I recently read this paragraph and loved it! It reminded me of this 5th of 6 topics in this series of leadership lessons – Develop Your Vision.
“You will overcome the obstacles that you have recently encountered. It has been a struggle, but you have fought the good fight, and victory is assured. Stay focused and keep your eyes on the prize. The destination will be worth the journey. Refuse to get discouraged!” – Martha Burns
Because most can only seize what they can see, it is important to develop a vision and communicate it clearly. Seeing helps us individually and collectively as teams, families, and organizations work to achieve targets. Our vision is our narrative or story. It is where we want to go or who we want to become. It comes from either within us or those who are collaborating. It draws on our history because something must motivate us to have a vision. Something in our past is a platform from which we want to move. It could be a desire to be someone, create something, or answer a calling. It comes from the needs of our past. Becoming self-aware helps realize what those needs are and what that purpose is.
Your vision is far-reaching and creates the “gap” between who you are and who you want to become. And since everything worthwhile is uphill, it requires effort. It is outside of your current normal and exceeds your current accomplishments. And it can work like a magnet if you are an excellent communicator, because others will “see” it. If you can’t communicate it, you won’t have followers. If understood, others will want to become part of it. And you, the more you believe, will be magnetically attracted to it as well. It can be stirring, motivating, and inspiring.
Vision comes from getting outside yourself because it requires external thinking, inclusive behavior, and thinking beyond your current boundaries. It also requires seeing change positively and becoming someone else. In addition to external thinking, it requires clear thinking because if you can’t see it, you can’t attain it! If you don’t build the steps of the plan, you won’t be able to climb the stairs to where you want to go. Clear thinking facilitates focus, planning, and effective communication and clear thinking builds confidence.
Vision begs for imagination. Closing the “gap” requires imagination, so ditch the “me too” syndrome, dare to be different and take risks. Use failures as steps up the “gap” curve. And remember that no idea is a stupid idea . . . it just may not be a current fit.
Why is vision important? There are several compelling reasons why developing a vision is important. First, it makes you ask why, how, and when? That causes you to examine yourself and your values, and to look at things such as your competition, that you may not currently be looking at.
Vision provides self-identity. When it is your vision, you own it and it becomes who you are versus what you do. It becomes your flag to fly, your plan to execute and your “uphill” to overcome. Think of the momentum in your company if you all buy into the vision and dig in to make it a reality. Solutions such as services, processes or products may evolve. They may be driven by a void or by the desire to add value to others. That is why I write these blogs. I want to share with others what has been developed in me. And my goal always is that it helps others make their own difference.
Vision also provides incentive. It is as if there is “gold” at the end of that rainbow. Life surely gets better if the vision is realized. And life is also better because of the journey. You learn along the way. And the challenge provides impetus by itself. It creates a purpose. And without purpose, there is no vision. The purpose may include who you want to become; what you want to become; who you want to help; what you want to make and all the why answers for each.
Your new identity grows from your vision because it is best realized when it has become part of your DNA. It can’t survive as simply an “object” because it is personal. It is your target destination. All roads lead to the target. Plans point to the destination and life decisions are made because of your vision. Your personal activities happen because of it as your personal and work life align to your vision. Your vision is powerful and impactful if you pursue it.
So, how do you develop your vision? Good hearing and perceptive watching are a start. Hearing and watching help you understand and see things that are happening around you and illustrate the needs and opportunities. That could lead you to be discontented with what is happening around you and could grow into a desire to do something about it. That will require that you be receptive to change. Change is not always easy and needs courage to speed it along. Enough courage to overcome doubt and to step out of your comfort zone and into the vision. You must, whether an individual, family, team, or company, be courageous enough to overcome doubt and confident in your ability and resources. If you have developed your courage skill, then you will trust the inner voice that has led you this far. That voice will help you stay focused on the target, so as to balance external focus with internal desire. Your clear thinker quality will further develop, and you will unleash your imagination to flourish.
You will be well on your way to developing your vision. Then all you must do is put a plan together and execute it. And remember two things the great philosopher Babe Ruth said – “Never let the fear of striking out get in your way”. And – “Yesterday’s home run won’t win the game today”. To your success!