Adding to it often helps you to work on your future and refine the view of your life. Some areas may come into deeper clarity, while others may stay the same for a year and get moved to the next year. Your VB is always a work in progress. 

The last piece of advice is, get started. Create a grand vision for your life and speak it into existence each day. Though it may seem simple, this is a powerful tool. The PFD Team is here to help and we encourage you to share your Vision Boards, and we will be sharing ours. 

Create a business and life that Thrives.