10 Distinguishing Marks of Visionary People

After having dealt with some of the traits that depict vision-less people in the previous article, we are going to look at what is a visionary individual and what are the characteristics of his life and behavioral patterns in contrast to those of individuals that lack a well-defined vision for their lives.

It is a given that vision is critical to live a life full of purpose and destiny oriented. Hence, that is why we need to know what indeed makes a visionary, what is it that which characterizes him and distinguishes him from the masses. But firstly we need to define what vision is:

Vision is the ability to see beyond your present circumstances, it is the ability to see ahead with the intent to chart a path you want to reach.

1.   Visionary People Are Strategists

Strategy is the ability to map out a plan to achieve your goals, without a plan we are doomed to fail, that is why it is important to have a strategy in place to show how the vision will become a reality. The goal of having a strategy is to seek for effective ways to bring the vision into reality.

The vision is conceived in our minds but it should not stay there, that is where the actual plan and strategy comes into place. Having a strategy ensures that the vision that we have conceived does not remain a mental picture, but it can also be interpreted in visible forms. Think of a strategy as the blueprint to achieve and to bring the vision into reality.

[tweetthis]The goal of having a strategy is to seek for effective ways to bring the vision into reality. [/tweetthis]

2.   They Are Goal Oriented

Once the strategy is in place, the next step is to set goals for the fulfillment and the materialization of the blueprint. This is a trait that visionary people have in order to measure the progress, and the success of one’s journey towards his desired destiny in life. Thus, visionary people are goal oriented, it is important that we also acquire the discipline to set goals that are realistic, achievable and timely. Setting short-term goals, as well as medium and long-term, helps you to measure the success of the journey and to make adjustments where they are needed.

3.   They Are Focused

Focus is a very important component in achieving and fulfilling one’s vision, given the fact that there are a lot of things that may want your attention. It is important that we learn to streamline what is important from what is not, so that you are not distracted from doing those things that are essential in the journey towards your destination.

The ability to focus on just one thing is a rare quality in our days, most of us are always faced with the temptation of doing too many things at the same time. This is not always appropriate because at the end we should be able to evaluate what we have achieved and how far we have gone.

It is always good to do one thing at a time, and once that task is accomplished we can then embark on the next one. This way we will have measurable ways to track our progress in the journey. Do one thing at a time, Paul the Apostle says this one thing I do. The key is to be able to identify that one task that we need to fulfill at any given moment and do it until the end.

Unfortunately when it comes to fulfilling tasks most people start but never finish, the moment they see something more appealing they go for it. Remember you have a vision to fulfill, no matter how many people may be doing a particular task, you should not join the crowd just because it is popular. Do not follow the path of popularity follow the path of the vision that you have to fulfill, this is what is going to distinguish you from your peers, the ability to be focused.

4.   They Are Disciplined

This cannot be overemphasized, without discipline we cannot accomplish anything in life. The reason people live disastrous lifestyles is due to the lack of this fundamental component in their lives. It is important to know the time to sleep and the time to work, you cannot be sleeping when you are supposed to be working.

It is important to know the time to eat ant the time to restrain from eating. If you are going to succeed in the fulfillment of your vision you must religiously do the things that are required for do for the fulfillment of that vision.

It is not enough to have a vision because a vision does not fulfill itself, the bearer of the vision must be disciplined enough to see to it that it comes to pass. That includes being disciplined to work, being disciplined in studying and learn all you need to learn for the fulfillment of your vision. It also includes knowing when to go to bed and when to wake up.

You cannot spend the all night in front of the television screen and expect to get anything done in life. Be disciplined, do not let your emotions and your physical inclinations govern you, you govern them, that is called discipline, capiche !

5.   They Are Persistent

Persistence is the ability of not giving up in the midst of adverse circumstance, trust me in the journey of life there will be times when you fill like quitting, in fact most people have done that before. The world is full of people who have given up on themselves; you don’t want to join them too. This is what is going to separate you from the crowd, you must be resolute enough to finish what you have started regardless of the difficulties of the terrain.

Nobody said that is going to be easy, stop daydreaming the American Dream. The reason most people have fallen by the way side in their pursuit of purpose is due to lack of determination to go to the end in the midst of adverse circumstances.  

6. They Are Passionate

Most people are not passionate about life, and that actually shows in the way they behave. They are not passionate about their jobs, they are not passionate about their marriages, they are not passionate about their careers, that’s it they lack the fuel that propels the engine to put the vehicle into motion. Without passion you will spend large part of your life complaining about everything, including Barack Obama.

Have you noticed that he has become the scapegoat of so many Americans? They either blame him or the phantom called Bill Laden for their misery. Passion is what is going to keep you going when everything seems to be falling apart. One of the ways to define passion is by asking what is it that you can do with excitement without being rewarded.

