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Vision Takes Time

I remember a year ago sitting down to brainstorm on an idea called The Excalibur Sponsorship Program. We thought we were pretty smart and that this was such a no-brainer that everyone would get it right away. We did market research. We analysed potential strengths and weaknesses of the program. We considered who would be a good fit for the opportunity. Certain that everyone we wanted would join us immediately we prepared materials, we got our statistics in order and we trained our staff. Sounds like a fairly well thought out plan, doesn't it?

Even a good plan takes time to implement and ours was no different. Walt Disney discovered that it can take years for your great idea to catch on. Mickey Mouse and Fantasia were decades ahead of the public, fortunately though Walt had other ideas that sustained his growth while the common man caught up to him.

Last year I encountered an individual who had an idea to create a new kind of company. It sounded like a good idea to me but frankly I have no idea if they did diligence or not. They did put a tremendous amount of time into the project and then just before the product launched the person’s sister discouraged them from continuing. Based on the “expert” advice of an unemployed naysayer that had never made more than the poverty level in 40 years of earning potential the project was shelved. Probably that was for the best because if one cannot withstand the verbal assault of a relative one certainly can’t withstand the onslaught of strangers who may actually be professionals. Was the project a dud though? We will never know.

There will always be those who do not agree with you. If you are sticking your head above the crowd you can expect someone to take a shot at you. It is the nature of humanity. Remember that nobody ever accomplished anything great without discomfort, but if the vision is strong, your persistence will prevail. The journey of vision is difficult but the rewards are worthy of the endeavour. 

Write your vision down. Think about it often with focus. Care for it and protect it from those who would bring damage to it. Work the steps that take you closer to it's completion.

Everything worthwhile takes effort and consistency. Count the cost and if you want the end result, get to work. Vision is not going to be attained in a fortnight. Vision is a long term arrangement. It takes bigness of character to develop vision and a hero-like fortitude to accomplish it. Strategies can be thought out over weeks or months but implementing the plans can take decades. One needs to know their road, accept their road with surety, and then put one foot in front of the other until they finish. If one sees the journey as the end result one never really gets there – they just enjoy the process…

Vision takes take time to accomplish, but I hope you have the biggest vision ever and that you consider it worthy of your pursuit.

Always Loyal2U,

Kerry George

"A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.”   — Ralph Lauren

A vision is a bigger picture than just a mission statement. The vision is the broader version. This video clip explains the difference between a vision and a mission statement. We can have these over aspects of our life as well as for our business. They are useful tools to identify priorities. Just remember that the vision takes time to accomplish!