If I woke up one morning and said to myself “I want to visit a nice place” and got into the car and started driving and three hours into the drive my car breaks down. I said I wanted to visit a nice place, am I going to say “this is as nice a place as any, I just wanted a nice place so this will do” and stop there, or am I going to say “let me keep going, I need to go where I need to go.” Chances are I’ll do the first thing because I just wanted a nice place and any place will do.
If however I got up one morning and decided I wanted to go to Victoria Falls and I started driving. Three hours into the drive the car breaks down. Do you think I’m going to say “oh wherever I am is fine, this is just a nice place I’ll stop here,” or rather I will say to myself “I’m going to Victoria Falls, I haven’t gotten where I’m going so I have to keep going until I get to where I’m going.” Chances are I’ll do the latter. I won’t just stop there. I’ll fix the car and… scratch that, I’ll find somebody to fix the car, and then continue on my journey. I find that in life it’s the same thing. If you don’t have a destination, you’re going to stop anywhere. You’re going to say “ah I’ve arrived” because you don’t really have a destination in mind.
Another reason why you need a destination in mind or a vision for your life is because if you don’t, you’re going to get pulled in different directions. Some can come and say “we’re starting a business where we’re selling cars and we’re making so much money” and you say “oh it sounds great let me go and join them.” Then you join them. Or someone else comes and says “we’re starting a business selling property or chickens” or whatever it is and you say “it sounds like a good idea, we’ll make lots of money,” then you get pulled this side as well. Not that there’s anything wrong with any of the things I mentioned but the thing is, you’re going to get pulled in different directions if you don’t have your own destination in mind.
You have to follow your own passions and do what you love. So have a vision for your life so that you have your own destination in order for you to know when you’ve gotten there. It will also give you a reason to keep going when your car breaks down.
As you craft that vision for your life, I would suggest that you dream big. I say dream big because I’ve found that as human beings we limit ourselves. Because we limit ourselves, we then limit God. God can do anything. There is nothing that God can’t do. Why would you limit Him? Why would you ask for a bicycle when what you need is a car? The same God who will give somebody a one bedroom house is the same God who will give another a five bedroom house or a seven bedroom house. God has limitless resources so dream BIG!
As you dream, don’t worry about the how. I say so because if you think about the how, you won’t dream big enough. You’ll let what you currently see determine how big or small you dream. Your part will be to prepare yourself and when the time comes to act, be sure to do so. As you’re dreaming, if you’re thinking to yourself this is how this will happen then chances are you’re not dreaming big enough. Dream such that you have no idea how it will happen.
As you dream, it is vital that you believe in your dreams. Believe that your dreams will happen. Believe without any evidence at all, which is called having faith. So you have to have faith. No matter what is going on in your life you have to ignore your circumstances and trust that God will do what you have asked Him to do. I know right now we are all being affected in different ways by COVID-19. I know that’s what’s on our minds these days but we have to ignore that and dream big, trusting that God can do anything.
If you decide to start the process of coming up with and putting together a vision for your life, I’ve found it’s important to record that in some way. This will allow you to take time to think about it. It will also give you something to refer to when things aren’t going as you hoped or your circumstances contradict your dreams. It will be a reminder of what awaits you in your future.
I use two ways to record my vision. One is a vision board and the second is a vision letter. I’ve referred to these two in other articles of Sibo-Lifestyle Magazine but in case this is the first time you’re reading, I’ll let you know what they are and give you my own examples.
What is a vision board?
This is a board where you put pictures, drawings or words of things you want to see in your future. You can use any board as a base. I used an old calendar for one of mine. You can use old posters. You can get pictures from old magazines or print them from pictures online. As you do your vision board, dream big. Don’t limit yourself because God’s resources are limitless. Go crazy on that board. Above is an example of a vision board for my life in general. You can do one like that or a different one for each aspect of your life.
What is a vision Letter?
It is a letter that you write to someone or yourself and date it 5, 10, or 20 years from now, or however long you wish. In this letter you describe what your life is like, where you are, what you’re doing, who you’re with, and a whole host of other things you want to include. You would have to be as descriptive as possible as you write the letter. I’ve shared vision letters incorporating my life in general, in the May 2020 and the August 2020 Issues of Sibo-Lifestyle Magazine that you can find at inspirationbysibo.com under the section “Magazine.” In this example I write about one aspect of my life, namely travel.
Example of a vision letter (dated 2025)
My dearest Sibo of 2020,
I know travel is something you dream of doing, I mean you’ve even added a travel section to your magazine when you’re not traveling at all lol. I love your faith though because in each editor’s letter you state where you’re writing from so that when you’re now getting to travel, it will be signed from different places all over the world. So what role is travel playing in my life?
I get to travel to different places around the world. I love doing so and it brings joy to my life. I grow and learn as I go. I get to experience life through a different lens. I have amazing experiences that even my wildest dreams don’t live up to.
I travel to places like Thailand, Bali, Costa-Rica, Cape Town, Madrid, New York etc. I spend 3 months (give or take) at each location. At each location, I live there, do life there and immerse myself in the culture there instead of just doing touristy stuff. I meet all kinds of people from countries all over the world. I make acquaintance with some and become friends with some, who are kindred spirits.
From each location, I travel to nearby places, a vacation within a vacation lol. I also travel around the world as an international speaker. I’m invited to speak in different cities that I’ve always wanted to visit. I travel alone and enjoy doing so. When my husband and children are in my life we will travel together, other times it will be just my husband and myself and other times it will still be only me.
In my travels, I have the pleasure of attending events I’ve dreamed of attending, such as A’fest, Essence Festival, Jesus Conference, Pinky Promise, SXSW, among others. The experiences are far much better than I could have ever expected. They were well worth the wait.
At each location I live in safe, beautiful, luxurious accommodation and can afford it because I am financially free and have money coming in from my numerous sources of income every month. Opportunities keep making their way to me and my part is picking and choosing which ones to take part in.
At each location, I continue the pursuit of my dreams as I “make good art,” as Neil Gaiman suggests. I also get to live alone, have ME quality time and make time for meeting people and hanging out with people. Some of my travels lead me to meet and hang out with people I’ve admired from afar and hoped to meet, hang out with or work with and some even become friends with.
I know your life at the moment doesn’t reflect the above and doesn’t look like it ever will but I tell you all this so you know I’m living in your dreams. Keep dreaming because when you do, it makes my life that much more exciting.
I love you,
Sibo of 2025.
