Vision to Action #1: Visioning

Ever feel like you’re doing a lot, but you’re not sure why?

Many of us live like we’re part of a feature team: busy, productive, ticking things off a never-ending list. Yet we rarely pause to ask the most important question — why are we doing this work in the first place?

As product and tech leaders, we’re trained to lead teams with intention. We define a clear vision, shape meaningful objectives and key results (OKRs), and regularly review progress against success and failure indicators.

And yet, when it comes to our own lives, we often abandon that same strategic thinking.

Which is curious, considering we are the most important product we will ever work on.

Applying product thinking to your own life

Over the past year, I’ve supported product leaders, executives, and brilliant technologists to apply product thinking to themselves, this isn't to optimise harder, but to live and lead with more alignment.

One client said:

“I was achieving, but I wasn’t aligned. Once I had a personal vision and values, I found meaning behind my activities, which enabled me to re-prioritise.”

This is a common pattern I see in senior product and tech leadership roles. What’s often missing isn’t capability or ambition, it’s a personal vision.

What is a personal vision (and why leaders need one)?

A personal vision is your North Star. It’s the anchor that helps you make intentional decisions about how you lead, work, and live.

This isn’t about your next job title or promotion. A personal vision statement connects you to your future self, the version of you that feels aligned, purposeful, and fully alive. It brings together your values, your energy, and what truly matters to you.

When your personal vision is clear:

• You say yes with intention

• You say no without guilt

• Your decisions feel grounded rather than reactive

For product leaders navigating complexity, pressure, and constant change, this clarity is transformational.

What a personal vision statement sounds like

A powerful personal vision statement is written in the present tense, as if it’s already true. This helps you embody the leader — and human — you’re becoming.

Here are a few examples:

“I am a courageous, calm, and creative leader who builds meaningful things and leaves people better than I found them.”

“I live a spacious, joyful life surrounded by deep relationships, creative flow, and purposeful work.”

Notice how these statements focus on how life feels, not just how it looks. That’s key.

How to write your own personal vision

If you’re a product or tech leader craving more alignment, try this simple reflection exercise.

Ask yourself:

• Who are you becoming?

• When do you feel most alive — what are you doing, and who are you with?

• What do you want your life to feel like, not just look like?

Then write your personal vision as a bold, emotional statement in the present tense.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about truth.

From In-Action to Pro-Action Leadership

In this mini-series, I’ll explore how to move from in-action to pro-action using the same tools I use in product management and my executive coaching practice.

Because when product leaders apply vision not just to their teams, but to themselves, everything shifts: energy, priorities, and the way leadership is experienced.

And that’s where meaningful change begins.