VISION

VISION

It was the year 1953, the graduating set of the prestigious university, Yale University, were given questionnaire(s). The points were clear and the questions were direct. They were asked, “DO YOU HAVE CLEAR, SPECIFIC, WRITTEN GOAL(S) FOR YOUR LIFE, AND HAVE YOU DEVELOPED PLANS FOR ITS ACCOMPLISHMENT AFTER YOU LEAVE THIS UNIVERSITY?”

Only three percent of the class had the goals written down on paper. 13% had goals but not on paper. The remaining 84% had no goal at all, except to go and enjoy what looks like an unending holiday.

Twenty years later, a survey was carried out on the 1953 set. It was discovered that the 3% that had their goals written down were worth more in dollars than the rest of the class put together, “vision on paper” was the main thing that gave them the leap ahead of the rest of the class.

What is vision? Vision is the ability to see the invisible in other to do the impossible. Vision is the visual reality to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives. It is the realization of the reason for your creation. Vision is the mental picture of the desired future. Vision is discovering your assignment in life.

Everyone has a mental picture of the future he or she desires, but it is not enough to have a mental picture. It is important that you have it written down. A wise man once said,” write the vision down, make it plain or clear on the table”. Write it and put it in a place where you can see it daily. Engrave it on your heart. Confess it. Talk about it. Be obsessed with it.

Many of the people around today had visions, dreams, goals, and true desires but they could not pursue it because before long it faded off in their memory. The weakest of the ink is better than the strongest of man’s memory.

How to receive/ discover vision

 Prayer: The first and the last thing to do when it comes to vision is prayer. Wait on God in prayer. Pray about it because your life depends on it. Let God be the guide on this issue.

Watch your personal interest: You are likely to find your vision in what catches your interest. What interest or attracts you is a pointer to where you belong. For in it you will realize most things are done with less effort compared to others.

Watch what you have burden for! What is it that makes you uncomfortable when you see it? What is it that raises anger in you? Please watch it. It may be that the anger is there that you may do something about that particular case. It infuses energy, passion and enthusiasm.

Check out for the true desires of your heart: Look deep inward and see exactly what the true desire of your heart is. Forget your degree and pedigree, listen to your heart and be truthful to yourself. There is what your heart is saying to you if you will care to hear. There is what your spirit tells you about yourself. Don’t mix things up. Don’t seek to be a banker, teacher or anything because it is the so to speak “the in-thing.” What is reigning today may not tomorrow. What works for A may not work for B. Withdraw from the crowd, isolate yourself, wakeup in the middle of the night and discover your true self once and for all. Get a pen and paper write it down. Take a bold step and snap out of being pushed. As useful and as relevant as parents, friends and loved ones can be, if you follow the mob, you can miss it. The true desire of your heart, the still small voice is what you should listen to. Perhaps, it’s been telling you, you don’t belong somewhere, why not breakout and live your real life?

You can not be exactly where you belong and not know it. You can not be following the still small voice and not feel fulfilled. Once you get it, you be at peace within and without.

How to develop vision

Books: I don’t think any man can excel in the 21^st century without books. There is need for you to read far and wide. There is need to seek knowledge from everywhere you can get it. Read books that will motivate and inspire you. Read books that will turn you on, give you ideas on how to carry out what is on your heart. Read about great men, “the secret of men is in their story” Read about your chosen field. Spend time everyday to learn something new. Don’t be tired of reading. Read, read, and read and read again and again. It’s your ticket out of obscurity.

Seek like-minded men: You can not want to be a world-class and be friends with men who are mediocre, local champion themselves, or who have them as mentors. “Iron sharpens iron.” Make friends with serious people, focus people. Men that are not shortsighted. Take it or leave it, an area boy today is an area father tomorrow. Choose your friends.

Mentorship: You need a mentor. The place of mentor cannot be replaced. Every great player has a coach. You cannot go far without a coach. Mentors are like coach, they have your interest at heart. They watch your back and are there for you. They are like fathers, when they are there you feel secured, provided for, you feel like a little child in the arms of the father. And they are also for reproof and correction. They scold you when necessary and show you the right way.

In conclusion, vision is to our lives what plan is to a building engineer. Vision is the model of what you want to build your life into. It I a mental picture of where you are going, therefore it is important to get a vision. Don’t just pick any idea and call it your vision. Be sure and fully convinced from within that whatever idea you have decided to run with will still be valid, relevant to you and you will still be in enthusiastic about it in the next 10 to 20 years.

PROOFS OF A TRUE VISION

• Ability to stand the test of time
• Results of its fulfillment:  Will it help people? Solve problems? True vision is not for self.
•  It is discovered by one but executed by many.