VISION - the Starting Point for Building Tomorrow

Every now and again I come across the word "VISION" ... you've likely bumped into it a few times as well. 

"Cinderella Castle by Day" - Photo by SteamFan *

What does VISION mean to you? 

How do you develop your VISION? 

I read a wonderful story, and to be honest, I just don't recall the source, but it was about the achievements of Walt Disney - the visionary behind Disneyland, Disney World, and those magical places that have fascinated generations around the world. Walt Disney passed away in 1966, about five years before Disney World's "Magic Kingdom" theme park opened to the public in Florida.

It's told that on the opening day of Disney World, a reporter commented to Walt's brother, Roy Disney, something along the line, "Isn't it a shame that Walt wasn't able to live to see all of this."  As the two of men looked around at the fabulous theme park they were standing in, it's said that Roy replied, "It was only because Walt had been able to 'see' it years before, that we are now able to see it today."

That's what a powerful VISION can do! It takes an idea, a concept, a dream ... and it transforms that intangible thing into something that others can see, touch, taste, take-in and enjoy. 

Why not share some of your thoughts on what VISION means to you? 

Who are some of the VISIONARIES that inspire you?

* Note: Photo sourced - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cinderella_castle_day.jpg#filelinks

An URGENT Message ...

How many times have we been pulled away from "important things" by various other things that seemed to be URGENT at the time? I think it happens far too often, doesn't it?

URGENCY will always try to ‘trump’ the important. The ‘wild-card’ is whether or not we can keep focused on our priorities.

When I work with my team in assisting small business owners, I like to revisit our objectives every now and again.  With this particular group, and for the work that we do, the “5-C Client Service Focus” that I've put into place helps us to keep our attention on: the Client, our Content, our Contacts, our Collaborations and our Creativity. I think that it reminds all of us of what we are trying to do, and the strategies we are using to get us there!

I recently asked one of my contacts in social media, Narendra Man Pradhan for his permission to re-post one of the comments he made on the topic of urgency.  Thank you Narendra for agreeing to let me use your post in this way.

 

"One of the key factors of success is having big, challenging goals. Winners set goals. Without goals, we wander aimlessly. Set some meaningful goals and approach our goals with a sense of urgency. Life never becomes super-easy for anyone. We are in a race against time. If we pursue our goals with a sense of urgency we will be able to look back over life and know that we accomplished a lot of worthwhile achievements."  - Narendra Man Pradhan

QUESTION: How do you separate the Urgent things from the Important things?

Generating Creative Ideas ...

My wife and I were enjoying a quick breakfast and coffee at a well known establishment when she pointed out the interesting design to the coffee cup that I was drinking from. Until then, I hadn't really given it much thought! 

Oh, I know that there could be a number of wonderful comments that come to mind at this point, but please save your creative energy for this ... 

 

I thought this heat shield & loyalty card built into coffee cup was a neat idea! 

That got me thinking ... where do great ideas come from, and how can we generate more of them? 

Any thoughts?  Why not share a few of you thoughts on where creative ideas come from - we'd be delighted to hear from you.

Thanks!

“When You Thought I Wasn’t Looking”

Regardless of whether you are in business or have chosen another career path, there are many people we meet along the road of life who have a profound influence on us.  I came across this short story several years ago and have keep it with me since. It reminds me of the important role that we can play in the lives of other people.

As a note,  I don’t know who wrote the original story. The version I saw was signed, “Author Unknown”, and a few that I’ve seen on the Internet, while similar, have slight variations.

In your reply to this post, why don't you add a few comments about who you thought of as you read this story ... I think it would be great to share that with them, and with others too!

“When You Thought I Wasn’t Looking”

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator,
and I wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you feed a stray cat,
and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
I saw you bake a birthday cake for me
and I knew that little things were special things.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I heard you say a prayer,
and I knew there is a God I could always talk to
and I learned to trust Him.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick,
and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you give your time and money to help people who had nothing,
and I learned that those who have something
should give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I felt you kiss me goodnight ...
and I felt safe and loved.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw tears come from your eyes,
and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know
to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I looked at you and wanted to say,
"Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking."