|
Author: Dr. Robert A. Eubanks Article source: http://www.eslteachersboard.com/. Used with author's permission.
Remember that Coke contest from the 80s? If you collected bottle tops that had the letters to spell T-H-E R-E-A-L T-H-I-N-G, then youd win a zillion dollars.
Im not sure where the drink industry turned the corner but contests and advertisements are no longer all you will find on the underneath side of bottle caps.
The latest beverage I popped open was some high brow herbal elixir that promised energy, health and a stress free life. Interesting claims for a container of strained leaves.
To further my surprise, what I found under the cap was the following Japanese proverb:
Vision without action is daydreaming; action without vision is a nightmare.
Needless to say, this quote made my beveraging experience much more philosophical than I bargained for.
After the laughter from finding a Japanese proverb under by bottle cap subsided, I actually pondered the phrase deeply. It glued itself to my brain for the rest of the day.
So what is it about Vision and Action working together that gives us the changes we so desire? Or, better yet, what is it about Vision without Action and Action without Vision that keeps us from attaining what we want in our lives and careers?
1. Vision without Action Weve all have the best of intentions when it comes to those To Do lists both at work and at home. How about that project, idea, or those personal goals that youve been storing in the Some-Day-Soon vault in the back of your mind?
These are the visions that we have for our lives that are becoming nothing more than daydreams as the months and years continue to pass.
2. Action without Vision
Business revolutionary Michael Gerber says that most of us work in the Technician mode. That is, always doing rather than spending time as the Entrepreneur of our lives creating the visions that will guide our every action.
This gets a little heady but simply put, we create our own mess by not first having a context, or Vision, under which every action takes place. As the proverb tells us, we create our own nightmare.
The Solution
From the enormous project to the smallest tasks: **Know Your Vision!**
Many of my clients work in extremely high pressure jobs. They naturally tend to put out the hottest fires first in an effort to continually whittle down the ever growing pile of work on their desks.
Within minutes of talking with them, their planned actions shift from scattered and chaotic to purposeful and planned out simply because I have them clearly define their Vision.
If their vision is higher productivity and lower stress by working smarter. Every action from our conversation forward will be geared toward fulfilling this vision.
Here are a few questions that help my clients plan actions to fit within the context of their vision:
- What are you putting up with that is draining focus and energy for your work?
- What is the plan for the next few hours/day/week?
- What is realistic for you to accomplish within this amount of time?
- What will potentially keep this from happening that you can avoid?
These are just a few questions that create a smarter style of work than, which then leads to higher productivity and less stress.
Regardless of whether you are in a high pressure job or are just juggling common challenges of life and career, this philosophy certainly applies.
The proverb of Rob:
Vision and Action together are powerful beyond measure; so to, is Vision and Action without each other!
© 2004 by Dr. Robert A. Eubanks
Article URL: http://www.bridgetosolutions.com/pages/8/index.htm
Terms of use: This article may be published electronically or in print, as long as the byline at the end of the article is included without alteration. About The Author
Dr. Robert A. Eubanks is the founder of Bridge to Solutions Coaching. He coaches people around the country via telephone to improve organization, time management, goal setting and to create the best darn life possible!
For a free 30 minute coaching session, e-mail bridgetosolutions@yahoo.com or visit www.bridgetosolutions.com.
Dont Use Your Print Ad on Radio
Spend 20 minutes with local radio and you will
hear more phone numbers than in most Yellow
Pages.
Diabetes - Facts and Statistics
Diabetes is a disease where the body cannot properly produce or use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that turns the foods you eat into energy. If your body cannot ...
Trademark Issues in the Mobil Auto Business
There have always been trademark issues and lawsuits in the mobile auto service business. I know this because I own several such businesses. We first noticed a ...
Isnt it Time You Started to Fly?
I am going to begin this article by sharing a shocking fact….
Anam Chara - Healing the Heart Matters
This is an article about the importance of listening to the hearts yearning.
Do You Have a USP?
Discover the importance of creating a profit pulling USP for your small business.
How To Teach Children Loyalty and Dependability
Teach your children the values of loyalty - loyalty to family, to country, schools and other organizations and institutions to which commitments are made. Loyal...
Repelling the Sunshine Killer
A Protective Cover for Your Skin, with Sun Block
Prepaid Phone Cards Will Save You Money On All Your Long Distance Calls
If you make a lot of long distance phone calls, you may find that you can save money by doing what many people are doing: taking advantage of prepaid phone card...
A Grounded Look at the Nature of Healing
A scientific, yet understandable, look at the nature of healing modalities such as Reiki
Intercultural Team Building
The make-up of employees within businesses today are becoming increasingly diverse. The 'intercultural team' is now a commonplace feature of most multinationals...
Packing a Backpack - A Guide
The key to packing your backpack is to achieve even weight distribution. You can achieve this by dividing the pack into three areas. This artcle describes exact...
Five Things to Look For to Join Any Affiliate Program!
Before you dive into anything, it is important to do your research. Learn as much as you can and make sure you feel comfortable with your decision before going ...
Eight Glyconutrients
Glyconutrients- the latest development in the health industry.
How Old is Too Old?
A 74 year old man is interviewed about his attempt to break into the technical field of Internet Marketing at such a late age. His answers give helpful informat...
5 Free Ways to Increase your Website Traffic
Learn about 5 simple ways to promote your website and drive up your visitor statistics. Best of all, each of these methods of promotion are 100% free.
Home Loans and Mortgages – Watch Out for Dangerous Subprime Loans
The "subprime" lending market targets consumers with below average credit, but sometimes even those with good credit can get stuck with less-than-ideal interest...
Creating a Great Online Dating Profile
First impressions are important, which is why it is essential to create an appealing, but honest profile of yourself. After all, this is the only information th...
The Power of the Tongue
There is an old proverb with a lot of wisdom. It says, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and whoever loves it will eat its fruit."
Is Something Missing From Your Keywords Research? (Part 1)
I propose that any proper keyword research must take into account countries because I have noticed that the demand for keyword often depends on countries.
3 Tips for a Great Summer - Developing Life & Business While Having a Blast
As the last day of school arrives I feel the same tendency I had as a child... to drop everything and scream "let's go play!" After all, extreme self-care is so...
New CipherSend Online Security Service Thwarts Email Address Theft And Soothes Password Fatigue
A CPA that has managed websites for accounting firms for several years hired encryption programmers to inexpensively solve two of the biggest headaches his CPA ...
Golf! How To Power That Drive Away
Anyone who tells you, that he or she would not like to hit the golf ball further is either a liar, or Tiger Woods.
Content Management
More and more businesses are recognizing the importance of content management when it comes to their websites. Website content is more important than ever befor...
|
Print this page