What It Means To Have A Vision - How To Be A Visionary

In a world full of people with great ideas that never come to fruition the one factor that tilts the odds in your favor is having a clear vision of your future.

Having a clear vision of what you want your life, relationships, or business to be is the catalyst that separates the wheat from the chaff so to speak.

What does it mean to have a vision?

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I'm not talking about those psychedelic experiences you had in your youth, although technically some of us did have very memorable visions.

“If I paint a wild horse, you might not see the horse... but surely you will see the wildness!” ― Pablo Picasso

When someone is described as being a visionary what exactly does that mean?

And why is vision so important to transforming what resides only in our imagination into a living, breathing reality?

First lets define what we're talking about. A vision is a picture or idea you have in your mind of yourself, your business, or anything this is going to happen.

The clearer that vision is and the more focused and defined you can make it, the better it will serve to focus your thoughts and actions that will become your measurement of success.

“A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.” ― Bruce Lee

Having a strong, well-defined vision helps you overcome obstacles and challenges that present themselves along your path to achieving your goals. Having a vision helps you know what and, perhaps more importantly, why you are doing the things you are doing.

A vision keeps you focused on what you want in life while keeping you motivated and fired up to achieve it. It opens your mind to better possibilities.

When you can imagine a better future with more happiness and productivity, it's easier to make the changes needed to create that life in your future. It's interesting to note that changes are always needed or you would already have that life you are envisioning.

Vision And Leadership
Visionary leaders are not dreamers. Their vision is not just a strong wish. Leaders with vision have a dream but don't see it as a dream, but a reality that has not yet come to pass. A successful leader who possesses vision can see the future while remaining focused on the present.

“Not all dreamers are winners, but all winners are dreamers. Your dream is the key to your future. The Bible says that "without a vision (dream), a people perish." You need a dream if you're going to succeed in anything you do.” ― Mark Gorman

They usually have an extremely strong confidence and dedication which acts as a force within them. They spend countless hours bringing their vision to reality and this vision drives them to action.

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A vision is a powerful force in anyone's life and absolutely essential in a business where it can help maintain focus and determination in the face of the many obstacles a business will encounter.

“It doesn’t matter how many times you get knocked down. All that matters is you get up one more time than you were knocked down.” ― Roy T. Bennett

When a vision is clearly communicated throughout a company it aligns both the leaders and employees towards the same goals and can transform a company into a well-oiled machine that is unstoppable.

A vision is the glue that holds any group with common goals together.

Who Are You? 'Cause I Really Want To Know
The very first step to creating a vision is to know exactly who you are right now and who you want to be in the future. If you don't know who you are right now then you'll be unclear about your future.

It's important to envision your future and it should include what you want physically, emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually.

Ask yourself where you want to be in the next year, five years, ten years. Tell yourself specifically how you picture your life and don't put limitations on it. Anything is possible when you're envisioning so you may as well vision big.

“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight and no vision.” ― Helen Keller

When you create a successful vision, endorphins are released into your bloodstream and you begin to feel passionate about it. These same endorphins help you overcome fatigue from the many hours spent working to reach your goals and disappointments from the setbacks along the way to achieving your dream.

“The failure to read good books both enfeebles the vision and strengthens our most fatal tendency -- the belief that the here and now is all there is.” ― Allan Bloom

Once you have visualized your vision write it down on paper and set plans of action in place with a timeline of when you are to achieve them. Essentially, make a road map of your vision and begin taking the steps towards that outcome.

Keep the roadmap of your vision somewhere you will see it often to keep you on track.

What good will that do?

We are forgetful creatures and can be easily distracted by shiny new objects. Keeping your vision where you can see it as a reminder creates powerful results by keeping you focused.

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I have a friend named Lennon who is a Diamond in the Amway organization, the largest company specializing in the use of multi-level marketing to sell health, beauty and home care products, and he told me a story about vision.

Diamonds in Amway, by the way, are those people you see pictures of who have several luxury cars, boats, mansions, and airplanes and have built huge organizations. I other words, they are very successful.

"Everyone has a vision, but not everyone that has a vision can make their vision reality.", he said.

I asked him what differentiates those who succeed from those who don't and this is what he told me.

*"Anyone can hold on to their vision for a day or two, some can even hold on for a month or two. There are even some people who can hold on to their dream for a year or two.

The difference is...

a successful person with vision will hold on to their dream until the dream comes true."* Lennon Leadbetter

Those words sunk in and I never forgot them.

Is it true?

Should you hold on to your dreams no matter what?

I think, with few exceptions, yes. There are exceptions though. For example. if you are 40 years old and your lifelong vision is to be a Musketeer on the Disney show...

... you may want to let that dream go.

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