LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"Your perspective will either be your prison or passport." Steven Furtick

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

We've been camped on vision for a while, and I want make a turn to this idea of perspective, and Steven Furticks quote launches that.

Perspective can be simply defined as your point of view; the way you look at something.

Furticks quotes gives us 2 sides of perspective:

We're either TRAPPED by our perspective, and we feel there is no hope or purpose, and we're paralyzed.

Or, we're FREE by our perspective, and everything opens up: Our mind, heart and soul. We see the world in a new way and broaden our view.

That's the power of perspective and many times we lean automatically into feeling trapped, and we miss the freedom that comes from looking at things a little differently.

How will you choose to view your circumstances? As a PRISON or as a PASSPORT? What's keeping you from freedom?

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"Our vision is only actionable if we share it. Without sharing, it's just a figment of our imagination." Simon Sinek

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

We've been talking about VISION and I was reminded today how important it is to share that vision with others, and not simply keep it to yourself.

Sineks quote above states it rather clearly that if a vision isn't shared, then it's not real.

Ken Blanchard would say, "The greatest leaders mobilize others by coalescing people around a shared vision." So you wander what "coalesce" means? It means to "come together to form one mass or whole"

Warren G. Bennis would say, "In order to serve its purpose, a vision has to be a shared vision."

The quote I relate to the most is from Andy Hargreaves when he says:

"Too often, shared visions really mean, 'I have a vision; you share it!'"

Are you guilty of that? I know I am.

Vision might begin in your heart, but as it grows, you must invite people into that vision, to be a part of it, to own it with you. When was the last time you shared your vision?

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"A goal that is not written down is not a goal, it's only a dream." Unknown

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

I came across this statement the other day, and as I did some research, I've found that many people have said this over time: Fitzhugh Dodson, Brian Tracy & Michael Hyatt, just to name a few.

In researching where this came from, I was amazed by the number of people who talked about the simple act of "writing your goal down". Until you do that...

• It's not a goal

• It's not real

• It's a "wish"

• It's only a dream

The first step to moving towards that picture you see in the future is to write down some goals to get you there.

WRITE THEM DOWN.

Mark Pettit shares in an article I'll reference below, 5 reasons why writing down your goals is important:

1) It helps you get clear on what you want

2) It helps you stay motivated

3) It helps narrow your focus

4) It gives you realistic time frames to work towards

5) It allows you to celebrate progress

Do you write your goals down? Why do you or why don't you? Where do you write them down?

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion." Jack Welch

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

We've been talking about VISION for a couple of weeks, and when I saw this quote from Jack Welch, the former Chairman and CEO of General Electric, there were some words that just jumped out at me.

Read the quote again... Do you see the words?

He's talking about what leaders must do when it comes to vision:

• CREATE a Vision

What do you see that nobody else sees? Where do you want to go?

• ARTICULATE the Vision

Explain it so that other people can understand it and get a grasp of it.

• PASSIONATELY OWN the Vision

You don't pass vision off, but you own it, it's yours.

• RELENTLESSLY DRIVE IT TO COMPLETION

Achieve it, pursue it, move towards it... RELENTLESSLY.

Powerful words when it comes to vision.

What do these words mean to you when it comes to the vision you have for your business? Your organization? Your family? Your life? This is what it takes to get from HERE to where you want to be!

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision" Helen Keller

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

Last week I shared a Steve Jobs quote on VISION and the power of vision, and I received some interesting notes about the importance of always working to SEE where we're going and to anticipate what is coming.

I read this quote from Hellen Keller, and was reminded of how easy it is to get busy focusing on TODAY and forget to think about TOMORROW.

We're busy, there's pressure, there's a never-ending to-do-list, and in some cases, we're just trying to survive.

Hellen Keller was blind, but she didn't let that keep her from great accomplishments. She was not only blind, but she was deaf as well. READ THIS LIST of her accomplishments and then tell me why you're not able to do something?

The challenge of every leader is to not only focus on what you're doing today, but to determine where you're heading, to define your vision for tomorrow.

I asked this question last week, but I'll ask again: Where are you heading? Personally? Work? Community? Family? Take some time to envision what that vision looks like.

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don't have to be pushed. The vision pulls you." Steve Jobs

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

Years ago, while attending a coaching training session, the idea of vision was shared this way.

Imagine you're standing on top of a mountain, and you see the peak of another mountain off in the distance, and you decide that this is where you want to go, but there's a valley between these peaks, and you need to get from here to there. This is called VISION.

Vision can be described as:

• The DESIRE to get from where you are to where you want to be.

• The PLAN to get from where you are to where you want to be.

• The EXECUTION to move from where you are today to where you want to be tomorrow.

It's not enough to just see that other mountain top, but there needs to be a plan to get there.

I like this thought from Steve Jobs when he says, "...The vision pulls you."

When you can articulate where you're going, you are pulled in that direction. Every decision you make either moves you closer or moves you further away.

What mountain peak are you looking at or looking for? Can you see where you're going or where you want to be? Does that vision "compel" you forward or do you feel like you're stuck?

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"Take a break and give your soul what it needs." Audrey Kitching

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

The quote above is my response to a pretty hard run over the past number of months.

Last week, Gina and I spent 5 glorious days unplugged, sitting on a beach, and just getting a break.

This was in response to a pretty full season that included a couple of our kids weddings, some health challenges post-Covid, some work transition, a large global leadership Summit and lot's of other things that felt like they were piled on top of everything else.

I remember back in October of 2021 saying to myself that when we arrived at April 10th of 2022, we would have gotten through a pretty crazy season.

We made it, and we took a break and recharged our souls.

It's amazing how good it feels to simply STOP.

When was the last time you just STOPPED? Sat still, read a book for fun, slept in.... just STOPPED? If you're having a difficult time remembering, you need to get some STOP TIME on your calendar!

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"Stop setting yourself on fire to keep someone else warm." Penny Reid

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

I'd like to ask you to think about this quote and then to tell me what it's saying to you in the comments.

I've shared a couple of quotes about pouring into other people, then I saw this one and it forced me to stop and think.

I think there are 2 options...

ONE: You are so giving and sacrificial that you constantly put others before yourself and think of others needs. This is noble, this is valuable, this is important, this is what Jesus would do.... Put others first.

or

TWO: You are a mess because you think about other people and you don't take care of yourself... in fact, your life is "on fire" and out of control and you've got to STOP. This is important, this is valuable, this is noble, this is what Jesus would do... Take care of yourself so you can then care for others.

Which one is it?

Are there other interpretations?

Share your thoughts by clicking HERE and commenting on the blog post.