Visionary Thinking: How to Shape Your Future With Clarity
Throughout history, there have been visionary individuals who were able to use the power of their minds to change our world in fundamental ways. Of course, there are the big names, a few of which probably pop into your head when you hear phrases like visionary leader or creative genius. They are the much-lauded innovators and rebels whose faces now appear on classroom posters; their words quoted on Instagram reels.
But there exists, in higher numbers, the more modest visionaries. Those who were also able to master their creative faculties to bring into existence much-loved, but often taken-for-granted tools and mindsets we utilize in our lives today. Take, for example, the modern toilet. A visionary invention that, if taken away, would cause many of us to curse the universe before contemplating an accurately placed bullet in the head. Or consider all the lesser-known writers, scientists, and philosophers; whose ideas have influenced the way we process the world around us and yet whose names and faces remain a mystery for many.
The truth is that while plenty of these people have existed and made a big impact on society, politics, technology, art, psychology, and many other fields; most of us go through life without fully tapping into our visionary capabilities. This is a shame because we all possess an inborn talent for visionary thinking. It makes us human. The problem is most of us take this ability for granted and thus fail to make meaningful changes in the world and within ourselves.
What makes a visionary person?
First, one needs to decide to live a visionary life. Modern society makes it easier than ever to coast by without having to truly be creative or think particularly hard about anything. It’s the easiest thing in the world to go with the flow, get a humdrum career going, and then proceed to tick off the checkboxes provided as part of society’s pre-made life package. Despite us all having access to visionary capabilities, the default path is not going to provide you with an opportunity to use them.
Yet, the world is changing, and as more of the jobs we know are replaced by advancements in artificial intelligence, there may come a time in the near future when society expects a visionary approach to life. This, in my opinion, would be a fantastic change both individually and collectively, but it would require individual basic needs to be met first. Giving everyone a secure basis from which to build their visionary life, without having to worry about how they are going to put food on the table — but that’s a topic for another article.
Being a visionary indeed takes mental work, but those who choose this type of lifestyle realize that one of the greatest joys available to a human being is the feeling of creative contribution. To interact with and shape the world is the reason you exist. You have been given an opportunity to play your part in the grand tapestry of the cosmos, why wouldn’t you take it?
Your role in the circus doesn’t necessarily need to be the headline act; you don’t need to be the next Steve Jobs or discover a cure for cancer. To have a vision means to decide for yourself what’s meaningful and then proceed to take action to manifest your creative will in the physical world. By doing this, you play a conscious part in the unfolding of mankind’s destiny.
The visionary can conjure a vision for the impact they would like to have on the external world, but also, maybe more importantly, the visionary can create a vision for themselves, for the person they want to become, for the values and ideals they want to embody, for the way they interact with others, for the way they experience life itself. This is the ultimate challenge. As hard as it is to manifest an external vision; the true gold medal belongs to the saints and sages of history who have managed to transform themselves from the inside-out.
Creating a powerful vision means cutting out much of the unimportant items from your schedule. There needs to be a certain level of focus and commitment if you want to make your vision a reality. You need to let go of the fantasies and distractions that clutter your psyche. The world is a big place with a lot to do and see, but trying to do everything is the perfect recipe for doing nothing.
Being a visionary also requires courage. Like much of what I write about under the umbrella of self-development, becoming a visionary is not yet the norm; therefore, you’ll be swimming against the current. The world tends to operate by the process of homeostasis; it resists change. Therefore, expect your vision to come up against painful resistance, both from the world and yourself. Remember, all the visionaries who came before you, including the inventor of the modern toilet, faced their own forms of resistance but managed to fight through it to create lasting change.
How to develop a creative vision?
Developing a vision is a personal undertaking. The most important rule here is to take this process seriously since the vision you design will be the driving force behind your entire life. Put as much time as needed into dreaming up your vision.
There will be a temptation to outsource your vision to someone else. Don’t. It’s easy to fall into the trap of coming up with a vision you think you should have, instead get to know yourself and base your vision on what is truly meaningful to you. This requires introspection, contemplation, and a solid foundation of self-understanding.
While your vision is personal, it should also be based on high ideals. How do you want to change the world positively? How do you want to impact other creatures? And how could you change yourself in a way that would allow you to embody the highest qualities available to a human being: truth, love, selflessness, healing, wisdom, strength, creativity, passion, and so on?
Having a powerful vision for your life is the number one way to cure the problem of motivation, which is going to become more prevalent in modern societies as our lives become increasingly easier and more comfortable. The grander your vision of the future is, the more motivated you’ll be to bring it into existence. This is why you should think big and think altruistically. If your vision creates change that is deeply meaningful to you, you’re not going to let anything stop you from making it happen.
