TEN DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF VISIONARY PEOPLE

After having dealt with some of the traits that depict vision-less people in the previous article, we are going to look at what is a visionary individual and what are the characteristics of his life and behavioral patterns in contrast to those of individuals that lack a well defined vision for their lives. It is a given that vision is critical to live a life full of purpose and destiny oriented. Hence, that is why we need to know what indeed makes a visionary, what is it that which characterizes him and distinguishes him from the masses. But firstly we need to define what vision is:

Vision is the ability to see beyond your present circumstances, it is the ability to see ahead with the intent to chart a path for one to reach.


1.   Visionary people are strategists

Strategy is the ability to map out a plan to achieve your goals, without a plan we are doomed to fail that is why it is important to have a strategy in place in how the vision will become a reality. The goal of having a strategy is to seek for effective ways to bring the vision into reality. The vision is conceived in our minds but it should not stay there, that is where the actual plan and strategy comes into place. Having a strategy ensures that the vision that we have conceived does not remain a mental picture, but it can also be interpreted in visible forms. Think of a strategy as the blueprint to achieve and to bring the vision into reality.




2.   They are goal oriented

Once the strategy is in place the next step is to set goals for the fulfillment and the materialization of the blueprint. This is a trait that visionary people have in order to measure the progress and the success of one’s journey towards his desired destiny in life. Thus, visionary people are goal oriented, it is important that we also acquire the discipline to set goals that are realistic, achievable and timely. Setting short term goals as well as medium and long term helps one to measure the success of the journey and to make adjustments where they are needed.




3.   They are focused

Focus is a very important component in achieving and fulfilling one’s vision given the fact that there are a lot of things that may want your attention. It is important that we learn to streamline what is important from what is not so that you are not distracted from doing those things that are essential in the journey towards your destination. The ability to focus on just one thing is a rare quality in our days, most of us are always faced with the temptation of doing too many things at the same time. This is not always appropriate because at the end we should be able to evaluate what we have achieved and how far have we gone. It is always good to do one thing at a time, and once that task is accomplished we can then embark on the next one. This way we will have measurable ways to track our progress in the journey. Do one thing at a time, Paul the Apostle says this one thing I do. The key is to be able to identify that one task that we need to fulfill at any given moment and do it until the end.

Unfortunately when it comes to fulfilling tasks most people start but never finish, the moment they see something more appealing they go for it. Remember you have a vision to fulfill, no matter how many people may be doing a particular task, you should not join the crowd just because it is popular. Do not follow the path of popularity follow the path of the vision that you have to fulfill, this is what is going to distinguish you from your peers, the ability to be focused.




4.   They are disciplined

This cannot be overemphasized, without discipline we cannot accomplish anything in life. The reason why people live disastrous lifestyles is due to the lack of this fundamental component in their lives. It is important to know the time to sleep and the time to work, you cannot be sleeping when you are supposed to be working. It is important to know the time to eat ant the time to restrain from eating. If you are going to succeed in the fulfillment of your vision you must religiously do the things that are required for do for the fulfillment of that vision.

It is not enough to have a vision because a vision does not fulfill itself, the bearer of the vision must be disciplined enough to see to it that it comes to pass. That includes being disciplined to work, being disciplined in studying and learn all you need to learn for the fulfillment of your vision. It also includes knowing when to go to bed and when to wake up. You cannot spend the all night in front of the television screen and expect to get anything done in life. Be disciplined, do not let your emotions and your physical inclinations govern you, you govern them, that is called discipline, capiche !




5.   They are persistent

Persistence is the ability of not giving up in the midst of adverse circumstance, trust me in the journey of life there will be times when you fill like quitting, in fact most people have done that before. The world is full of people who have given up on themselves; you don’t want to join them too. This is what is going to separate you from the crowd, you must be resolute enough to finish what you have started regardless of the difficulties of the terrain. Nobody said that is going to be easy, stop daydreaming the American Dream. The reason why most people have fallen by the way side in their pursuit of purpose is due to lack of determination to go to the end in the midst of adverse circumstances.
  
To be continued....