Ask this one question before setting a vision

One of the most powerful aspects of what I do is Vision Setting. I learned how to craft inspiring, compelling visions using a Neuro-Linguistic Programming formula in my Coach Certification training way back in 2015. That was for individuals, and because I was a life coach I’d help my clients set a vision-based goal in whatever area of life they wanted to focus on improving: Career, Business, Health, Emotions, Finances, Relationships or Spirituality. Sometimes - we’d even craft a whole life vision covering all the areas!

The NLP formula I used to craft visions was incredibly simple but astonishingly powerful, helping my clients dream up what their life, themselves and every aspect would look like and all that they would achieve in whatever time frame we set (6 months, 1 year, 3 years or 7 years). 

I then adapted this same Vision Setting formula from setting personal visions for individuals to setting group visions for leadership teams and projects embarking on organisational change. I built a library of questions that help the group identify and land on what the true transformation will be and not just financial, productivity or operational benefits, but the experience that people will have along the way. Combined with a consultative coaching style that draws these responses out of the group, this method of Vision Setting has been so effective that I’ve run this exercise with Boards, Executive Teams, Senior Leadership Teams, Projects Teams, individual stakeholders and more. You can learn the full process and questions I use in my Leading Successful Change program. 

However, regardless of whether you’re setting a personal vision for your career or life, or a group vision for your project, change or team, there’s one question that trumps all else. 

“How are you going to feel?”

This question forms part of the T in the Vision Setting formula, which stands for Tangible. Tangible means: 

• What are you going to see? 
• What are you going to hear? 
• What are you going to feel? 

When I’m teaching this NLP Vision Setting formula for Change Management delivery, you’ll usually hear me say this part is the most important and powerful. 

And within the T (Tangible) component, “How are you going to feel?” is by far the most important and powerful.

Because everything else you do in your vision is really designed to help get you or your people to a different way of “feeling”. 

Whenever we’re chasing something, we’re not really chasing the “thing”. 

We’re chasing what we think the “thing” will bring - the feeling it will give us. 

That feeling might be confidence. 

It might be pride. 

It might be satisfaction. 

It might be love. 

It might be fulfillment. 

It might be joy. 

It might be freedom.

It might be trust. 

It might be certainty. 

It might be hope. 

It might be happiness. 

And this is true both when setting personal goal visions AND when setting group visions for organisational change and projects. Because organisations and projects are made up of people - employees, customers, clients, community, shareholders, project teams - and those people want to transform how they feel too. 

So for your 2026 goals, ask yourself (or get a friend, colleague or coach to ask you): 

• What do you want to feel? Pinpoint that feeling you think your goal will bring.
• Check in with your body - where do you feel it in your body?
• What colour is the feeling?
• What size and shape and texture is it?
• Are there any sounds associated with it?
• And on a scale of 1-10, where 1 is the least and 10 is the most, how strong is it?

When you can pinpoint the feeling achieving a goal-based vision will give you, and you experience it and bring it to life within your very physiology, your body experiences that feeling and will work harder to experience it again. You become almost on auto-pilot to achieving your vision. And THAT’S why it’s the most important and powerful question you can ask.

If you've got hopes and dreams for your career for 2026, come along to my free Underpaid and Overlooked Workshop starting on Monday 16 February. I'll be sharing all my tips and tricks to getting your mind, body and soul ready to start vision setting and getting clear on the pay rise, promotion or career change you deserve for the year ahead. 

>> Register your free spot here on my Underpaid and Overlooked Workshop

Lata xx