The Visionary Returns

I was asked by a reader to elaborate on the Vision theme. Let me start by referring to the value of a vision. According to Jack Welch, legendary GE CEO, in his words, when asked what he most looks for when promoting someone, "You clearly want someone who can articulate a vision. They have to have enormous energy and the incredible ability to energize others."

To articulate a powerful vision start with yourself. In a sense you have to play with your mind until you see what clicks. I referred in my previous blog post to coming up with emotional "why's" that would give you a vision. Maybe I should give you some of my "why's." One of my why's is that I desire to help people realize the divinity, value, and uniqueness they harbor. Another of my why's is that I would love to help kids realize their potential, and improve educational systems to nurture a more powerful mind & body.

I have many why's, however, from these 2 why's you start to see how I create my vision. A vision as to what I must do. A vision as to what I must become. A vision as to what I must improve on personally; including abilities, capacities, and so on. The vision created allows me to create scenario's that I wish to become reality, say 5-10 years from now.

I then give the vision life by animating it with the actions I'll be taking, the people I will be around, and the service I'll be providing. This is incredibly compelling to me, because it is fused with my personal why's.

Now the thing is that my "why's" probably mean nothing to you...at least maybe not at an emotional level. Everyone has sufficient why's in their lives, that give them the resource to galvanize the internal fire of passion.

For example, Suze Orman, the financial lady on T.V. is an incredibly passionate person. This isn't merely a good acting job though; she is truly passionate about helping people w/ their finances. She relates a story from her childhood in an interview from Carmine Gallo's book, 10 Simple Secrets of The World's Greatest Communicators, of having the stigma and scars of growing up poor and watching her father fail at business.

In one particular incident her father ran into a burning building to retrieve a cash register w/ less than $100; he almost lost his life.
These emotional why's gave Suzy a vision of what she had to do...the emotion that feels when she tries to help people avoid the pain she went through as a child.

So the emotional why's can be from your life's experinces or simply a compelling imagined future that makes your heart race, and makes you feel limitless and passionate. It begins with learning more about yourself. Instead of simply following the old trodden paths for the sake of following something.

-Angel Armendariz