Introduction

How many times have you chosen to complete a puzzle where there has been no picture of the completed puzzle on the front of the box? I was given a couple of very high quality 1,000- and 2,000-piece wooden puzzles about 45 years ago and was unable to complete them because there was no picture and therefore I had no idea where to start or how all the pieces fitted together. 

What does this picture really mean?

Life is a bit like puzzle in question. If we have no picture to act as a framework then we can make random decisions which often causes serious problems. 

We can find ourselves making choices which are harmful such as choosing to take an easier choice at A level or university which the prevent us applying for a preferred job. This may mean that we must retrain before being able to pursue a preferred career thus setting us back a few years on our chosen career path. 

Alternatively, we may avoid going to university and chose what appears to be a safe job which is within our capability but then does not stretch us and draw out our true abilities and capability. This could significantly reduce our long-term earnings. These sorts of decisions are however recoverable even though recovering may take time, money and hard work.

What does a picture really convey?

Picture in this context provides a completeness and perspective which is often absent from mere words. A picture will include foreground, middle ground and a background which will provide much wider perspective and understanding of the Inter relationships between the different parts of the picture. Certain parts of the picture will provide finer detail together with the interaction between people or animals and the landscape in which they inhabit.

This overview which makes the picture so interesting and often makes that the viewer of the picture returns to it time and again seeking further insights and understanding from the artist which by seeking to communicate to the viewer. These cannot only take the form of a landscape picture but also show scenes either from market towns or industrial scenes which also convey perspectives and insights which the artist is seeking to communicate to the viewer. 

How does this metaphor apply to the business world?

The idea of a picture as a metaphor with an application to your business, its current state of development and your expectation of its final form, provides a valuable visual image better than a description in words. In an ideal world you would have a clear picture of where you are now and where we want to be with our business in the future with clarity on what it will look like when it is fully developed. 

However, in practice the picture is currently only half complete at best with the foreground representing the situation today showing some degree of clarity. While some parts of the picture in the middle ground are a bit fuzzy showing that the next steps are uncertain, and the distant parts of the picture may be a blank showing that you have not given these areas much thoughts at all. In the far distance there may be a tropical island representing your day-dream of post business retirement. 

Why is this metaphor important?

We often want complete clarity for the rest of our lives whereas in fact we can only partially have this degree of clarity. By thinking in terms of completing a picture we began to understand that parts of the picture are clear other parts are less clear and some completely unclear. The connection between foreground middle ground and far distance can show the disconnectedness of our vision and plans. 

This is often because we have not considered how the different parts connect to each other. This matter therefore contributes to the need to regularly take stock as to where you are today where you want to be tomorrow or where you’re trying to get to in the future. Using the imagery of a picture can help you to understand the importance of the various parts of the picture to the whole and help you in your desire to bring the picture to completion. 

How does it apply to your business?

Using the metaphor of a picture with yourself as the artist in connection with your business development has a value in helping you to put the various components of your business together in to a whole. This can assist you in your business planning processes which initially can be relatively simple but as the business becomes more developed well take on a more detailed and comprehensive nature. 

Using the concept of a picture can also make the business planning process less daunting and that you can’t see it as more of a work of art rather than a scientific paper. This should make it less daunting perhaps more encouraging to undertake. It is easier to imagine using a four inch brush at the beginning of the process rather than imagine yourself wielding a scalpel.

What next?

 Will you take steps to create your own picture rather than play around with a multi piece jigsaw without any picture on the box. It might be comforting to be handling the individual pieces however without the picture working out how best to fit them together can be daunting and discouraging and often leads to failure rather than success. 

Conclusion

So, will you seek paint your masterpiece? If you want help painting your masterpiece then please do get in touch and let me know what is your hope, what will your Daydream look like. What is it you would like to look back on in 10 or 20 year’s time? What will make you proud of your achievements? what will make you feel that you have spent your time wisely?

Will you instead look back with disappointment because you didn’t take out the paint brush and open the tubes of paint a dare to dream and dare to paint and dare to plan that hope in your heart. 

If you do dare to dream of that picture, then please book an appointment and let’s have a conversation on zoom and start choosing the palate with which you want to paint the future