---
title: "Crafting a More Clear Vision"
description: "For when the effort is real but scattered, and nothing seems to connect."
author: "Rahim Rasul"
type: "Podcast episode"
series: "Halftime Talks"
episode: 43
published: "2015-03-31"
duration: "19 min"
theme: "Goals and process"
tags: "vision, purpose, mission statement, strategy"
audio: "https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/rahimrasul/HTT-43_Vision.mp3?dest-id=175061"
url: "https://iloveprocess.com/halftime/crafting-a-more-clear-vision/"
site: "I Love Process"
---

# Crafting a More Clear Vision

_For when the effort is real but scattered, and nothing seems to connect._

**The question:** What is your personal mission statement?

Listen: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/rahimrasul/HTT-43_Vision.mp3?dest-id=175061

## Before you listen

Where the head goes, the body follows, and the same holds for how a vision marshals the resources of the mind. Without one, our efforts scatter: nothing connects, and our behavior becomes a hodgepodge of acts with no through line.

Vision sits at the top, the GPS for the whole machine. Strategy is the method for the big idea, and strategies can change. Talent is the day-to-day execution. Beneath all of it is a why. Arnold Schwarzenegger said his confidence on the Mr. Olympia stage came from his vision: he knew why he was training five hours a day.

Listen for the Wu-Tang Clan clip on a five-year plan, and for the close. Every day, a lot of our energy goes into making a founder's vision for his company come true. The person in the mirror deserves the same. Grab a piece of paper and write a personal mission statement. Mine: I am a teacher of teachers.

## From the talk

> There's a difference between a hustle and a business. One has a vision, and one is just tactical, and talent is tactical.
>
> Every great organization has to have a vision. And every great individual has to have a why.
>
> Your vision for your life is worth it. You're not here just to pay bills.

## Sit with this

- What questions dominate your mind most often?
- Why do we get out of bed every day?
- Even if we do achieve a certain level of success, is it sustainable?

## Transcript

Hey, guys, it's Rahim. And today, as you know from the intro, we're here to talk about vision some very, very, very, very if I haven't said very yet, it's very important, right? So I believe we often have these catchphrases in society where we don't explore the essence behind them. And visions, one of them. I recognize that in order to be exceptional, this is the exceptional series in order to be exceptional, we must craft an ideal vision. So we are not way really just floating adrift in the ocean of life, right? So the first thing I want to do in and having this conversation about vision is exploring the definition of it, right? So we look at this idea of vision, and you hear common common phrases like I had a vision for creating a head of vision before I started, it began with a vision, right?

And so this vision, if we look at a typical word vision, it implies sight, right? The ability to see, but the vision that we speak of is a high acting high organizing principle and is an executive of the mind to have vision. Now vision is is an ability to see beyond the curve of current circumstances, right? It is to be able to project a desire and a way of life and the attitude and the mentality be on the things that we can see. So vision and faith are a little bit together. But vision says I want to go there. It is plotting the map plotting the destination on your internal progressively realized dreams, GPS. So in order to begin to chart the route, we have to know what we're doing, where we're going and what we're in the process of creating.

So vision is that mission statement. It is like a constitution for itself the governing principles which will underlie the direction we are headed. Vision is critical. It's very critical, it's very critical to get clear, not only on the why, but the where and how a lot of those things fall into place. But you will be set adrift and life's eternal abyss without a vision. And it's critical vision to see to see beyond the curve of current experience. And if you look, if you look at our like our dollar bill, what does it have at the top of the pyramid, the top is the eye, and the eyes really critical because it supports where everything else is going to unfold. Now, I was asked yesterday, like, what are you going to talk about in your next podcast, yatta yatta.

And I told him, I'm talking about vision, and then it really didn't translate immediately with them. So I was like, I broke it down into three phases. I was like, he has strategy, you have talent, and you have a vision. And if you were to put it in order, vision is on the top. Vision is the guiding principles that set you in a direction for what you're what you're aspiring to achieve. Strategy is the method to go about the big idea. And strategies can change, you have multiple strategies to achieve it. And the talent, the talent is the tactile in the process in the moment, day to day execution of what it's going to take. So guiding this whole instrument guiding this whole vehicle, is that GPS that we're putting out there.

It is that out there, destination that we're trying to bring right here. So vision guides, this whole machine. And without that vision, we're just running in circles, not knowing where we're going, hoping that we're gonna get somewhere and enjoy it. And even if we do achieve a certain level of success, is it sustainable? Is it repeatable? Is it demonstrable to others to show the way, Vision sets the course. And it's very important in becoming exceptional to be able to have that sustained capacity, which I spoken in previous episode about. And it's also important to make sure that, that we're setting a foundation for something that that can be demonstrated for others to follow the path. The haphazardly path can only last so long, there's a difference between a hustle and a business.

One has a vision, and one is just tactical, and talent is tactical. I hate to say it, talent is tactical talent, allied with great strategy, and a clear vision creates a measurable results. This reminds me of a story. I love pop culture stories of one of my favorite groups, one of the greatest groups in all time, especially hip hop, Wu Tang Clan. And if you've ever researched the origin stories, like superhero stories of the Wu Tang Clan, you'll you'll hear the rest of his vision, and I want to share it with you first. [Clip: a Wu-Tang Clan interview on vision and planning.] Revision is that mental image, you've painted a landscape of possibility.

