Words are powerful. I don’t take them for granted. I don’t like verbal fighting for this reason. I’m afraid I will say something I regret. I’m usually a risk taker, but I am very cautious when it comes to speaking.
In 2011, I was invited to present a talk at TEDx Lincoln on the topic of entrepreneurship. I never get used to seeing myself on camera, and wish I could go back and change my delivery. But what I wouldn’t change are the words I spoke. What was resonating inside me then still rings true today.
One point in that talk referred this truth: They need to see what you see.
One gift an entrepreneur holds is the ability to see what others don’t, can’t or won’t see. In business circles this is called vision. Seeing the unseen. Holding a clear picture of a better future. Knowing the destination even though the path to get there is uncertain.
But vision is not limited to business. It’s critical in relationships too. There are times when I need someone to see something for me because I’m stuck and don’t see the way out.
On page 262 of my book, I share a very personal story about a conversation between my sister and me. It was a phone call that changed my perspective on my circumstances. Quite literally, it saved my life.
I was in the depths of despair, standing on the edge of the abyss. All I could see was a dark pit below my feet. But she saw something different and had the courage to paint that picture for me. I caught a glimpse of her vision that I was missing on the phone that morning. And I’m deeply grateful.
We all have people like this in our lives. People that can see what I don’t see. You have at least one you can think of right now. But there are more. Trust me. There are people all around us that possess vision and the ability to see beauty, joy and peacefulness.
Go find one of them today. I guarantee they will have a gift for you to open. Ask what they see. And trust their vision.