Do Not Lose Your Vision

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Marlin D. Hill
  • 56th Fighter Wing Staff Agencies
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The Pilgrims landed on the shores of America full of vision. The first year they established a town. The next year they elected a council. In their third year the town council proposed building a road five miles out into the wilderness for westward expansion. But the people criticized it as a waste of public funds.

Amazing! Once they had been able to see across oceans to new worlds, now they could not see five miles down the road.

What happened? They lost their vision! How can we keep that from happening to us?

First, we must refuse to become self-centered! We all should enjoy success, but anytime the profit margin becomes more important than the service principle, we are off target, and missing the mark.

Second, do not get lost in the mundane! One successful leader writes, "In preparation for the day, I focus on the main event and ask, "In order to make the main event a good event, what must I know? Do? Eliminate?" Some things will be fun, some will not, but with preparation the most important things will get done well."

Third, refuse to go with the flow! Most of us are married to the status quo. We want what is, not what can be. We seek safety and simple answers. To keep our vision alive we must give ourselves permission to go a different way; to break new ground.

Every day remind yourself, there is more out there than what you have experienced. Once you have realized this, commit yourself for the day to moving forward!