Whenever I need to clarify my vision I race to water; I race, because it quite simply, feeds my soul.
It doesn’t matter if I float on the water gently maneuvering my kayak, bearing witness to the early morning mist. Or, if I sit on the very edge of a dock listening to the rhythm of the lapping waves – it’s all the same energy. The energy of water calms my mind, opens the floodgates of my creativity, and helps me visualize the life I want to create.
When my breath follows the rhythm of the waves I feel centered, appreciating where I am in the moment, allowing me to visualize where I’d like to be in the future. Visualizing a new beginning allowed me to grieve the loss of our son, heal my body, and boldly embrace the mission to inspire the world through this magazine.
Undoubtedly, there is something absolutely magical about visualizing. The dream takes place twice. –First, in the theatre of the mind and then again in reality. For me, it’s important to record what I visualize and so I often sit by water with my “dream book” and sketch, list, and write exactly what I plan to achieve and the small steps I can immediately take to make it a reality.
We need to visualize the dream, but it’s equally important to take concrete steps toward it every day. Carmine Gallo suggests that we toss the confusing and often watered down, committee created, mission statements and instead latch onto the compelling power of a vision. (pg. 17) And, as Silken Laumann writes, we don’t need to change our lives by 180 degrees. She believes that if we start in increments of 10 degrees we’ll be moving in the right direction in no time. (pg. 50) Robin Sharma offers 64 action inspired ways to begin the process of change in 2010 (pg. 11), and Crystal Andrus challenges you to take the time to visualize the legacy you plan to leave behind. (pg. 32) And, while Linda Armstrong Kelly raised the world’s fastest cyclist, today her vision is to inspire others to never give up. (pg. 43)
I invite you to be inspired in this issue by the spectacular visionaries that have contributed. You may not share Raymond Laflamme’s vision to build the global epicenter of research and innovation in quantum computing or to create change through policy making like Catherine Fife. You may not choose to carve breathtakingly beautiful sculptures out of trees like Robbin Wenzoski or to make the world laugh like Clayton Fletcher. You may not be able to relate to Lee Brower’s vision to discover why most family fortunes never make it to the fourth generation or Howard Schultz’s intention to “nurture and inspire the human spirit” selling Starbucks coffee. But what I’m asking you to do is allow yourself to hear the soft whisper of your life purpose and when you do, run headlong toward it, embrace it, visualize it into existence and don’t stop until you’ve achieved it.
So go to water, seek out a personal coach, climb to the top of a mountain, or sit in a closet if you have to, so that you can visualize what contribution you plan to make. And, when you have, take a bold step of faith to embrace it, protect it, and nurture it. I promise you that all manner of unforeseen circumstances and non-coincidences will meet you half way. As always, I believe in you and your unlimited potential to create.
