Think of success as a time when all your fundamental needs are being met and you're living your purpose – life is good and work feels effortless.

We want you to imagine a world where that's happening (even if if seems way off right now). This is about creating a vision that inspires, but has a grounding in reality. 

If you're able to clearly paint this picture of your future then the most important job is done – you have clarity on where you're going. 

Working out how to achieve that vision is the fun bit. 

You'll to start thinking more creatively because you'll be excited about where you're going, and you'll be more focused on how this business will work for you rather than the other way around.

So how can having a clear vision help?

When we were designing apps for clients in the agency, we always emphasised taking a user-centered approach to design.

We were less concerned about what features and technology to use, but more about the desired outcome we were trying to create for our client's customers.

Once we'd agreed some guiding principles and a vision for the product, then how we got there became a whole lot easier.

It meant we could be more creative about how we approached the project and were more open to spot opportunities on how to do things better.

However, if we weren't clear on what success looked like then the project would just go round in circles as we argued over what was the best technology to use or what design looked prettiest. A huge waste of time!

And we see this pattern again and again – those with a clear vision know where they're going and eliminate anything that won't help them get there.

In a very similar way we want you to get clear on your vision for your world and how your business fits into this. This should be easier now that you've worked through the previous lessons. Getting clear on this will help you to know what's in and what's out.

With this clarity you'll waste less time thinking about the wrong things.

So here's your challenge: If you could wave a magic wand and transport yourself 3 years from now what would your world look like?

It’s time to write your postcard

At The Happy Startup School we've always found constraints breed creativity. And creating a vision that excites is a powerful way to bring your dreams to life. So we're asking you to write your vision of the future as a cheery postcard back to yourself 3 years from now. You know that feeling of when you're on holiday and everything is great? That's the tone we want you to use

How do you feel?

Use positive descriptive words to describe your feelings:

1. What are you doing?
   You're living your purpose. You're using your strengths. Describe what this means and how you're doing that.

2. What kind of person have you become?
   You're now a better person and living more authentically. Describe how you're living your core values.

3. How do people see you?
   None of us live in a bubble. We're social animals. Think about your network, community, friends and family. Describe how they relate to you and what they think. Also think about how you are with them.

Share your postcard and tag @happystartups

Here’s an example