VISION: DO YOU "BELIEVE IN STUFF"?

Vision is crucial; it is the capacity to "see the invisible, so that we can do the impossible." This sort of vision is what leads to creativity, innovation, insights, and brilliant solutions to nagging problems. It's what, as Oscar Wilde might have said, lifts us out of the gutters and into the stars. Yet despite all of the talk about "the vision thing" in politics, corporate leadership, and daily life, real vision seems in short supply just when it is in great demand.

For example, in an ABC News interview following the tragic airplane crash that killed United States Senator Paul Wellstone (D, Minn) and his wife, daughter and several colleagues on Friday, October 25, 2002, Senator George Voinovich (R-OH) said the following:

"He believed in things," Sen. Voinovich (R-OH) said of his late Senate colleague. "That's pretty rare in this profession."

In reading Sen. Voinovich's comment – that it is a rarity among our elected leaders to "believe in things" – I admit to feeling amazed, appalled, concerned, and more than a little bit sad. This comment came, after all, from an elected representative to one of the most esteemed legislative bodies in a nation that was founded on the high ideals and revolutionary actions of a group of visionaries.

And it's not just the U.S. Senate that seems to be vision-challenged. We have to look no further than the recent explosion of corporate scandals, ethical faux-pas, and the seemingly nonstop squabbling among politicians. The vision-impaired, in all of these cases, got a bad case of myopia, and couldn't see the Common Good through their obsession with their own immediate self-interest.

As the rest of us watch one such debacle follow another, survey after survey reflects a growing cynicism. One report highlighted the fact that government officials ranked among the least trustworthy, along with corporate CEOs, HMO managers, and lawyers (and it's no coincidence that so many of our elected representatives are lawyers and/or former big-corporation executives, so get to score low in several categories!). In another report, significant majorities of corporate employees surveyed said that they didn't view their corporate leaders as honest or trustworthy. And we haven't even begun to talk about the "regular investors" who saw their life savings dwindle as a result of corporate-executive crime. The list goes on – and that's reality, not some pessimistic perception. This is the reality we face each day as we go about our daily work.

In the absence of leadership and vision shown by those to whom we traditional look to find it, we struggle to keep the faith, to keep trusting, to keep hoping that they, and we, will find our collective "big vision" once more.

How can we help ourselves, and then help our leaders, "believe in stuff" again?

Finding our vision. Learning to believe again

It is possible to find our vision again. It is possible to learn to believe again. It is possible not just to hope for the magnificent reality that can be brought to life by a strengthened and committed person ... or people. It is possible, whether you apply it to your own life as an individual, or to your work in the community or your business or corporate America.

The first step is simply to believe it is possible. The second step is to take responsibility; to understand that you (and your vision), whoever and wherever you are, are part of the solution. The third step is to watch and listen for the next step, and the next.

In her new book, Everyday Grace, Marianne Williamson reminds us that there is – or can be – purpose and meaning to even our darkest hours. "We meet humiliation in order to grow to the point where our behavior would not lead to humiliation; we meet rejection in order to grow to the point where our behavior would not lead to the pain of rejection; we meet the pangs of deep regret in order to grow to the point where our behavior would not lead to regret," she writes.

Perhaps we might then see this "vision-less" dark night of the collective soul – the recession, the scandals, the fraud, the terrorism, the fear, the uncertainty – as our chance to contrast it to an alternate reality toward which we would like to journey, and which we would like to co-create. We can use the lack of vision, the nightmare vision, in order to shape the more hopeful, love-full, prosperous vision. The seeds for such a vision are, in fact, planted in the very soil of the nightmare. They're there for our finding, and nurturing, and harvesting. They're there for us to find them and bring them to fruition in a world that desperately needs them, and needs us to garden them.

The Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith of Agape International of Los Angeles, CA, has commented that vision – and visionary leadership – "helps direct the inner strength of the people." Vision doesn't alienate. It doesn't frighten. It doesn't jockey selfishly for personal gain. It doesn't capitalize on others' misfortune. Vision lifts up, energizes, inspires, motivates, focuses, and propels. Vision leads us toward something greater. It awakens what Abraham Lincoln called "the better angels of our nature." And we all know that the angels are capable of much greater things than our puny "little selves."

