August 2010

In the darkness of uncertainty, let the light of vision guide you

No matter what age or era, uncertainty is something all generations have had to endure.  Today there is uncertainty of education, environment and economy, and many have already succumbed to its dark and stormy seas.  Many of those who have survived through to a measure of success they can enjoy are those guided by vision in the midst of their survival struggle.

Our onboard navigation systems sometimes go crazy in the stormy conditions of the unknown.  We feel at times that we are not in control.  Often, the only thing we can rely on is what is inside of us – what remains when fear and confusion skew our direction and obscure our line of sight.  It is purpose and vision – the destination established long before the journey began – that keeps us moving, making course corrections, and sometimes even stopping to wait for openings in the swells or between lightning strikes and funnel clouds before pushing ahead again.

When our lives’ seas are high and storms are raging; when we have too much to do in the home; when our social lives far exceed our available time; when we have too many cares of life to keep our focus in one direction; when we find ourselves having too much stress or too much boredom on the job; or when our finances fall short of our expenses; that is when we need to take a moment to reflect on what our vision and purpose are, both long- and short-term.  It is these moments of recognition of what lies beyond the storm that will keep us from being lost in it, casualties of life.

For those of us who have already established our vision and understand our purpose, let us mentally hit pause in these struggles long enough to reorient ourselves to where we stand today in relation to them and perceive what steps are necessary to continue moving forward.  For those of us whose vision and purpose are not yet clearly defined, let us take some time to determine a short-term focus that will give us something to push for beyond the present – something to get us through the squalls at hand so we can decide where we are heading in the long-run rather than spending a lifetime reacting to the present only to find ourselves far removed from anywhere in particular.

This journey will not be easy for any of us, but it certainly does not need to end up pointless.  We may be tossed by stormy seas but we need not end up drifters through life carried simply by current wherever the seas want to take us.  We can, in fact, cut our own path, create our own cross-current wakes if we want – it’s all in the decision to push toward a future we want , not just one we will “end up with”.  We all have an option of sailing wherever the wind carries us, but let us never forget that we also have the option of dropping our sails, putting our hands to the oars and rowing in the direction we choose.

This month, let’s make a conscious effort to push through survival toward success.  It can be done.  There is a light out there beyond the fog – we need only to lock onto it and continue pressing toward it amidst the storm.

Achieving Absolute Excellence,
Brandon

For more Success Pursuits, visit Brandon's new monthly blog here.

"Our challenge is to understand the dynamic of our perceptions at the various rates of pursuit we approach our futures with."