Everything Counts: 52 Remarkable Ways to Inspire Excellence and Drive Results

Chapter 9. Vision Counts

"You will never be greater than the vision that guides you."

The eye is a remarkable instrument that processes the light we see in such a way that our minds can create meaning from it, thus supplying vision as one of our five senses. Another type of vision, however, is the light in our mind's eye, which paints the picture of a desired future state. This type of vision—the vision I speak of here—holds the promise of what shall one day be.

Vision is the capacity to see the invisible that inspires us to do the impossible—a guiding image of success. If compelling, that vision can change your life, family, business, community, and even humanity. In fact, vision is the only thing that has spurred these types of major changes. Throughout history, great accomplishments have begun as a single individual's image of what might be.

Clear vision is an essential component of high performance. The more lucid the vision, the more power and confidence it generates. Artists, designers, architects, engineers, and leaders in every field understand the importance of vision. In their head, there's a dressing room where concepts and ideas become clothed in words. Their ability to form and follow a vision is what leads them to creativity, innovation, insights, and brilliant solutions to nagging problems. Adversely, the absence of vision breeds dissatisfaction and discouragement. The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious, and who have the capacity ...