There’s an old proverb that has been on my heart and mind a lot lately:
Where there is no vision, the people will perish
– Proverbs 29:18a (King James)
I’ve been going through a season where I’ve fallen into the drift. Just getting through the day. Allowing the urgent to take priority over the important. Every day, I was feeling like the drift was carrying me farther and farther from the shore. If you’re there or have been there, you know what this is like.
What I realized is that the drift had caused me to lose my vision.
Vision Is Lifeblood
Vision keeps us moving forward and helps fight against the drift because it helps provide meaning to our daily lives. This is true not only professionally but in our families and relationships as well.
Here in the US, there is a lot of talk about recession. At this point, it seems imminent. It’s easy to get very tactical in times like this. Just try to survive. Business owners especially feel this, and it can really wear us down, push us into the drift, and keep us there.
This is where leadership and having a vision makes such a difference. Plan some alone time to think and create a vision.
I know what you are thinking, “I don’t have time to spend thinking about vision – have you seen my to-do list!” I thought the same thing too. But here’s what I realized – I can’t afford not to do this! The consequences of the drift are too great. As soon as you start counting the cost to your business, your family, and other life domains, you quickly realize what’s at stake.
Don’t allow vision to be the first casualty of the drift or of challenging economic times. Before the conditions of your life can improve, you must have a vision of where you’re going.