Classic Countdown — In the month leading up to the fourth anniversary of this blog’s launch, I am sharing my favorite posts. This was published on Aug. 19, 2009.
Helen Keller was right when she said, “The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision.” It seems like everyone talks about the importance of vision, but very few people have a vivid image of what they hope their future will look like.
Following are 10 things I’ve observed during more than 20 years of work experience:
- Where there is no vision, people perish.
- In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
- Tactics not tied to strategy are nothing more than busywork.
- When you and I are not pursuing the same goal, then we’re not on the same team.
- When you and I focus on the same goal from different vantage points, we have stereoscopic vision that gives us better depth perception.
- The effectiveness of a vision statement can be measured in its ability to inspire people to rally around a shared picture of what can be—and must be—their new reality.
- A compelling vision is future-focused and usually threatens those deeply vested in the status quo.
- Progress always requires change, but not all change is progress.
- Every project can be improved by periodically asking, “Why are we doing this?”
- As Stephen Covey says, it is essential to “begin with the end in mind.”
What would you add? Have you been inspired by someone who had an exceptional vision for the future? What did you learn from that person? How did he or she inspire you?
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I communicate with passion and purpose to inspire those searching for beauty and truth.
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