Finally, creating a powerful vision requires holistic thinking — the ability to see how the parts affect the whole. How do individual aspects of your vision connect and synergize to bring forth the entire vision in all its glory? For example, if your vision was to change the world of fashion to be more environmentally sustainable. You would need to be able to envision the big picture, the final result, and its impact, but also have clarity on the interaction between pieces of the puzzle that would make up this big picture change. I’m not going to pretend to know much about fashion; honestly, I already regret picking that as an example, but I'd imagine it would involve various smaller elements, such as influencing public opinion, developing cost-effective material, dealing with various stakeholders, and so on. These would then also break down into smaller parts that would synergize to create change in the mentioned areas.
It’s also important to consider how your vision for the world and yourself influence each other. You may already have a big-picture vision of how you want to shape the world. These extraordinary accomplishments require someone personally developed enough to bring them to fruition. The more you develop yourself through learning new skills and inner-work, the more capable you’ll be as you attempt to bring your vision to life. And vice-versa. The more experience you gain through your outer quest, the faster you’ll grow as a person.
This is a lifelong undertaking
Keep in mind that this is a long-term pursuit that requires long-term thinking. You won’t be able to actualize your vision overnight, nor should you try. It’s important to set the right expectations at the start of this process, as your vision could be something you’re working towards for the rest of your life, and you need to be okay with this.
Taking on a long-term mindset gives you a magical advantage on your journey towards your vision. Patience. In a world where instant gratification is becoming the norm, cultivating patience is hugely beneficial and will pay dividends for the rest of your life.
It’s also highly likely that your vision will change over time. I’ve had the same core vision for the last seven years, but my approach to manifesting it has evolved and will most likely continue to do so in the coming decades.
For this reason, you shouldn’t worry too much about the process of how exactly your vision is going to unfold. Instead, create a strong vision that stirs you emotionally and provides you with high levels of motivation. Then, set systems in place to move you a little closer each day.
“It is unwise to limit the way a result can happen by any given process. At the time you conceive the result you want, the actual way you will bring it about is always unknown to you, even if you have a hunch about it.” — The Path of Least Resistance, Robert Fritz
Stay true to your vision
Yes, your vision is likely to change over time, but the central idea should remain the same. If your vision is strong enough from the beginning, it will contain enough emotional resonance to sustain you for the long haul.
Undoubtedly, there will be times when you’ll lose faith. Times when the world attempts to throw you off course. In these situations, navigate your mind back to the emotional power in your original vision. This is your true north. Your guiding light.
You have to remain wary of the subtle influence the culture of our time and location will have upon your vision. It’s easy for the purity of your vision to be eroded by external forces. What was once a unique, emotionally compelling view of your future is slowly watered down until it drowns under the guide of such considerations as practicality, realism, conventions, and normality.
If you want a chance of manifesting your vision in its original form, there needs to be an unwillingness to compromise. It’s your uniqueness which gives the vision its flavour. It's secret sauce. If you allow culture to grind you down, you’ll be left with a mass-produced packaged version of your vision rather than the original dream that left you so excited to begin the journey in the first place.
Support others in their visions
One of the reasons why I think getting in touch with our visionary side is such a great concept is because it’s accessible to everyone.
We should encourage each other to develop personalized visions based on the strengths, values, and passions of the individual. Then, they support each other through the process of making it happen.
I think we often underestimate the impact one’s genuine support can have on another person. It’s difficult for many people to believe in themselves or to even understand their capabilities, especially in a world of extreme competition. Often, you’re going to be able to see more potential in another person than they’re able to see in themselves. You can even suggest a general vision for them. Sometimes, all it takes are a few encouraging words about the person’s dreams, talents, or personality to send them off on their own quest.
“Your sketches are great, Sally. You should start sharing them online.”
“I’ve never met someone who can listen and support others with such ease. Have you ever thought about being a coach?”
“I think it’s an awesome idea to get started on that app you keep mentioning; I'd use it, and at the end of the day, what do you have to lose?”
Where it all leads
Taking a visionary approach to life allows you to rise above the common human experience and connect with a more universal outlook. You begin to see the purpose of your life as a way to contribute to the whole.
This shift in perspective enriches your time here. Your baseline level of satisfaction is improved no matter what situation you find yourself in as you realize the hard times you’re going through are small pieces of a much bigger mosaic. As you move towards your vision for yourself and for the world, a feeling of joyful purpose pulls you forward. There’s a subtle sense of happiness in the day-to-day experience of life, which blossoms as you begin to see your vision take form in reality.
To whatever extent you realize your vision, you will leave this world with a feeling of pride because you were one of the few people who followed their intuition on what was important in life. You made a conscious choice to go after your highest potential and thereby honoured your experience as a human being.
As mentioned earlier, it’s rare to find people who are committed to living a visionary life. It’s especially rare to know these people personally. If you become a visionary thinker, over the long haul, you’re not only going supercharge your personal growth, but you’ll also begin to inspire the people around you. As they see you walk your own path, the high ideals that you embody will influence their decisions and actions. This is leading by example. People inspire other people, who, in turn, inspire more people. This is how true change happens. This is how we create the world of our dreams. But someone needs the initial vision. Could it be you?
Ben Worrall
