We achieve more when we chase the dream instead of the competition.
During my career, I have had the opportunity to work in a number of companies and during my varied career, I discovered that there is a difference between companies that have internal politics and companies that have purpose and cause.
The people inside the companies with politics are fighting against themselves. The ones with purpose are fighting together.
It is the same with companies obsessed with their competitors versus companies obsessed with their vision.
Companies obsessed with what their competition is doing are always reacting or trying to outpace another company. Companies obsessed with their vision are always working to outpace themselves.
These companies also understand that sometimes they are ahead and sometimes they are behind. Less distracted by the ups and downs of the short term, their obsession is the long term.
It is the difference between trying to win every battle and trying to win the war.
And no one knows when the war will end.
A Clearly Defined Vision Is Instrumental For Your Success
This is why staying true and focusing on your vision is the key to success. And whilst on the subject of vision, I want to clarify what vision means to me.
In the past, I have struggled with being truly clear on what my vision was. I wondered what was up with me for a long time and felt lost because I did not “have” a vision.
Over time and through reading some of Simon Sinek’s books and other literature I have come to realize I should not have been concerned.
For some reason, we are told by certain coaches or “gurus” that we all have to “have” a vision such as a big, bold Steve Jobs change the world type of vision.
I bought into this mantra for a long time. But now I have come to realize that this is totally unrealistic. It caused me a lot of stress and I know it causes a lot of others a lot of stress as well.
I'm not Steve Jobs.
I have come to realize that I am more comfortable declaring that I should “find” a vision. Steve Jobs was a visionary and there are plenty of others out there.
This type of person has a sense of a different future and the ability to express it. It is my belief that if we like their vision, then there is nothing wrong in us choosing to follow them or their vision. Over time you might “find” that their vision becomes your vision meaning you can use it to define your choices.
In fact, I now believe it is just as inspiring to follow a vision that resonates with us as it is to try and have our own.
Over time, Martin Luther King, Richard Branson, Warren Buffett, Elon Musk, etc have all expressed their visions and have done things that have inspired others to follow them.
Some of their followers bought their products, some joined their organizations and some joined their organizations.
Others were simply inspired by one of these guys and did things to help contribute to the vision.
These followers all “found” a vision and chose to follow it - they didn’t come up with one themselves.
And the best part of this is that it is generally the followers, not the visionary who bring the vision to life. According to Simon Sinek, visionaries need followers as much as followers need a vision.
So… who inspires you?
Have a restful and enjoyable weekend everyone 🙂