As I write this article is past midnight already, my wife and child are already sleeping yet I am here working. Do you know why? Because I am passionate about it, I do not need any encouragement to write and certainly I do not have to be rewarded for it because I am passionate about it, I love what I do. Got it, that is passion. You must have it if you are going to fulfill your vision.

7. They Are Diligent

Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might, this is the advice of King Solomon from ancient days in the Bible. He also asks “have you seen a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings and not before mean men”. This is a hallmark of visionaries, they work tirelessly for the fulfillment of their vision.

Diligence is one the qualities and habits that people with a vision have, they are motivated to work tirelessly for the fulfillment of their vision. Nothing deters them from continuing to work. If you want to see the fulfillment of your vision then you must love to work, you must diligently apply your time and efforts to meticulously make sure that which you want to see coming to pass will happen.

The truth is most people are lazy, they would rather sit in the couches of their homes and watch TV for eight to ten hours or even for the all day. And then they end up spending their entire lives complaining that nothing is going their way, which is true nothing will come your way while you sit on the comfort of your house doing nothing.

You reap what you sow, if you are lazy you will reap the fruits of laziness, which is nothing accomplished in your entire life, and you cannot blame anybody for that. You must develop the habit of working, after all nobody ever died from working. The best it can do for you is to improve your health and your mental productivity.

Laziness does not get anything done and accomplished in this life, if you do not apply your time and efforts to see the vision that you have, comes to pass you will end up on the begging side of life. People with vision are motivated to work because their vision propels them to do so, they know that they have a vision to fulfill and to bring to pass, hence, they do not spend their lives idling around and wishing that happy days will come. On the contrary, are constantly working to see the fulfillment of that vision. This is something that you cannot outsource, you must do it yourself, and it is your destiny we are talking about. So get back to work!  

 

8. They Are Proactive

The ability to take initiative and not wait to be told what to do when things have to be done, is a trait common to visionary people. One must be able to be in charge of his own destiny and making sure that it comes to pass. In life you must be proactive if you are going to get anything done. Do not wait to be told, just get up and do it go ahead and take initiative you do not need any instructions in regards to the fulfillment of your vision.

[tweetthis]The ability to take initiative and not wait to be told what to do when things have to be done, is a trait common to visionary people.[/tweetthis]

9. They Are Mindful of Their Associations

The people you associate yourself with play a pivotal role in the fulfillment of your vision, however it is up to you to make sure that you surround yourself with people of like mind in order for you to move towards the completion and the fulfillment of your vision.

The proverbial scripture is so true, he who walks with the wise will be wise but the companion of fools will be destroyed. You must make sure that you surround yourself with people who are going to add value to your life and are going to help you fulfill your vision, and not people who are going to discourage you and limit you.

It is true that no man is an island, thus, you have to be very selective in how you choose your friends and partners, those who have closer access to you. Make sure that you have around yourself people who love you for your uniqueness and value what you value. These are the people who are going to be with you through thick and thin if you can identify them and bring them around yourself.

[tweetthis]You must make sure that you surround yourself with people who are going to add value to your life and are going to help you fulfill your vision[/tweetthis]

Remember, not everybody that says loves you is telling the truth, thus, you must not naively enter into relationships and associations with people, without first scrutinizing them. Because of your uniqueness, people must qualify to have access to you, not everybody should know about your life and your dreams. You must make sure that you safeguard your life and your vision like a pregnant mother takes care of her yet to be born child. Your vision is like a baby that is about to be born, so make sure that you protect that baby by engaging in right relationships.

[tweetthis]You must make sure that you safeguard your life and your vision like a pregnant mother takes care of her yet to be born child.[/tweetthis]

10. They are Thinkers

As a man thinks so is he and there is no way around it. Most people are lazy to think and they do not see the value of consciously taking time aside to think. They would rather spend time talking than thinking, you cannot get much done in life like that. We live in a world of thinkers, your greatest asset in life is your mind, so treasure it by making the most of it in quality thinking to see the realization of that which you want to come to pass.

[tweetthis]We live in a world of thinkers, your greatest asset in life is your mind, so treasure it by making the most of it in quality thinking…[/tweetthis]

You are the product of your thinking, what you think is what you become. Thus, your thinking must be congruent with your vision and with that which you want to become. The quality of you thoughts determines the quality of your life.

[tweetthis]Because of your uniqueness, people must qualify to have access to you…[/tweetthis]

You must also engage in creative thinking, seeking for solutions and ways of doing things in different and unconventional ways. This is what is going to distinguish you from your peers, the quality of your thinking.

[tweetthis]The quality of you thoughts determines the quality of your life.[/tweetthis]

Finally

I believe that the above descriptions will help you to chart a course for your life by becoming a visionary. You can either become a visionary or a casualty in life, but as you make a decision to turn a new life in your life, your case will be different. 

This article was extracted from the original one which i published on my first blog in 2010.