Leading a Visionary Life Does Not Require Eyesight

Andrea has another eye surgery next month. This one is unique because it will be to remove a cataract that is progressing in her left eye….the only eye that she has any vision in. Typical cataract surgery is routine, but Andrea’s other conditions and eyesight limitations make this surgery anything but routine. She is vulnerable. If all goes perfectly, she will have 20/400 vision in that eye at best, and still total darkness from her right eye. If not, she will go from being a legally blind person to being a totally blind person.

While we are both faithful and optimistic, we prepare for what may be. Our encouragement for you today is to use what exists in our lives right now, and apply it to your own. Not because you have or don’t have eyesight….but because we want to hand you to tools to have real vision in your life.

FACT: As a single mom, Andrea is purposefully present with her children. There is tremendous financial responsibility, so work will not stop, but she recognizes the time and place for both. This may be the last baseball game or tumbling class she sees with her eyes.

LESSON: Review your work/life boundaries. Leave it on the desk now, and go make the investment in the lives of those you love. The work will be there in the morning, and you’ll have refreshed and re-connected with the “why” behind your work. That is always more profitable.

FACT: There are always unknowns. Andrea has had recent surgeries, and will have even more after this one. They are highly complex, and the outcomes often come with grim or doubtful doctors trying to give advance warning. Andrea embraces those unknowns faithfully. It doesn’t take away the scary circumstances, but it does change how we use them.

LESSON: God has a better plan than we do, even when we don’t understand it. So we can do this the happy way, or we can do this the crappy way. You chose the perspective. Seek the lessons in the adversities, and it gets a whole lot easier.

FACT: There will be doubters. They are not on your team. Andrea knows she can only have this positive mindset because she knows she has the perfect people around her. Professionally and personally, she has people who will treat her like she is not blind, hold her accountable, lift her up, and have compassion but not pity. They will at all costs protect her.

LESSON: Who are you purposefully putting into your life that does that? Who is holding you accountable, lifting you up in your mission, and protecting you? Who will no longer enable behaviors that keep you from all you are meant to be? Who do you need to remove from your life? Be purposeful in the people around you, and more purposeful in the people you remove. If you want to lead a truly visionary life, it may be time to evaluate and clean house.

We mentor quite often on these personal concepts, and they always overflow into our business coaching side of work. Recognize the importance of building a life that matters first, and then wrapping your career around that. If you spend time building a career that buys your life, you’ll never reach a visionary life. You’ll never see what you need to see to experience that true joy, despite the paycheck.

Note: If these few lessons are meaningful to you, we encourage you to check out our monthly mentoring series, Heart & Sold. It is a set of powerful teaching curriculum via video, print, audio, and self-work that combines personal growth and business growth strategies. (And it is very affordable). Check out our website to see details and join the program with no minimum contract.

Check out Andrea's progress through our social media avenues, even YouTube. Be sure to follow and connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Here’s to creating your visionary life!