New Words, Ancient Wisdom
Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash
I had a light bulb moment recently: new words, ancient wisdom. I was thinking about resilience and what keeps people in the game, despite fears, failures and doubts. What keeps certain people going, even after multiple setbacks, while other people quit? The answer was my lightbulb moment.
But before I jump into the answer, I have a riddle. What do the following have in common?
Action Board
Action Plan
Action steps
Agile (software development)
Blueprint
Business Plan
Five-year Plan
Game Plan
GPS
Life Plan
Map
Mission Statement
Motivational Board
North Star
Sports Playbook
Strategic Plan
Ten-year Plan
Value Statement
Vision Statement
Vision Board
Your Why, etc.
The answer? A clear vision to help people get to a specific destination or achieve a particular outcome.
Clear vision is the secret sauce behind successful people's resilience, imho. They know their Purpose. They've imagined where they want to go. They've seen it in their minds eye. They've embodied it with all of their senses. Their brains perceive it as real. It's no longer an unattainable imagined reality. No matter how many times they're knocked down, their vision and Purpose empower them to get back up again, in spite of their fears. Clarity of vision is the linchpin to it all. And as Dr Nadine Dijkstra explained to University College London News, “Neuroscience has discovered that imagination and perception rely on overlapping brain circuits.” As a result, if we “vividly... experience” something, our brains cannot tell if it's imagined or real.
What does imagination and clear vision have to do with ancient wisdom? Well, in the Old Testament, Habakkuk 2: 2-3 (NIV) says:
Then the LORD replied: Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it, it will certainly come and will not delay.
Habakkuk suggested this over 2600 years ago! We have new words for it, but it's ancient wisdom. New words, ancient wisdom.
Now it's time for a confession. I've never been a fan of five-year plans, life plans, etc. They used to really irritate me. But then one of my dearest friends, a fellow entrepreneur, coached me through writing a new business plan. A plan that genuinely reflects my values. It describes the community of people I'd like to draw to me and the impact I hope we make in the world. It's my roadmap now and inspires me to keep moving forward no matter what. It anchors my resilience.
So, though my vision “may tarry” (shout out to the King James Version of Habakkuk), I will wait for it. At the appointed time it will come. And when there are hard days, that vision will be what inspires me to keep going.
What dreams do you have for your future?
What inspires you on the hard days? What helps you overcome your fears? What helps you bounce back from failure?
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P.S. I wrote this post early this morning but had to run out before I could upload it. Later in the day, I watched a YouTube short called Discover Your Purpose in Your Creativity. I love the synchronicity.
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