Vision — not the ability to see, but the ability to see

Visionaries are dreamers, who set their goals, find purpose and execute their idea, which sometimes bring about a revolution. Perhaps a few people who follow these visionaries share the same thoughts. But majority of the people working for such visionaries are trained to follow orders. They perform their daily tasks, try to meet deadlines, take orders/requests from their superiors, all for a promotion, more earnings, a better status, the need to fulfill wishes of their own or their families. What they lack is the vision to see the bigger picture. Rather, they choose to not see the bigger picture, the reason being they feel well settled at the position they are, they feel comfortable, their thoughts come to rest.

When asked for what their vision was, Bill Gates replied “A computer on every desk and in every home”, Elon Musk said “Colonize Mars” and Steve Jobs stated “To make a contribution to the world by making tools for the mind that advance humankind”. Do their employees share the same vision? Do the employees who are involved with making electric vehicles really think of the reduction in consumption of fuel? Is that what motivates them, to work towards the betterment of the world?

This problem, where people lack the ability to see, seems very minor to us, given the fact that we are in an era with visionaries. But what about the next generation? If we mindlessly work for visionaries, follow orders, hold our own thoughts, the existing conglomerates would benefit but there will be no visionaries left for the next generation. They need guidance to become leaders, not bosses. It is obvious that not everyone would have a revolutionary idea but that does not stop us from contributing with our thoughts. People in corporates work in a cubicle, spend the day doing their daily tasks, then another day goes by, then another, and so on. Maybe it’s not their fault to become like this. Maybe they had a vision, a dream, a goal but corporate conditions made them the way they are. Maybe the environment in which they work is not at all toxic, but quite the opposite, very friendly. Maybe what causes their dreams to shatter is this tedious routine. Maybe doing a job without looking at the bigger picture for years is the reason for anxiety, laziness, physical conditions like high/low blood pressure. Or maybe that is what they wanted with life.

One of the biggest causes, that I see, of this routine is the system we live in. A child is born into this world with no knowledge of what lies ahead. She/he is then pushed ahead to learn, learn all that she/he can, learn not to know how things work, but to get trained for the world. And between these books, assignments and tests, we lose our sight. We lose the curiosity, the eagerness to learn more about the world, as an empty vessel. We follow the path led by society and before we know it, we become the very person that we despised. From curious, free and open minded, we become judgmental, competitive and narrow minded. And finally, when we have learnt from everything but our own curiosity, we are ready to face the world and decide our future within 20 years of our existence. Furthermore, we live a life of maybe more 60 years, decided by an immature, unaware of the value of life, hardly an adult.

A special appreciation to doctors, lawyers, psychologists who, at the same age as others, decided their path of life and yet, are living a fuller life. They have the ability, which most of us mistake for its true meaning, of critical thinking. Every case is different, every artwork is different and yet, they handle it with a calm mind, a focus and they fight till the end. From saving lives to fighting for what’s right, they define noble profession.

Of course, not all of them are the same. Some might change their paths to not noble, the meaning of which is pretty evident. I have seen teachers who lose interest in learning more than what they already know, exploring new fields of study, constraining themselves, and the most common is the fear of technology. How can someone, who is not curious herself/himself, guide that child to lead a happy and full life? Isn’t that unfair for the child’s hopes and dreams?

The root cause of losing the motivation, being judgmental, ignorant, undisciplined is not just our environment. It’s the death of curiosity in us. Being curious can lead to a change in behavior, change in career, change in life. A curious person would always try to look at things from different perspectives to think, to analyze and to come up with solutions to problems that an indifferent person couldn’t even see.

The clear thing, which most of us would agree upon, is, vision, when led by our curiosity, would bring about a revolution. Be it in technology, in society or any aspect. We are not designed to be anxious, scared, to limit ourselves; we are programmed, with time, that way. So, if it is conspicuous that our environment has a great impact on our lives, then why not create such an environment which would benefit us? Why follow the one which is followed by everyone? Why deprive ourselves of our curiosity? And most importantly, why wait for a revolution and not create one ourselves? We all might have heard “Be the change you want to see”, so let’s follow it. Think about yourself, think about what you really want, what defines you, what is the thing that would bring a smile to your face in your last moments. And once you know it, do it. Get creative, out of your comfort zone, look at the bigger picture, contribute to the world, however little it may be, from throwing someone else’s wrapper into the trash to colonizing Mars. If you have been guided into choosing a career or have already chosen one then use it to follow your vision, your thoughts. If you haven’t, think of the thing that you want, not your parents, your family or your teachers. You start living the moment you find a vision, a dream and as Oscar Wilde once said, “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that’s all”. No degree can define who you are, and if you think it doesn’t make sense then how did 3 people mentioned above dropped out and changed the world? And don’t just follow it alone, don’t be a boss; help others, share your knowledge, take them with you, make the world the place you wanted to see, be a leader. Following your own vision is the only kind of selfishness this world deserves. But this, definitely, is not easy. We need guidance, proper teachers, friends; we need help. As a contributor to the society that I envision, one where people support each other, lead each other and motivate each other, I stand steady to help.