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| Business Development |
 Vision: Finding The Fuel
To Ignite A Vision - Part 2By Stephen Joyce of Zenergy PD In the first article of this series we explored the important part vision can play in creating lives of worth and value. In this article I would like to explore some of the ways we can begin developing a sense of our own vision. That is, a ‘personal vision’ rather than the sort which is shared with others in our family, community or society. These too are important, however experience tells me that people find it difficult to get a sense of ‘shared vision’ if they do not have a sense of ‘personal vision’ to use as a reference experience. A more authentic interpretation of ‘vision’ is that it is something that enables us to contribute more to life, rather than get more from life. Personal vision comes from self-knowledge. So unless we are willing to stop and examine our lives and question what is really important to us, we are unlikely to get very far. So many people live their lives as a response to other people’s expectations parents, teachers, peers, and even society. We become so busy responding to all these messages and requests for conformity, that we do not have time to explore who it is we really are, and what we stand for. Palmer J. Parker (‘Let Your Life Speak’) has encapsulated this idea so well by saying, “Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen for what it intends to do with you. Before you tell your life what truths and values you have decided to live up to, let your life tell you what truths you embody, what values you represent.” Of course there is the challenge of finding out what our lives are trying to tell us. Some of the practical ways others have 'listened' to themselves include journaling, recording dreams, meditating, going on silent retreats, and collaging. Traditionally we are told from a very early age to listen to our elders, superiors, and teachers. Very seldom were we encouraged to listen to ourselves. Not surprising, most of us are not very good at it. We may even become a little surprised at what we hear when we really do listen to ourselves. As we change or refine our self-perception, we might even discover that our life begins to change. Without having to do anything in particular, other than discover more about the ‘real us’, as if by magic things change around us. There is an explanation for this phenomenon. In work carried out on human cognition, two researchers, Maturana and Varela, discovered that at any moment what we see is most influenced by whom we have decided to be. Our eyes are not simply ‘information highways.’ The perception process only relies 20% on the information from outside and 80% on information that is already in the brain. We are creating our own world by choosing what we notice. We then use this sense of self as a filter though which we view the world. If this sounds like a self-fuelling prophesy at work, I think that’s because it is one. By choosing to live a life of worth and value we begin to view the world as a place where that way of living is possible. Having taken the first step toward our vision, the path tends to open up before us; taking that first step seems to light the way for the next step. Many people are unwilling to take any steps until the way is clear ahead of them, not realising that life is waiting for them to commit to the path before supplying the street lighting. The term ‘vocation’ has its origin in the Latin word for ‘voice.’ In other words, a sense of vocation is a way in which you can (as the Quaker saying goes) “Let your life speak.” What is your life saying right now? What would you like it to say? So in order for us to develop a strong personal vision for ourselves, we must listen to ourselves, to find out who we really are. As we discover more about who we are, we will know more about what we want our life to say. Our sense of vision begins to emerge as we let our life speak. Stephen runs Zenergy PD a training organization devoted to helping people tap into their 'peak potential.' He is a certified NLP Trainer & Consultant. Stephen may be reached at 403.912.5210 or email him at: change@zenergypd.com www.zenergypd.com |