One idea to Build your Business, one idea to Scale your life. Every Wednesday.

Welcome to Winformation Weekly. My 13 years’ experience of growing a business from £0-£100m, and the life that goes with it. All wrapped up, in one winning weekly email.

Simon Says

Winformation This Week…

It is Christmas Day, but it is also Wednesday, which means it is time for Winformation Weekly. That said, I really hope you are not reading this on 25th December, but perhaps sometime during the odd in-between week between Christmas and New Year. It is that time of the year when no one is quite sure what to do. Should you be eating more cheese, going for a run, spending time with family, or recharging your social batteries in solitude?

However you spend the next seven days, I have two valuable things for you in this week’s newsletter. First, you could start your 2025 with a coaching call from me. I will be jumping on Zoom early in the new year with at least two subscribers, and maybe even a third. I will decide as the festive spirit takes me! Entering is quick and easy, and you can find out how in today’s Business section.

Now, let us talk about goals. Successful people all set goals, but the most successful ones take a step back before they even start writing them. They create a crystal-clear vision for their life. The biggest hurdle for most? Finding a few hours of uninterrupted, notification-free quiet time to reflect.

In today’s Life section, I share my step-by-step guide to crafting your life vision. It could be the best use of a small part of what is hands-down the weirdest week of the year! Why not carve out that time for yourself? It might just set the tone for an extraordinary 2025.

Business

Win a Coaching Call From Me in January

It is Christmas Day, so instead of diving into a big business lesson this week, I am offering at least two of you a gift from me. Start your 2025 with ultimate clarity and direction by winning a Zoom coaching call with me early in January.

To enter, you need to meet one of these criteria:

• You have launched a start-up and are ready for the next step.

• You are running a business and looking to scale it.

• You have a specific idea and are ready to launch your business in 2025.

To throw your hat in the ring, reply to this email with a few sentences explaining where you are in your entrepreneurial journey - whether you are in the pre-launch, post-launch, or scale-up phase - and why you think I can help. Please include the type of business you are working on and where you are based.

I will choose at least two recipients, and maybe even a third if I cannot decide. Every response will be read, so do not hesitate to share your story.

Good luck, and I cannot wait to hear from you!

Life

My Step by Step Guide Creating a Crystal-Clear Vision That Will Change Your Life

Having goals is great, but the most successful individuals I know begin their goal-setting process one step earlier. Creating a crystal-clear vision for your life serves as the "North Star" that guides and informs the goals you set.

1. Pen and paper. Grab a pen and paper and find some time alone without distractions. I often set my annual vision while on a long train journey or when I have the house to myself. Switch your phone to airplane mode, gaze out of the window, and let your mind wander. Allow yourself the rare luxury of daydreaming. Think back to the times when you felt truly happy. If you could wave a magic wand, what would your life look like? Who would be part of it? What would you be wearing? What plans would you be looking forward to at the weekend? Where would you live? How would you earn your income? Who would you be helping? These questions are a starting point to help you create a vivid picture of your ideal life.

2. More than one session. This is a creative process, and if you are anything like me, it is difficult to get it perfect in one session. I find that a solid couple of hours of quiet time is a great starting point, but sitting down and forcing myself to "be creative" on the spot is challenging. What tends to happen is that in the days following that quiet time, ideas come to me when I am driving, stacking the dishwasher, or in the shower. When you get a clear vision of the life you want, stop what you are doing and capture it. Use the notes on your phone, jot it down on paper, or whatever works best for you.

3. Make sense of the scribbles. Next step is to dedicate some time to making sense of the notes you have written. Get them all on one page and start to move, tweak, delete and order in a way where the most important outcomes to you are listed first.

4. Time and setting. I always write my vision as if it is set in the future but happening in the present tense. I choose a familiar setting and time to make it feel more real. Is there a specific place where you always spend Christmas? Do you have an annual family tradition for your mum’s birthday? Start by anchoring your vision to a place or event you find yourself at regularly each year. This approach helps to solidify the images in your mind and makes the vision feel more tangible.

5. Be specific. I have seen others suggest that a vision should be just a few sentences. While I agree that every word needs to earn its place, especially since you will ideally read this 50 or more times over the next 12 months, I have always found that at least half a page or even more works best for me. A really detailed and specific vision adds colour and depth, making it easier to imagine a life that truly excites you. Anything that enhances this clarity will help make the process even more effective.

6. Now for the goals. If your vision is your destination, your goals are your road signs and milestones. Rather than listing goals aimlessly you need to know the destination to which your goals are guiding you. You will find it so much easier setting goals that nudge you step by step closer to the dream life you have set out in your vision.

7. Connect regularly. Nothing worse than a really well put together vision that then sits in the drawer gathering dust. Stick a reminder in your diary or phone to read it and sit with it at least once a week, ideally more. Some people recreate the words in pictures as a vision board. It really all depends on how your mind works. Either way it has to be a regular connection to affect the decisions in step 8.

8. Take action! One of the biggest myths about manifesting is the idea that all you need to do is hold these visions in your mind, and they will magically appear months or years later. They will not. You have to take consistent, significant actions. The purpose of connecting with your vision and regularly holding those images in your mind is to influence the hundreds of thousands of micro-decisions you make each week. Every positive decision made in alignment with your vision is a vote for the person you want to become.

9. Accountability and adaptability. Sharing your vision and dreams with friends can be very useful. You just need to choose supportive colleagues who want the best for you. They can provide honest feedback and support. Also remember that life changes, sometimes drastically. Review your goals regularly to make sure they are still aligned with what you want and tweak them if and when necessary.

10. Embrace your quest. Sometimes the journey really is just as fulfilling as the destination. Recognise that and the path you are on and embrace it, celebrating the success you have on the way. This is about a long process, bringing with it growth, learning and experience. Remain open minded and inquisitive along the journey.

Until next week! 

Let’s win, together!