"The marble not yet carved can hold the form of every thought the greatest artist has."--Michelangelo
The challenge facing every business artist is to commit to a representative body of masterful work that will stand forever as a testament to their individual artistry. We do not have the luxury, or the human capacity, to chase down every random dream we conjure up. We need a focused image of the future, an artistic vision that vividly describes the ultimate outcome of our effort.
Artistic vision requires that our notion of the desired future be informed by our knowledge of the past and the reality of the present. What we need is sound perspective and strong framework. This stops most people dead in their tracks. Most haven’t directed their destiny in a way that incorporates their talent and purpose by design; most haven’t bothered to develop a worldview – an overall outlook on life and a general acknowledgment of their natural orientation to time and place.
But doing that isn’t as complicated as it sounds.
The process begins with objectively assessing our current reality with all due respect to our mindset. For example, the Taskmasters of the world might start by understanding that they are by nature more comfortable with the past, less so with the future.
The Peacekeepers of the world might start by understanding that they are by nature true believers in the future.
The Playmakers of the world might start by understanding that they are by nature swept up in the here and now.
The Thoughtstarters of the world might start by understanding that the future presents a problem for them to solve.
Everyone has a dose of each perspective, of course. But knowing our natural inclination enables us to identify what may be missing in our attempts to discipline our dreams. The whole of human creative intellect is required.
Once we have come to terms with our present circumstances and know the general nature of the territory we wish to conquer, the central question is: What do we see for ourselves?
A Taskmaster might see himself as the benchmark of effectiveness and efficiency, striving to realize the highest levels of productivity and profitability and working to his full potential to achieve a continuous cycle of improvement in quality, quantity, and speed. He might see himself designing and building impenetrable infrastructure for cities or companies. He might see himself working hard to provide a safe home and financial security for his family – saving and investing wisely for the later years, taking care to insure that they never have to worry about economic survival.
A Thoughtstarter might see herself as a lifelong learner at the forefront of scientific exploration and technological advancement in an effort to make life more practical and convenient for everyone – as a scientist and scholar working to better understand our world, our civilization – discovering greater ways of educating and shining the light of new knowledge into the dark of the unknown.
These are short examples, and a simple mnemonic can help us to further architect the master dream. Our vision must be S.U.P.E.R.: Strategic, Urgent, Purposeful, Engaging, Revolutionary.
- Strategic - clear, detailed, descriptive…and flexible enough to accommodate shifts in direction.
- Urgent – having a strong sense of personal urgency reflecting a strong and positive image of our future.
- Purposeful - incorporating our artistic intent in order to leave a legacy of good, reflecting what matters most to us.
- Engaging - requiring the full involvement of our creative talents and accessible to important others in our life. (Do they see themselves fitting in to your big picture?
- Revolutionary - beyond immediate grasp but within reach, requiring setting and achieving bold objectives.
Bottom line: the ability to architect an image and render a compelling picture of the future is an art in itself.