I believe in the power of words. I’ve always been intrigued with those few, talented individuals who have had a transformative influence on thought with only a few simple, well constructed words or phrases.
As I’m sure you’ve already noticed, I’ve added a new feature to the site which allows me to add noteworthy quotes as a separate blog post. They are presented in their own unique format, and eschew a stylistic simplicity to reflect the purpose the quote has here.
While the quotes I post will likely have something to do with discovering and being true to your personal vision, they might also focus on other related principles, such as confidence, hope, creativity, character, faith, personal power, drive and motivation, and other such principles which can positively guide your vision.
Do you have any quotes you have found inspirational or thought-provoking? Please feel free to share them in the comments!
I hope you enjoy the quotes, and find value in their residence here on superchrome.
UPDATE: It appears the video below is not displaying currently – the NikonFestival site is down due to insane amounts of traffic. It also appears that my video has made it into the top 50, out of about 1,500 total submissions. Woot! Stay tuned for more details!
In keeping with my own personal vision, I’ve added my entry to the NikonFestival website. The theme is “Your Day in 140 Seconds or Less”, also a ‘day through your lens’. I decided to abstract things up a bit. Where most people have chosen to show their routine, I decided to show my vision. After 16+ years being a photographer, this is what I see when I look at the world. Enjoy!
If you’re looking for examples of vision, this guy has loads of it. From a recent interview:
Balance isn’t a word I’d ever use to describe any aspect of my life. When it comes to work, everything is in extremes for me, it’s all or nothing most of the time.
I try my best to steer clear of being “inspired” by anything going on in the design world… [I] just keep trying to evolve in my own way.
I set out in design to capture a very specific ideal I had in my head and I feel like I’ve spent my entire career working towards achieving that ideal; it would be a shame to get derailed now!
Talk about vision.
I have long looked on Scott Hansen’s work with a deep sense of respect. I love his style, probably most of all because it IS a style. It’s so defined, so thought out, and so precisely executed that one can’t look at his creations and help but feel they’re viewing perfection. Scott’s work has influenced my photography, too. My style has been salted by his design aesthetic. That’s not to say my work directly reflects his style, but I’ve surely felt inspired to explore more of my own artistic quirks in response to seeing his liberal application of personal vision.
I Found this on pg. 15 of “What Matters Now“, a great collection of rants from thought leaders of today and tomorrow. The PDF is free, and was compiled by Seth Godin, whose blog I read regularly with great esteem. (get the PDF free here: What Matters Now)
Vision is the lifeblood of any organization. It is what keeps it moving forward. It provides meaning to the day-to-day challenges and setbacks that make up the rumble and tumble of real life.
In a down economy—particularly one that has taken most of us by surprise—things get very tactical. We are just trying to survive. What worked yesterday does not necessarily work today. What works today may not necessarily work tomorrow. Decisions become pragmatic.
But after a while this wears on people. They don’t know why their efforts matter. They cannot connect their actions to a larger story. Their work becomes a matter of just going through the motions, living from weekend to weekend, paycheck to paycheck.
This is where great leadership makes all the difference. Leadership is more than influence. It is about reminding people of what it is we are trying to build—and why it matters. It is about painting a picture of a better future. It comes down to pointing the way and saying, “C’mon. We can do this!”
When times are tough, vision is the first causality. Before conditions can improve, it is the first thing we must recover.
-Michael Hyatt is the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers. He blogs on “Leading with Purpose” at MichaelHyatt.com and also Twitters at @MichaelHyatt.
I’m getting ready to head out to the Salt Flats in Western Utah (we’re leaving at 2am tomorrow!).
I have had a movie on my mind all day. It could well be my favorite movie of all time: Hudsucker Proxy (don’t read the synopsis, just [order it, rent it, borrow it], and watch it). I realized today that it is a terrific metaphor for the visionary process.
Let’s see if the main character, Norville Barnes (Tim Robbins), has what it takes to be a true visionary:
Eager protagonist? Check. Surrounded by skeptics? Check. Unyielding commitment to his vision? Check. A little bit stupid? Check. This guy is textbook visionary. Watch the show. See if you agree. And leave a comment after you watch it. I’m curious to know what you think.
(Thanks goes to DanHixon for pointing this out in the comments from another post)
Here’s an interesting piece on the truth about learning. Derek Sivers illustrates with a personal story how a wise mentor taught him the value of time, passion, and true learning. In today’s world, we see learning as a form of work – the dreaded kind. Too often learning is seen as necessary and mundane, when in fact true learning (the internally-born, self-motivated kind) is exhilarating, wondrous, and inspirational. It energizes the learner, and produces passion of the driving variety – that is to say it moves the learner to action, and eventually creation. This is a great source of true happiness in life.
…“the standard pace is for chumps”…the system is designed so anyone can keep up. If you’re more driven than “just anyone” – you can do so much more than anyone expects. And this applies to ALL of life – not just school.
Indeed.
Is there something you can start learning today? Maybe something you’ve been waiting to pick up until you found “the right time”. What would happen if you just started? Today? Now?
“I know you won’t believe me, but the highest form of Human Excellence is to question oneself and others.”
An interesting short piece by Ron Pereira explains why the Socratic method can be so valuable to ourselves and others.
“Finally, I think it is important we question ourselves. When we feel like we have come to a conclusion we should ask, “How can it be better?” or “What am I missing?”
“If the true spirit of kaizen is to never stop improving I conclude we should never stop asking questions of ourselves and others.”
We can question ourselves without doubting ourselves. Doubt stems from and feeds into weakness.
Questioning ourselves for the purpose of learning how we can improve is the opposite of doubt. It shows a will to grow and overcome current or future shortcomings. Questioning is healthy, while doubt is destructive. We discover our true vision by questioning everything around us.
I am currently working on the blog/site. It looks necessarily basic now, but will be spruced up as time goes on. In the meantime, check out my other links, add our RSS feed, and leave a comment. Most of all, begin today seeking your vision.
