Clarity of Vision: Establishing the Destination

Oh Captain, My Captain

Imagine awaking onboard a sailing ship tossing about at sea. Smooth seas are few and far between, punctuated by raging wind, and monstrous waves: a constant tossing of your ship. This is the life experience for many of us; existence becomes more about survival and weathering the storm than truly enjoying our existence with passion and purpose. What happens when eventually you discover it is possible to steer the ship towards the direction you like? Most would choose calmer waters, steering the vessel away from the storm. Such it is with life. Most are simply trying to exist, to make it through life without too much struggle and turmoil. Don’t rock the boat.

Photo by Elina Emurlaeva on Unsplash

Charting a Destination

As Captain of our existential ship, or vessel, it is our duty to chart a destination. However, this crucial step is most commonly overlooked in life with the constant barrage of distraction: the hamster-wheel of mediocre progression in life, not for the sake of progress, but to avoid the momentary discomfort following the unknown. What separates the common person from the exemplary individual, who carves a path through the unknown and reaches the pinnacle of success, earning them the prestige of the Hero? Vision. The average person is treading water, so to speak, throughout life: too occupied with the incessant need to continually weather the storm, while wishing for calmer waters and perhaps a sandy beach somewhere for respite. A true destination is never set, only a vague desire for something better, something calmer. Frustration ensues as the “something better” never really comes and we realize the best we can hope for is avoidance of the major storms of life. Imagine the absurdity of booking a voyage on a ship to an undefined destination, only to become frustrated, even infuriated, with never reaching that destination.

Study the Greats

A careful examination of the Greats will reveal a simple commonality: they all had a Vision for their life; they had a destination and knew where they were going. Afterall, it is difficult indeed to achieve something, when you don’t know what that something is. As basic and simple as it may be, this crucial step is all to commonly skipped, resulting in a world of restless discontent. Even those who take the initiative to formulate a goal or vision for their life, rarely do so with the clarity and conviction it necessitates. Arnold Schwarzenegger did not flatly decide to become a body builder. He said, I will win Mr. Universe, and become the greatest bodybuilder who ever lived, then I will move to America and use my fame and notoriety to become the #1 action star in Hollywood. There was clarity, focus, and conviction in that. His destination was not vague or ambiguous. While mopping the floor as a janitor, Tony Robbins didn’t think, well geez, I’d kinda like to be rich one day. No. He said, I am going to become so rich, that I will be that guy riding overhead in the helicopter, and I will do so by studying wealth, self-actualization, psychology and self-improvement. Then I will take this knowledge and teach others to do what I have done.

Chart the Course

It is impossible to chart a course without first knowing the destination; this makes creation of a vision and defining your destination with clarity the first step of this process by default. Some will find this simple, yet crucial step to be the most difficult. This is partly the result of an environment that did not offer the opportunity to dream; it may have actively dissuaded it. Afterall, it can be risky to dream, right? In order to define your destination, you must get in tune with your heart. What is it that you would choose to do if there were no limitations for you? If money was no object, family obligations were nonexistent, and you were in a situation that did not dictate trading your time for money to survive, what would you do? The answer is whatever is near to your heart, that which gives you energy and elevates your vibration. In order to get to this vital information, you must first open yourself up to possibility. Know that anything is possible for you. Allow yourself the freedom to dream without any self-restrictions. Avoid the trap of ambiguity; see your destination as if it were your reality. Experience the feeling you would feel in that situation. Do so with clarity. Define clearly and meticulously what that looks like for you. In the next installment of this blog, I will clearly define my vision, my destination. I invite you to participate in this exercise. Then, we will explore next steps to charting the course.