How’s Your Vision?

How’s your vision? Are you nearsighted or farsighted, or somewhere in between? No, I’m not talking about your need for eyeglasses or contacts, or lasik surgery. I’m talking about how you see the world and your part in it. Some people are so focused on the here and now that they don’t consider planning for the future. Others are so focused on the future and what they want to do that they forget about doing the necessary here and now stuff. I think we need to have a balance.

The discussions yesterday about to do lists is an example of the here and now actions. Goal setting involves the future and where we want to go and do. Having a vision can guide us to make better to do lists because we gain perspective on our priorities when we have a vision. Many times we are in reactive mode and constantly putting out fires. But if we can take some time to think about what we really want we have a chance to plan the future and visualize where we want to go and do.

Some people create vision boards to help them visualize their goals. They will choose pictures that represent each goal and create a collage to help them focus their attention and energy. Some will create graphs and timelines to give substance and measurement to their goals. Here is a link to a MindValley blog post about Vision Boards

Think of vision as an organizing system to help guide your future. A set of principles that give strength and energy to your efforts, pulling you forward. Many times we just slog along in survival mode. But when you have vision you have a sense of purpose that your actions have meaning. It can be many things and you may have many visions. This blog is one of mine – to give back to the community and help people have hope and think creatively.

I have been involved with Toastmasters for several years and I recently rewatched a speech that I gave at an officers training event in the early fall of 2019. I talked about my vision for the division that I was director of. I laid out specific goals and called for action. We did really well the first half of the year. I did a second speech at the mid-year training, detailing our successes and looking ahead with a vision for the second half of the year. Then covid hit in Feb/Mar and everything got scrambled. Needless to say we fell short of our goals. At the same time we learned much, especially with the transition to all online meetings, including speech contests.

Vision does not guarantee that you will reach your goals. But it does mean that you will have forward motion, so that if the unexpected comes you are already in motion and able to alter your course appropriately. Better than to be standing still and knocked over.

Visions will change over time and no one’s is the same. You can have multiple visions at the same time. And there is no shame in asking for help in either determining your vision or clarifying it, or help in reaching those goals. Most of us will need help in physical vision. Most all of us will eventually need glasses, some of us have had them for a long while in fact. Only one out of 5 kids in my family never needed glasses – and one of us had them since early childhood. The point is to see, not the way we get there.

Find time to think about what you want to do, dream a little or a lot, and take steps to get there. Always ask yourself “how is my vision?”