All individuals who have left a mark on their era through their achievements share a common characteristic. Beyond their passion, commitment, and determination, they were talented in a specific domain and knew how to rely on their talent(s) to bring to fruition the various visions they carried in their hearts.

As we saw in Chapter 1, talents are not reserved for a select group of people; in reality, everyone possesses them, whether they are aware of it or not. It is their responsibility to discover, develop, and complement these talents with skills to elevate their potential to a higher dimension.

The truth is that your talents are the raw materials you will transform and rely on to accomplish your mission through a vision you will pursue throughout your life. This is why discovering and developing your talents is undeniably crucial in the process of identifying and manifesting your vision.

5. Vision Is Never Selfish

Have you ever asked people around you what their vision is? Chances are you’ve received responses like: building a family, buying a beautiful house, owning thriving businesses, making lots of money, etc. There is nothing wrong with desiring these things as long as you don’t define your life by them. I even believe they are important, as they contribute to the enjoyment of life.

However, I’d like to emphasize an important point: there is a clear difference between personal ambitions and vision. As you might imagine, personal ambitions are self-centered, while vision focuses on others. Vision entails projecting yourself into the future and asking: how can your life be used to serve others? How can you provide concrete solutions to their problems through your abilities, skills, experiences, and knowledge?

Ultimately, by solving others’ problems, you can earn money. But money should not be the driving force behind your actions. It is merely the result.

6. Vision Is Possessive and Persistent

When you have clearly understood your mission and identified your vision, it literally possesses you because you have finally found the reason you live. You then give yourself every means to achieve it, regardless of the sacrifices you must make.

When you have found your vision—the real one, the true one—that suits you perfectly and is in complete alignment with your mission, it is your vision that guides and controls you in a way. That’s why I say vision is possessive. Yes, it is not you who possesses your vision, but rather it is your vision that possesses you.

In the introduction to this chapter, we mentioned Dr. Martin Luther King, who had a vision of freedom and equality in a world dominated by slavery and hatred. He is a perfect example of someone who was possessed by his vision to the point of dying for it…

This text is an excerpt from the book “THIS YEAR I ACHIEVE MY GOALS!” written by Henri M. Missola.

We invite you to read the following article: “Reflecting on the Past Period (Year, Semester, Quarter, Month).”