Last week, I showed you why most company vision statements are terrible and gave you examples of ones that actually work. This week, let's fix yours.

I've worked with hundreds of small businesses on their vision statements, and I've discovered that the process most companies use is completely backwards. They start with corporate-speak and try to make it inspiring. That never works.

Instead, you need to start with what genuinely matters to you and then find the simplest way to express it. Here's exactly how to do that.

The Vision Statement Process That Actually Works

Forget everything you think you know about writing vision statements. Forget what they taught in business school. Here's what successful companies actually do.

Step 1: Start with the problem that keeps you up at night

Before you think about your business, think about the world. What problem genuinely bothers you? What would you fix if you had unlimited resources? This isn't about your products or services yet - it's about the change you want to create.

Maybe you're frustrated that small businesses can't compete with big companies because they don't have access to the same tools. Maybe you hate that healthy food is too expensive for most families. Maybe you're tired of seeing talented people stuck in jobs that don't utilize their potential.

The best visions come from founders who see something wrong with the world and decide to fix it. If you can't identify that core problem, you're not ready to write a vision statement yet.

Step 2: Picture the world when that problem is solved

Now get specific about what "fixed" looks like. Don't say "a better world" - describe exactly what better means. Does it mean every small business has access to enterprise-level marketing tools? Does it mean fresh, healthy food costs the same as processed junk? Does it mean people can find work that actually matches their skills and passions?

The more specific you are, the more powerful your vision becomes. Vague visions inspire nobody. Specific visions give people something concrete to work toward.

Step 3: Think 10 years out

Your vision should be ambitious enough that you can't achieve it next quarter, but realistic enough that people believe it's possible within a decade. Microsoft's early vision of "a computer on every desk and in every home" seemed crazy in the 1980s, but it wasn't impossible.

Ask yourself: if everything goes right over the next 10 years, what impact could your company realistically have? That's your vision.

Step 4: Make it uniquely yours

This is where most companies fail. They create generic visions that could apply to anyone. If you could replace your company name with a competitor's name and the statement still works, start over.

Your vision should be impossible to copy because it's rooted in your specific perspective on what the world needs. It should reflect your unique approach, values, or point of view.

Step 5: Write like a human

Use language that normal people use. Write like you're talking to a friend, not presenting to a board of directors. Avoid these vision statement killers:

• Buzzwords like "innovative," "dynamic," "leading," or "excellence"
• Jargon that requires industry knowledge to understand
• Complex sentences that need to be read twice
• Corporate speak that sounds impressive but means nothing

If your teenager can't understand your vision statement, it's too complex.

The Simple Formula That Works

Here's a framework that cuts through all the fluff:

"We envision a world where [specific change or outcome]."

Or even simpler: "A world where [your ideal future state]."

The Alzheimer's Association uses the second version perfectly: "A world without Alzheimer's disease." Six words, massive impact.

Let's say you run a small accounting firm. Instead of "To be the leading provider of comprehensive financial solutions," you might write: "A world where small business owners never lose sleep over their finances."

See how much more specific and meaningful that is? It tells you exactly what problem you're solving and what success looks like.

The Four Tests Every Vision Statement Must Pass

Before you finalize anything, run your vision through these four tests. If it fails any of them, keep working.

The Stranger Test Give your vision statement to someone who knows nothing about your business. Ask them what they think you do. If they can't get reasonably close to the right answer, your vision is either too vague or too disconnected from your actual business.

The Monday Test Would this vision statement get your team excited about Monday morning? If you can't honestly say yes, you need to make it more inspiring. Your vision should be something people are proud to tell their friends about.

The Competitor Test Could your biggest competitor copy this statement and have it make sense for their business? If yes, your vision isn't specific enough to you. The best visions are rooted in the founder's unique perspective and can't be easily replicated.

The 10-Year Test Will this vision still matter and inspire people a decade from now? Technology will change, markets will shift, but the fundamental human problems you're solving should remain relevant.

Common Vision Statement Traps to Avoid

I've seen companies make the same mistakes over and over. Here's how to avoid them:

The Everything Bagel - Don't try to cram every goal, value, and aspiration into one statement. Your vision should be laser-focused on one big idea.

The Humble Brag - Your vision isn't about how great you are. It's about the change you want to create in the world.

The Novel - If your vision statement needs a paragraph break, it's too long. Great visions are memorable because they're simple.

The Time Warp - Don't write about what you're doing now. Vision statements should be about the future you're working to create.

Making Your Vision Come Alive

Writing a great vision statement is just the beginning. The real work is making it actually function in your business.

Your vision needs to guide everything you do. When you're making hiring decisions, ask candidates how they connect with your vision. The right people will light up when they hear it. The wrong people will give you blank stares.

Use your vision as a decision-making filter. When someone brings you a new opportunity or partnership, the first question should be: "Does this move us closer to our vision?" If the answer is no, it's probably not right for your company.

Measure your progress against your vision regularly. This doesn't mean creating complex metrics. It means honestly asking yourself: "Are we making meaningful progress toward the future we've described?"

Your Next Steps

Here's what to do this week:

1. Throw out your current vision statement - Don't try to polish what you have. Start fresh.
2. Answer the core question - What would the world look like if your company achieved everything it's capable of?
3. Write your first draft - Use the simple formula and focus on clarity over cleverness.
4. Test it - Run it through the four tests and get feedback from people you trust.
5. Refine and finalize - Keep working until you have something that passes all tests and genuinely inspires you.

Remember, your vision statement is either a powerful tool that guides your company toward meaningful impact, or it's corporate wallpaper that nobody pays attention to. There's no middle ground.

The companies winning today aren't just selling products. They're selling a vision of a better future that customers, employees, and partners want to be part of. The question is whether you're brave enough to articulate that vision clearly and simply, or whether you're going to hide behind corporate speak that means nothing to anyone.

The world doesn't need another "leading provider of innovative solutions." But it definitely needs your unique vision of what the future could look like.

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