Version your vision

Recently I was talking to a young chap working in Saudi. He was quite interesting in many ways, one thing inspired me was his honesty, ego-less attitude and a fresh mind. Even though his English was not very good, he was speaking from his heart. While I was chatting with him, I asked about his vision, he answered "I have no vision until now".

I have seen only few (as the young chap above) who admitted that they do not have a vision. Honesty ha? Most of the time, I have seen people making out the vision instantly when asked, because they are paranoid of being judged inferior if they do not have a vision (yes, I was one among them 9 years ago ;-)).

Actually, as time went by, I realised that there is no need to be paranoid or nervous about the vision. Many will go in search for a vision only because they need to have one for the namesake. To be honest, it doesn't work in that way, vision is something which... (re-iterating again)

Pushes you constantly to achieve your goals.
Makes you personally satisfied.
Makes you happy in whatever you do.
Makes you to define your own meaning of life.
Never lets you to sit down and worry about the silly issues in life.

Having something for a sake does not resolve the purpose of a vision, or anything for that matter. One will only fail in achieving the same. Instead, it is better to be visionless.

There are few people in this world, who have a vision, but very shy to speak about it. Actually, if one cannot share their vision, they cannot share anything to the world. There is nothing to be ashamed or to feel shy about. There is no size or rate for the vision, for every individual their own vision is big and better. It cannot be or should not be compared with any other vision. Remember, if sharing stops, learning stops and evolution stops. Soon you will be a generation behind before you realise.

There are few people in this world, who will be searching for their vision, a vision which is defined once for all. In the process of finding an ultimate final vision, they end up finding none. Vision cannot be or should not be frozen. It has to evolve as you grow in your life and career and it is inevitable. It has to be reviewed, redefined or refined now and then. It is not a bad thing to redefine your vision periodically. However, at some point the frequency should be reduced.

Saying that, I have revised my vision several times whenever I review myself every year. The version 1.0 was very primitive (rudely saying 'immature'), but as the years progressed, it started to evolve and got better and better (if you think otherwise, please say). I am at version 5.4 now and still believe that there are more versions to come. However, every version of the vision is the best I could think of when defined at that period of time. Even though the versions change, the underlying foundation stood the same.

My vision (version 5.4):
"Living a happy and joyful life, with physical fitness and enough wealth to survive and support, in a like minded society which treats everyone as equal, where the real strengths are explored and encouraged, where sharing and learning is nurtured, patriotism felt, values not compromised, simply where the quality attitude is promoted".

Note: My vision is being refined every year only because of the learning from my friends, colleagues, mentors, relatives and neighbors. So, a BIG THANKS to them.

Are you Visionary?

Me: Good Morning Diran, how is it going?
Diran: Good Morning, I am good.
Me: I understand that you have completed your aptitude tests, how was it?
Diran: It was good.
Me: I mean, how did you do it?
Diran: I did it well.
...
(long conversation on technical things)
...
Me: Cool Diran, my last question, what is your vision?
Diran: -1.5 in my left eye, 0.5 in my right eye.
Me: ?#$#$$$%%
....

Diran(not a real name) was a fresher who we have interviewed for a software trainee position in our organization, who scored very high in the technical interview. Diran is not alone in this world, surprisingly, there are many experienced candidates who we have met are in the same position as him. Sometimes, we have even given time for them to think about their vision and get back to us to proceed further. Guess what, the turn around ratio was very poor. Hope they have not gone to the EYE foundation to test their vision ;-).

Me: Well, I asked about the goal in your life?
Diran: I want to become a CEO of a company.
Guran: I want to become a Project Manager.
Saran: I want to become a Business man.

Most of the people in the industry, well even in this world think that the goals are only for work, not for life. Even worse, most of them do not even have a goal or vision. They do not know why they are doing certain things. They do not know what is the reason for their existence. They do not know the meaning of their life. Basically, they are lost. Well, I was one of them, but that is a history.

Many (including me) have married their work at their young age and love their work like they have never loved anyone before, they will even divorce their wife but not the work from their life ever. Well, work and the money it gives is interesting, exciting and amazing, however, there is so much beyond just work and money.

One needs to step out of the box they are in and look at things with a bird's view(eagle would be preferable). One needs to think on where he wants to be in his life, one needs to think on who they want to take along with them in their journey, one needs to think what contribution he/she can make to the society, one needs to search for the purpose of their existence, simply one need to define the meaning of their own life...

Yes, The vision.

Vision, is a positive look at the future, filled with hopes, promises and excitements. It is something which should make you run to achieve your goals and won't let you stop for any silly happenings in life. Vision is more about defining a meaning for your own life, more than the meaning for your work. Your profession could be anything, but that is a medium which helps you to reach your ultimate vision.

It is mandatory for every living being in this world.
It should be big enough to flush away the sillies in your life.
It should not die with you.
It should be never ending.
It should have a social cause.
It should be the reason for your existence.
It should define the meaning of your life.
It should evolve you.

While we are all visioning, I would like to remember a great leader, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was under a lots of pressure due to the face of economic hardship, constant threat of assassination, attacks on his family still burned deeply into his mind, but nothing, literally, nothing stopped him, only because he was running towards his vision...

"In a country where segregation was the law of the land, and racial hate was rampant, a world with people where they would no longer be judged by the color of their skin."

...and do I need to say anything about Mahathma Gandhi's vision? ;-).

So, sit back, relax for a while and think about your vision. If you find yourself visionary, please share your vision with me, otherwise reach out to your mentors to have one.

Mth Dimension

"I have always found him arrogant and rude, I cannot work with him"
"I have no time, sorry cannot help you"
"I am so stressed, I am lost"
"As soon as we can dump him, we should"
"I know others get this much salary, why not me"
"It's your fault, not mine"
"Between you and me, he is an idiot"
"I got a promotion, but no pay rise"
"Do not you question me ever"
"Yes Boss, you are right"
"I am tired of explaining things to this guy"
"I do not feel like I am working in a partnership"
"I quit"
....

All these years, I have grown up in my career hearing the above and much more from all kind of people at all levels in an organization. Trust me, it may sound very light, but in reality it is not. These have been a cause for the teams to fail, organizations to fall, values to stall and personality prostitution. I myself have tooled some of the above and been a victim for all of the above. It was a pain to go through, pain, which many cannot bear.

Alright! Alright! is there a vaccine, cure or a medicine ?

I was one among the many who researched for the same. I have tried many individually and in a group, but none worked out. Maybe I have not been following the suggested course properly, or not fit enough to take it yet.

Is there a better medicine? Is there an instant cure? Is there a vaccine to protect?

"Time passed, One fine day, Eureka!! I found the medicine, cure and vaccination. It will be the solution for all of your pains caused by the above adversities, conflicts, egos and what not, it will save your team, organization, values and personality. This is an ultimate cure for all of your problems. Take it and never suffer."

Well, I wish I had said the above, but... practically it is not a miracle which happens in overnight, it requires time, it requires a team, it requires an effort, it requires practice, it requires patience, it requires passion, most of all...
...it requires a different view... Yeah...

The Mth Dimensional view.

This initiative is to create a network to program our minds to have a Mth Dimensional view on things to find a medicine and cure for the pain or even a vaccine to protect ourselves.

Here you go, the first line of the program has been written, join me to code our minds further or debug ;-).