Here is a story that demonstrates the importance of developing vision in your life: I recently purchased a new iPhone; the young woman who sold it to me at the kiosk was kind and friendly. I don’t know why but I’ve always been naturally curious about people—I like to learn about what motivates others to do what they do. And so true to form, I started asking her questions as we began setting up my new smartphone.
I inquired about her hobbies, interests, how she got into this line of work, and what her plans were for the future.
She told me that she had fallen into the work she does; that she had no plans for the future and didn’t have the slightest clue as to what she really wanted to do. In other words, she failed to plan and execute on the career path she actually wanted. As a result, she was doing work that she wasn’t passionate or excited about.
Don’t get me wrong, she was really good at her job—she was an excellent saleswoman. She just had no idea of what she truly wanted for her life.
This is the story for most people.
And the sad reality is this kind of narrative is not limited to one’s occupation—far from it. In fact, most people fail to develop a vision in any area of their life. The result? They end up like the young lady in the story I just shared: Lost, aimless, and uncertain.
The Importance Of Developing Vision In Life
Here’s the deal: You are a creator; your life is a reflection of your creativity (or lack thereof). Everything you experience on a day-to-day basis, you have attracted as a result of what you believe and who you are. The problem is that most people don’t take their abilities seriously.
But the truth is it’s your birthright to create a life that is exciting and meaningful to you. In fact, it’s more than your birthright; I would argue it’s your responsibility. Here’s why it’s essential to start developing vision.
It Offsets The Hardships Of Life
Life is difficult; it is filled with challenges and hardships—no one is exempt from suffering. So you have to ask yourself: What could make the suffering worth it? The answer: Your own vision of what could be. When you have an emotionally compelling future that you’re striving toward every day, it pulls you through the hardships and down days.
It gives you hope and certainty when things look hopeless and uncertain.
And that’s the key to pulling through life’s difficulties. You need something off in the distance—the future—that compels you to move forward despite the troubles of the present moment. And developing vision is the best and most effective way to accomplish this end.
You Become A Positive Example To Others
The world needs leadership. People learn from the example set by others who are following their own paths. Moreover, people need to see others who believe in themselves enough to go for their goals. Why? Because that helps open their eyes to what’s possible for them. The unfortunate reality is most of us don’t have positive role models in our lives.
Most people have social media influencers, music artists, etc., and TV personalities as the figures they look up to. Now, let me ask you: Do you think those public figures are positive sources of inspiration?
Some of them may be. But more than not, most of them fall tragically short of the title of role model.
By crafting and developing vision in your life, you become a positive example to those around you. Sometimes all people need to see is someone, within their immediate circle, making moves toward a better life to be encouraged to do the same.
You Experience More Self-Satisfaction And Contentment
The amount of true happiness you experience is in direct proportion to the progress you make toward a valued goal. As the great Tony Robbins says, “Progress equals happiness.” When you see progress toward a goal, dopamine (the “reward” chemical in your brain) is released.
This results in feelings of contentment, happiness, motivation, and satisfaction. What does this mean? Your brain wants you to strive and move forward in life. And it rewards you for doing so by giving you a rush of positive emotions when you are progressing.
Here are some additional benefits of developing vision and moving toward it:
- A more positive attitude
- Bolstered feelings of encouragement
- More creativity
- Development of a growth mindset
- Alleviation from anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions
- An overall more exciting and fulfilling life
We all need a vision. It is in our nature to aim; for this reason, we might as well set our targets and be deliberate about where we put our focus. Failure to do so means we are abdicating our birthright and God-given right to create our lives to order.
How to Develop Your Vision
Developing vision begins with this simple question: What do you want?
Desire is the first toward creation. Desires are powerful; the only problem is most people have weak or vague desires. This does nothing to stir you into action. The key to following through on your desires is that they must be:
- Definite: Don’t tell me you want a new car; tell me what brand, make, model, and year you want your vehicle to be. Don’t tell me you want to increase your income; tell me the exact gross dollar figure you’d like to earn each month. Your desires must be definite because that’s what creates clarity. And when you’re clear about what you want, the plans and actions you need to take will become clear as well.
- Compelling: If you’re not excited about your aims, what’s the point? Your Developing vision in your life requires that you be excited about achieving it. Your aims must be emotionally compelling to you because that’s what’s going to keep you going on down days and through difficult times.
- Within reason: Running a marathon in 3 hours when you haven’t seen the inside of a gym since high school, or becoming a millionaire by next week when you don’t have a dollar to your name might not be in the cards for you. You want to develop goals that are challenging, yes, but they also must be within your attainment. They should stretch you but still be within reason in regards to achieving them.
Next Step: Start Developing Vision In Your Life
You’re meant to do more than work, pay bills, watch TV, and die; there’s way more to you than that. However, it’s up to you to develop your innate faculties and bring them to the surface. Nobody can do it on your behalf. So if you’re ready to cultivate decisiveness, channel discipline, and control your direction, be sure to sign up for The Motivated And Disciplined Newsletter below.
In it, you’ll receive weekly tips directly to your inbox on how to gain self-control to accomplish your goals in life.