You've seen beyond the the current obstacles and situations and see a clearer see it prosperous, see it a hole. Now, every great organization has to have a vision. And every great individual has to have a why. Vision is the inner rallying cry that gives us the blueprint. And therefore our marching orders is the top down structure that outlines where we are headed, how we approach each stage vision. It has less for preparation as much as it requires our Constitution. And what I say constitution I'm talking about the values, intentions, purpose, the Constitution and the response. Monster life will serve to unlock the next door or the next series of doors. I believe that as you ask it's given. It's time for us to incubate excellence.

The Psychology of expectation is the rivets and the glue that binds together to vision and how it ultimately stays together. Why do some achieve while other people's visions? You know, they seem so far off and never coming? What is the distinguishing factor here? I contend that it's all rooted in the why having the why the purpose of rock solid purpose can have those deep emotional resources that fills us up and realigns us in those times where we are out of balance. It all stems from our why, and this Why is brought no more clearly. Then in Simon cynics book, starting with why, and it's the Golden Triangle. Now, if we express that why do people people connect with our why and want to join us ng in the creation and fulfillment of our dreams?

So that y is really big? Why is the big vision and mission it shapes and contours all of our emotions? Why is it so important? Why do we get out of bed every day? Why do we persist? Why do we continue to persevere beyond the limits of our perceived ideas, Vision inspires us. It needs to be clear and unambiguous vision unites us and his inherently integrative vision seeks form, it doesn't limit it by this or that it utilizes form as a temporary vessel in time and eventually it'll free itself from that form, and find a new way to continue to express the essence of its vision. When you begin to move in the world from from a perspective of being vision centric, things have the opportunity to evolve and expand.

I read and listen in an interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was asked how do you get all that confidence on the stage back when you were competing in the Mr. Olympia, you knew you were gonna win. And he said his confidence came from his vision, knowing that he was doing everything he could to be the greatest gave him the confidence the vision of what he was creating the vision of where he was going, the vision for who he wanted to be, gave him the confidence to stand on stage with people who are really pretty much equally matched. But not in a stage of psychology. The Vision impacted on all sorts of psychology, and unknown source and angers own words, he said, my confidence comes from my vision.

[Clip: Arnold Schwarzenegger on how vision drove his training.] And those are the words for Arnold Schwarzenegger. We know ever since the Mr.

Olympia who he's become he's become a world renowned movie star and a venture into politics becoming California's governor. So this idea of vision sets the sale of us in motion, vision, purpose and the Why are part of the theme essential substance. They are the chambers of an essential Oregon. It is the visualization for our rationalization, our reasoning for getting out of bed vision allows us to see beyond the situations that surround us and the conditions we may be surrounded with. Vision is like the periscope that gives us the framework to bring the desire perspective for the present. It can be intoxicating in and advise for our attention. But our vision is something that we can program into our navigation and let it be behind the wheel as it gives us the proper direction.

So I asked you what is your personal mission statement? What questions dominate your mind most often? To me, I am here to cultivate self awareness and excellence in others as well as inspire possibility. That's my vision for myself. I am a teacher of teachers. That's my vision. I see a future where those who want to be educated and activated have access to the resources that close the gap between their desires and commanding the value from the marketplace. I see a future where education is disruptive and massive amounts of people are empowered by new methodologies and learning about their in their ability had to come up to it quickly immersed learning, what is our vision? There's a guy named Richard Liddell here. He said, the purpose is defined as being the right place with the right people who matter doing your life's work.

Now, I've hinted around this, this conversation of vision. In other episodes, I've dipped my toe in this proverbial pool of conversation around vision. But it's time to grab a piece of paper. So once this episode ends, I want you to grab a piece of paper, I want you to go on the internet and look up personal mission statements, personal constitutions, once you understand what you value, and what you're trying to create, the vision almost writes itself. Now declare the things that you hold true and that you value. When you say, I envisioned a future for write that out. I want to create X, Y or Z write that out. I want to be part of this movement right. Now, can a vision be refined? Absolutely.

Can you become more clear with your vision? Absolutely. If you're Hopalong, if you're this and that, and they seem kind of diametrically opposed. It's time to sit down and get clear. Because you have it within you the ability to get clear and see the possibility for yourself. The one thing that we forget is, every day, a lot of our activities are bolstering somebody else's vision and mission statement. If you're going to work for a company and giving your best to them, you are making the founders vision for his company come true. Now, I will contend to you that I know somebody in your life that deserves that same attention, that same pouring of the vital resources of our energy in our mind. And I'd asked you to go in the mirror and look at him.

Look at her, look at them. And you'd be looking at yourself. Because your vision for your life is worth it. You're not here just to pay bills. You're not here just to get to the next month. You're not here to get to your next new year's resolution. You're here for a lifetime. And our vision puts us on the correct road that allows us to make it count. And you might be ready to hear this. But you're worth it. Everything about you is worth it. So take the time. This is the exceptional series.