RUN WITH THE VISION

PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESS Series 28

RUN WITH THE VISION

Sometime ago I came across this interesting poem written by an unknown author:

Every morning in African a gazelle wakes up

And knows that it must run faster than the fastest lion

Or it will be killed and eaten.

Also every morning in Africa a lion wakes up

And knows that it must outrun the slowest gazelle

Or it will starve to death.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a lion or a gazelle

When the sun comes up, you’d better be running!

To run with the vision is to do everything it takes to make the vision a reality; to pursue the vision until you achieve it. My mother used to say, “If nothing is pursuing you, then you be pursuing something.”

To run means to diligently pursue. To run with the vision means to diligently work out the vision. If you don’t work it out, it will not work out. Nothing works until you work. When you caught a vision, it is your responsibility to work it out.

Work is a mental attitude, not just a thing of might. Work is wise application of efforts to get things done. Work is directed efforts for accomplishment. We work to achieve something definite, not to waste energy. Work smartly and work hard, because smart work cannot take the place of hard work. In fact, nothing can take the place of hard work except hard life. If you don’t want hard life, then work hard.

Your vision will not accomplish itself. You’ve got to work it out. Take action in the direction of your vision. Here are suggestions on how to work out your vision.

1. Set Goals. Outline exactly what you want to accomplish per time, in line with your vision, that will lead to your vision. Vision is a big thing. Break it down to small chunks of accomplishments. The small chunks are goals, accomplishments that lead to the reality of your goals. For example, if your vision is to become a millionaire in, say, twenty years, what do you need to accomplish per year that will eventually lead you to your vision?

2. Motivate you.  Self-motivation is the highest form of motivation. Steer up yourself to do what you need to do at the right time.

3. Give it all you have. Put in all your powers – physical, mental, spiritual, and psychological. If you know someone who has done or is doing what you want to do, then try to do more than them.

4. Do it with joy. Love what you do. Be excited and enthusiastic about it. Always have a great reason to wake up and go.

5. Act now. Don’t postpone it. Do it now, or at least begin. Somebody said, “Beginning is half done.” Another person said, “You don’t have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great.”