by Mike Woodard
The Winter Olympics will soon come to BC. Any event like the Olympics is filled with people who line up and start competing with an intensity and energy that is admired by millions, but the prize only goes to the one who finishes well ahead of the others.
A race is the test of one’s depth of training and self-discipline and a measure of one’s strength and endurance which has been built up during many months and sometimes years of preparation. Even without the Olympics to motivate us to train, life can bring its own set of challenges that require a discipline and motivation that makes us dig deep within.
There are at least 4 attributes that are needed in order to compete well: vision, discipline, adaptability and personal satisfaction. Vision is sometimes defined as a mental picture of the desired future. The more specific the vision is, the greater the potential benefit of that vision toward success will be.
I had the desire to run a marathon. It was a great vision, but not really helpful, in terms accomplishing my desire until I set a date, picked a race, and set a time goal for pacing myself. Only then did my vision begin to become a reality.
Once my vision was more defined, it moved me to action, I began to train in a focused way and to talk about what I was going to do, which provided a sense of accountability to follow through on my vision. The discipline that I imposed on myself in training for a marathon also began to impact other areas of my life, causing me to be more focused in setting goals and implementing them. I’m convinced that a true vision will result in focused goals and self discipline towards those goals.
Adaptability and personal satisfaction come as by-products of the vision and its implementation. It’s surprising how the will to accomplish something causes one to adapt accordingly, and the ultimate satisfaction of seeing the vision “in process” and becoming a reality can help with the rough or challenging moments along the way.
Sometimes people become overwhelmed with the task of creating and implementing a vision because they feel the need to have an ultimate vision for their life. It’s actually easier to start with “baby steps”: pick an area of life and get a mental picture of a desired future in that area. This could be in the area of one’s physical, intellectual, financial, professional, spiritual or relational sphere.
Vision is created twice. The first creation is the mental picture, the shaping of vision which is like the general form of clay in a potter’s hand. The second creation is defining it so that it can be lived out in a physical reality, taking specific, small steps toward the vision becoming reality. Both are important.
Stephen Covey in his book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, calls this, “Beginning with the End in Mind.” What is your desired future? Take the time to think and dream before rushing headlong into goal setting and implementation.
King Solomon said, “Without a vision, the people perish.” He must have understood some very fundamental about the human spirit. Each of us longs to for change and a better future. Solomon in all his wealth, position and power realized that the future was realized beyond physical.
What is your vision for 2010? Does that desire go beyond simply the physical aspects of life?
You can comment on this devotional online at:
http://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2010/02/11/mw_finish-well/
If your God is Mighty enough to ignite the sun, could it be that He is mighty enough to light your path?
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