The audacity of a personal vision

When I applied to graduate school, most of the applications had to include a “Personal Statement,” or PS. A one-page essay, the PS gave admissions committees a glimpse into my life and goals.

It provided an opportunity to convince them that (1) I would be a good fit for their program and (2) I had a credible plan to represent the program positively after completion.

I absolutely hated writing them. It seemed a daunting task to fill up a whole page talking about myself. Add in the strategy at play, which meant making yourself appear interesting but not outlandish; bold but not arrogant; committed but not desperate; optimistic but not foolish; unique but not peculiar.

I also needed to tailor it to each program while trying to explain away that C I got in Latin II 🙄

Fast forward nearly twenty years, and I don’t struggle at all talking about myself in a professional context. And it has nothing to do with being more interesting or worldly than I was as a soon-to-be college graduate.

So what changed?

I have purpose now, that I didn’t back then.

When I tell my story—particularly the story of how I started and grew JWellsCFO, my accounting and advisory firm—it actually isn’t about me at all, at least not in my mind. Rather, the story is about my family, my mentor and colleagues, my customers, and others I’ve had the good fortune of interacting with over the past five years.

Those influences have shaped my personal story and vision.

In the last episode of my podcast, I talked about financial management for creative agency owners, which is my way of saying “applying the financial resources of your business to achieve your personal vision.”

But the opposite flow is also critical:

Your personal vision drives the financial decision-making within your business.

Your agency and your personal vision fuel each other in a symbiotic relationship. The more clear and compelling your vision is, the better your company will operate, thus pushing you closer to your vision.

So let me know…

How clear is your personal vision?

How connected is your agency’s financial management to your personal vision?

How can I help you get clear and more concentrated on achieving your personal vision?

Hit REPLY and tell me about it!