As humans living within a culture, we are prone to buzzwords.
Buzzword is defined as: A word drawn from or imitative of technical jargon, and often rendered meaningless and fashionable through abuse by non-technical persons in a seeming show of familiarity with the subject.
By the time a word has gone viral enough to become a buzzword, much of the real meaning and therefore the value has been lost.
The challenge with buzzwords is they are hollow of real meaning and therefore impotent of necessary power, especially for high value targets.
Vision easily falls into that category. Everybody is talking about it. Clearly, I must need one. So, I check Amazon, podcasts, and significant cultural drivers for a chic variety that appeals to me.
Okay, that is a bit cynical; however, the challenge is true vision (a preferred future based on my reason for being) is costly.
If I can navigate my vision without gut punches, disappointments, setbacks, and opposition, it’s questionable whether I have a vision or a general interest.
Yet, I have met many that I’m convinced have viable, valuable visions. Even more, they are relatively in harmony with the person’s competencies and giftings. But there is a cost to these types of visions. One that often leaves a mark.
Obstacles in business and life are like moguls on a ski slope – just about the time you navigate one, there is another on the other side. And like moguls on a ski slope, if you hit an obstacle wrong, it can launch you airborne right into the next one.
So, how do you overcome obstacles (and could I avoid buzzwords in the process)?
- Clarify your vision.
You’ve got to be kidding me! Can I not get beyond point #1 without a buzzword?
Apparently not. But at least, if I must use a buzzword(s), could I at least bring it back to useful reality?
The value of vision is likely quite obvious to you, but so is eating healthy and exercise; and only 18% of gym members use them regularly while we spend $350 billion a year on fast food.
Know where you are going. I consistently run into otherwise quality executives and entrepreneurs who are sketchy on their vision. A few precisely worded questions reveal this quickly.
- Commit to your purpose.
So far 0-2 on avoiding buzzwords.
As indicated, the weakness of buzzwords is they are not only vague, they are impotent. Vague promises surrounding purpose is case-in-point. A simple litmus test for the value of your purpose is what it takes to dissuade you from it.
BIC [Belief & Impact Congruence] Analysis, Beyond Sunday, Inc’s (BSI) executive coaching process, gives executives and entrepreneurs the ability to define precisely and meaningfully what their and their company’s purpose is.
Do you not only know where you are going, do you know why you are going there? Why does it have meaning?
If you feel stuck in your career or as a company, you probably have failed to understand the purpose you are doing what you are doing.
Do you understand and believe enough in your purpose to do whatever it takes to achieve your purpose?
Which necessitates that you,
- Embrace the cost.
Pain pursuit is sadistic. But pain avoidance is the source of all kinds of issues.
We are not pursuing problems, but neither do they need to be a waste. Problems can clarify what is central, can steel your will, and increase your strength and tenacity.
BSI is a faith-based consulting company, so we build off of and benefit from the principles of life and business defined by the Bible.
St. Paul had a vision. It was literally a God-given vision. And it continually cost him – ultimately costing him his life.
In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul defines a long list of serious, repeated, and significant costs accompanying the execution of his vision. Luke relates in Acts how aware Paul was that those costs were escalating.
22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. (Acts 20:22, 23)
- Jettison unnecessary cost, weight, and resistance.
You have attachments and tendencies you have historically embraced that are not serving you well.
Whether it is EOS speaking of “big rocks,” Kevin O’Leary referring to “signal versus noise,” or Jesus declaring the necessity of serving only “one master” – we have a universal tendency to get sidetracked. It can be a focus not central to our sweet spot, unnecessary baggage, a susceptibility to distraction, or previous pursuits past their prime.
- Recognize your limitations, and pursue your vision anyway.
As a faith-based company, pursuit of Jesus Christ is not a religious mantra. It is a realization that the human experience is finite, but what is external to us is infinite. So, we need something or someone beyond us to achieve what is ahead.
Transparently, I am regularly amazed how action is regularly effective even though there is so much unknown or uncontrollable surrounding action. Whatever your belief, there is no substitute for action.
Do your due diligence, but act.
- Accept you are finite, and pursue the next.
Vision is distant and normally significant. But vision must translate into singular steps.
Jesus was the ultimate visionary – literally. No one else can claim an eternal vision like his or his Kingdom. Yet this was his challenge,
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:33, 34)
Massive Kingdom vision. Simple, singular focus on today.
So you have obstacles. Okay. What can be done today? This week?
The size of the vision or the obstacle doesn’t change that the answer is always made up of individual steps. Clarify, commit to, and then execute the next. The less you know and the bigger the target, the more acting on the next will take disciplined courage.
- Embrace the power of your faith.
I care what you believe in, but, like the power of simply acting, the power of faith works – oddly enough, often even when there is less than commensurate cause to back the faith.
Don’t be gullible. Challenge what you believe in, but act out of faith. History is replete with undeniable examples of its power.
- Discover a lifestyle of confidence and rest.
Faith like love is often hard to quantify and is rarely referred to in business. How do you know if your faith has traction?
Two key indicators are confidence and rest.
If you have confidence in the face of daunting obstacles, there is high likelihood you are working off of a significant faith quotient.
The same is true with rest. If you can sleep and night and make decisions during the day with limited angst, the changes are your faith has traction.
For more on what that looks like and how to achieve traction in your confidence and be settled in your rest, check out this other blog post.
https://gobeyondsunday.com/ten-commandments-of-business-one-god/
To determine how coaching or consulting can help you or your company, contact us directly.