Goals vs. Vision
Goals are checkboxes. "Get promoted." "Make $150k." "Learn Python." You can accomplish them. Then you're done. They don't guide you anymore.
Vision is different. It's a direction. It's the kind of person you're becoming. The kind of work you're capable of. The impact you're trying to have.
Why Vision Matters
With vision, every decision points toward something. Should I take this job? Does it move me closer to the kind of work I want to be doing? Should I learn this skill? Will it help me get there?
Without vision, decisions are reactive. You take what's in front of you. You say yes because it's there, not because it's aligned.
Over 20 years, that's the difference between a career you built and a career that happened to you.
Finding Your Vision
It's not something you're born knowing. It develops. Start with: what kind of impact do I want to have? Not what title. Not what salary. What would you want people to say about the work you did?
That's your vision. Everything else is just how you get there.