FourSights: A Lesson on Vision

I've probably never told you cats this before, but I'm nearsighted; I've worn glasses most of my life and I switch back and forth between glasses and contact lenses on given occasions. It would be nice to have natural vision; every now and then I think about having corrective surgery, an I've worn my contacts for days before without taking them out (don't try this at home kids). However, my real desire is for people to have vision and move forward. I'm not referring to the vision of the eyes, but the vision of the mind.

And don't get me wrong; there are many that do have vision. But just like one can be nearsighted or farsighted or blind, there is such a thing as having the wrong kind of mental vision. Even some of the most progressive minded people aren't effective because they lack certain vision. So, I've broken down the different types of vision that people have to explore what vision it is going to take for us to move forward.

Telescopic Vision
I thought I'd start here because this is the most illusive type of vision; mistaken for being the best type of vision to have. Telescopic vision is the vision of an idealist and an extreme optimist. They look far and deep into the future and say, "look at what we're capable of; let's become that". But like a farsighted person, they are so far into things to come that they totally miss things like the present steps they need to take to get there.

Think about how a telescope works; you close one eye and gaze through a tube and see a limited space far, far away. In the meantime, anything that lies between you and that far distance goes totally unseen. What if it is a threat or an enemy that lies in that space? Or what if a pit lies before you as you move forward toward that lofty goal? This is the problem with a lot of people we call "visionaries"; we think because their intentions are good and their attitude is optimistic that their vision will get us somewhere. But it won't; not without fully recognizing their surroundings so that they can create practical approaches to reaching that goal... and might I add, without leaving people behind.

And with that, let's proceed to another vision.

Microscopic Vision
When one looks through a microscope, what do they see? Only what's immediately before them. How big is the object of observation? Usually very, very small. HOw does that object appear to the person? Very, very big. That's microscopic vision.

You might call it extreme realism and extreme practicality. It's when people become fixated in their current surroundings. Their world is very small, but it is all they know, and so it appears very big. They dare not to venture outside of their world; it is as if they don't even believe there is such as thing as a life beyond the bounds of their current state. Their only focus is to maintain things as they are with no hope of expansion. They won't seek to better themselves as long as their abilities are adequate for their current situation. This is a mentality that prevents people from helping themselves. Especially when coupled with...

Mirror Reflection
At first, you may think I'm referring to a person looking in a mirror; in other words, being self-conscious. Nah, that's only the beginning. Think about what you really see in a mirror: it's not just your own reflection; it's you and everything behind you.

Some people's vision is stuck in the past and it creates an extreme pessimism. This pessimism makes them think--- because of their upbringing, the mistakes of those before them, their own mistakes--- that they're incapable of progress. It's an attitude of surrender before the challenge even arrives.

20/20 Vision
20/20 vision is a wonderful thing to have. It allows a person to see all that he or she should normally see. But in terms of progress and mental vision, don't be fooled by those with "20/20" vision. In this context, a person with 20/20 vision is a person who is "content"; a person that settles for simply maintaining the status quo. It's not the same as the microscopic vision, because a 20/20 person's vision is by choice, not by coercion. He or she sees many options and chooses whatever will make him or her most comfortable.

The problem is, they don't look beyond that. So a 20/20 visionary sees what's behind, what's immediate, and what's to come, but lacks the far reaching ideals of the telescopic visionary. Without that idealism, there won't be any progress; only the maintenance of the status quo and of satisfaction for those 20/20 visionaries who have already attained it.

So mirror reflection, microscopic vision, 20/20 vision, and telescopic vision. These are the 4 types of vision most people have. It's rare that you find a person that has all 4 of these, and this is the problem that is preventing us from progressing. Either you have the mirror reflective visionaries who don't try, the microscopic visionaries who don't believe, the 20/20 visionaries who are complacent, or the telescopic visionaries who are detached. To be a true visionary who will make an effective and lasting impact, you must attain an understanding of all four of these visions. But more than an understanding, you must learn to navigate---not necessarily accept--- within the confines of their premises. Because, Visionary, if you don't navigate relative to these perspectives, then your progress is going to leave most of the people behind; particularly the ones that need it most.

It's FourSights over Foresight B-J