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Vision: A Means to Navigating Life

Written by: Robert Boucher

Article Overview: Create a vision of the future. Plan out the journey using goals. Accept change and continue your journey to your vision.

Vision: A Means to Navigating Life

Eradication of polio is the vision of Rotarians around the world. Rotary’s vision is that polio will no longer inflict harm on the people of the world. It is a true and strong vision.

A vision is like navigation tool for the journey we make through life. We know what the end of that journey is death. What is important is making the journey. Every navigator to plot a course needs tools like charts, parallel rulers and compass, and in this age of technology a GPS is a must. Similarly, once you have your tools together, you can plan and set your goals to complete your vision. Where do you want to end up and what path do you want to take? Life is not that simple, but neither is navigating a boat. As in life, you plan your course – but then you meet an obstacle like an island or a shoal. The wind may have blown you off course. You may drift with the current. You need to constantly check where you are and plot a new course. It’s the same with a vision: you make the effort to reach it, but you know changes are inevitable.

We all have a vision of what we would like to be. It is a way of looking forward into the future. You know you can control the present moment but how do you plan the future and reach your goals? Like a navigator, you plot your journey in small segments known as way points: the next day, the next month, the next year.

The Rotarians created their vision in 1986. Their plan to defeat polio is well founded and the goals are all achievable. They, like the navigator, know you have to plan using way points. When changes occur, you have to change your plan or goals but always based on the vision. The island causes you to change course. It is a matter of plotting a course around it and continuing on your original journey.

What is your vision for the future? Is it to gain wealth and power, all the modern toys -- to have enough? If this is your vision of your life, then you have limited yourself. There is a lot more to life than gaining possessions: there is improving yourself to become what you envision yourself to be. Improving yourself is never-ending, and you can never get enough to become better. How do you know how much is enough wealth and power? How do you know how much improving is enough? I wish I could tell you how much is enough, but only you can answer that question.

If you go as fast as you can in the most powerful boat around, you miss much of the journey. You miss plotting out the course, negotiating the obstacles and most of all, enjoying life. The journey’s end is death, and I doubt you want to arrive there quickly. What kind of person would you be if only the end of the journey is the most important part of your life?

You should look at your visions very closely. They are you in the future. Are you going to be satisfied with yourself when you arrive at the end?

Summary
Create visions of the future. Plan out the journey using goals. Accept change and continue your journey to your vision.

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Article Tags: compass, eradication, gps, journey, navigation tool, obstacle, parallel rulers, polio, possessions, present moment, rotarians, rotary, s vision, segments, shoal, toys



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