Six tips for awakening vision.

1. Reflect and remember. We all have inspiration within us, and we can all recollect those things that make for "better times." We can remember the examples of others who have inspired or led with a vision that energized us. And we definitely, somewhere in our heart and mind, know what we would hope for in the "perfect life." Remember, vision is that capacity to "see the invisible, so we can do the impossible."

2. Find inspiration. History – recent and ancient – offers examples of people who had a vision and found the courage and energy to take it for action ... "normal" people who did extraordinary things. Find out more about them! Read about their stories. Whose work (contemporary or historical) do you admire? Who "wows" you? What small gestures do you most appreciate? What touches you? What quotations do you find inspiring? Look for examples, read about examples. Gather a few people for an engaging discussion of what's possible, what people hope for.

3. Take a stand. Everyone knows that we can think about things all we want, and that doesn't bring them any closer to reality. Vision – and visionary leadership or action – requires that we find our courage and take a stand. Now, we all have courage, even if we've forgotten that we do. Vision requires that we "believe in stuff," and that we take a stand to somehow, some way – no matter how small or humble, or grand – "own" and shepherd that vision, step by step, into reality. We say, as his colleagues credit the late Senator Wellstone with doing so admirably, "this is what I stand for. This is what I believe. And I will act accordingly, even if it isn't popular, and even if it costs me." Taking a stand is worthwhile, because even the journey toward our vision is better than standing still while wishing things were different. Do you feel the difference between the two?

4. Make it actionable. Many people stop before they even get started on their journey toward their vision, because it seems so big, so grand, so overwhelming and impossible. But remember, you have to see the invisible to do the impossible. If you feel your courage falter, remember the vision. In keeping with Dorothy Day's appreciation for "the little work," find little ways, baby steps, that you can take right now and each day. Chip away at it. See it as a garden that you plant, cultivate, water, nurture, weed and prune, rather than as an instant botanical garden that you couldn't create if you tried. Someone created even the botanical garden by starting with "the small stuff"! For example, the seemingly elusive vision of "peace on earth" might truly begin with peace in your own heart, and a string of small, kind gestures to people you come across each day.

5. Post reminders. While it's great to have your vision in your head, it's also great to represent it visually in a variety of ways and in a variety of places that you'll see throughout your day. Some people might make a collage of images that represents their vision, and others might simply post a photo. Someone might write in a journal each day, while another person might write a word or two on Post-It Notes. Still other people surround themselves with inspiring quotes that are in keeping with the spirit of their vision and their commitment to take a stand and bring it to fruition.

6. Be the change. It's easy to talk about vision, and have intellectual discussions of what we envision. And yet, while talk and discussion can be inspiring (put it in the category above!), one must take action to give life to that which we discuss. If you envision "world peace," act in a way that would help bring peace about. If you envision a more tolerant world, be tolerant. If you wish your workplace was more ethical, be ethical. If you want your business to be more prosperous, think and act prosperously. If you want to write the "great American novel," write ten words right now. If you want a cleaner city, sweep the sidewalk in front of your place. If you dislike the proliferation of chain stores, shop at local boutiques in your neighborhood or city. Each day, embody the ideal that you envision, and you'll be taking "small steps" towards bringing into greater reality. Be the change you wish to see in the world.

For more food-for-thought on vision and visionaries, see the links following this article. For help in clarifying and making progress towards your own vision for inspired livelihood or conscious enterprise, contact us at Ivy Sea to explore the possibilities.

Copyright 2002, Jamie S. Walters. Jamie is the founder and president of Ivy Sea, Inc.; the publisher and editor-in-chief for Ivy Sea Online; and the author of Big Vision, Small Business, the acclaimed handbook for conscious enterprise. Find out more about Jamie by reading her Ivy Sea bio.

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