Vision, You've Got To See It

It might be logical to think that in order to get to where you want to go to, you’ve got to know where you are. That is very valid for the plan or strategy you wish to come up with and use to get there, but this is not at all relevant when you want to come up with the vision. People sometimes limit the magnitude of their dreams as they make the dream or vision dependant on their current circumstances. Dreaming is what has made so many good successful ideas get off the ground. It is not something to be laughed at, or embarrassed about, or seen as a waste of time.

Think of the effectiveness of Martin Luther King speech “I have a dream”. What he had was a clear vision of what the future could look like, but if he had said “I have a vision” it might not have had the same effect. I however am using dreaming and vision in the same context here.

While the realists in your life are useful in saving you from venturing out too far and getting too close to the sun, the dreamer in you needs to test the boundaries in terms of “what’s the art of the possible”? Fulfilment only comes when what you do is in some way adding value to your dream, or your vision. You need to separate the process of dreaming and coming up with a clear vision from the process of plotting the map to get to your vision.

When people come up with a vision, they can get overwhelmed by trying to think about the mammoth task of making it happen. That is often the discouraging factor that results in stopping the process of coming up with a vision. Picture clearly what it is you wish to achieve and come up with the ability to articulate it to a stranger while you take your elevator ride between the fourth and seventh floor.  You can’t rush to the plan, without having first seen what it is you are aiming for. If you are not clear about what you want, then no plan will be good enough.

Vision is a function of your creative mind and not your logical mind. Your logical thinking will be needed to plot the strategy to get there. In terms of the dreaming and scheming bit, your logical thinking creates more barriers than opportunities of coming up with a vision. Once you see it, it’s clearly a vision. It’s more than just a figment of your imagination. Now comes your opportunity to serve this vision and surround yourself with the people that can see it and believe in it as it is something that they are also aligned to.

People that have a vision are people that make a difference and change the world. They are not following their vision because they want to be a hero. They are following their vision because they want to make things better. These are people who do not look at the vision and let it go because they do not have a clue as to how to get there. They know that their current resources may be insufficient to deliver on the vision, but that is the opportunity, not the problem! It sounds simple enough hence it’s called a vision because you’ve got to see it when others can’t!

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