What Is a Good Vision Statement?

A good vision statement is a concise and inspiring statement that sets out what you hope to achieve in the future. It should be written in the present tense and describe how you want to feel, hear, think, say and do as if this were your future vision. A good vision statement is summarized with a powerful statement that captures the essence of your aspirations.

Some examples of good vision statements include:

• “Our vision is to be earth’s most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.” - Amazon
• “To make, distribute, and sell the finest-quality ice cream and euphoric concoctions with a continued commitment to incorporating wholesome, natural ingredients and promoting business practices that respect the Earth and the Environment.” - Ben & Jerry’s

In other words, a good vision statement should be inspirational and aspirational, yet realistic and achievable. It should capture the essence of what the company or organization wants to achieve in the long term, and provide a clear guide for decision-making.

An ideal vision statement should set out a broad but challenging goal. The goal should not necessarily be stated in concrete terms (e.g. ’to build a brand new building’) but at a higher level of abstraction, such as “to create beautiful living environments”.