How to Develop Creative Vision

To create anything you must first envision it. I like to say it this way: you must see it to create it. A common word we use to explain vision is imagination. Nothing comes to fruition without imagination. Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, states that, “Everything is created twice.” You first envision and create it within you then you fabricate and create it without.

We all have two pairs of eyes – our outer pair and an inner pair. Our outer pair is held down by limitations and boundaries. They feed us with the helpful but limited information to go about our everyday life. With your inner pair, sight has no boundary. You can see and be wherever you want to see and be. You can be in a village on the outskirts of Zungeru and yet travel in your mind to the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong, or the Eiffel tower of Paris. You can experience the snow peak of Mount Kilimanjaro while living in a valley near Lokoja!

So, to create you must first see your boundless creation!

In addition, it isn’t simply enough to see it. You must be able to see it clearly. You must be able to define it in your mind. A blur is not enough. The blueprint in your mind must be specific and clear cut. Below is an excerpt from the autobiography of one of the greatest inventors of his generation, Nikola Telsa, which explains my thought:

“… I observed to my delight that I could visualise with the greatest facility. I needed no models, drawings or experiments. I could picture them all as real in my mind. Thus I have been led unconsciously to evolve what I consider a new method of materialising inventive concepts and ideas, which is radically opposite to the purely experimental and is in my opinion ever so much more expeditious and efficient.

"The moment one constructs a device to carry into practice a crude idea, he finds himself unavoidably engrossed with the details of the apparatus. As he goes on improving and reconstructing, his force of concentration diminishes and he loses sight of the great underlying principle. Results may be obtained, but always at the sacrifice of quality. My method is different. I do not rush into actual work. When I get an idea, I start at once building it up in my imagination. I change the construction, make improvements and operate the device in my mind. It is absolutely immaterial to me whether I run my turbine in thought or test it in my shop. I even note if it is out of balance. There is no difference whatever; the results are the same. In this way I am able to rapidly develop and perfect a conception without touching anything. When I have gone so far as to embody in the invention every possible improvement I can think of and see no fault anywhere, I put into concrete form this final product of my brain. Invariably my device works as I conceived that it should, and the experiment comes out exactly as I planned it. In twenty years there has not been a single exception. Why should it be otherwise?”

Nikola Telsa went on to visualize and invent the Alternating Current, electric bulbs, discovered X-rays, Radio, Remote Control, Electric Motor, Robotics, Laser, Wireless Communications and Limitless Free Energy. 

Leadership and Boundaries

Boundaries … barriers. We need them. They let you love someone. Otherwise you might kill them. ­– Sheila Heti  

 We were usually paired two pupils to a desk in primary school. I remember when we will use whatever we could to carefully measure and mark out the midpoint of the desk and declare it "personal territory". What we were saying to each other was, “You can do whatever you choose to but only to this extent.” Whoever initiates the idea of marking out territories also knows that he is defining his own extent.

We know this idea all too well as adults. We know that there are international boundaries, state boundaries, city boundaries, family boundaries, and personal boundaries. Although boundaries seem selfish what they do is show us the extents to which we should exert control. Boundaries are of utmost importance if there would be peaceful coexistence among people of different interests.

Leadership is marked-out all through with boundaries. There is nothing like a “boundless leader.” Any leader who does not identify and acknowledge her boundary would soon lose the respect and honor accrued to her leadership. To enjoy limitless expression of your potential you must do it within your defined boundaries.

How do you identify your boundaries? The first step is to be completely sincere to yourself in your self-estimation. How much can your potential handle? Can your finances invest as much as you want to? Can your education produce the results you desire? Do you have the level of competence needed for the success you desire? If not you would be doing yourself a grave disservice to progress without reviewing boundaries.

Second, understand that you must identify and respect the boundaries of other people involved. It does not matter how dependent people may be on you. When you disrespectfully ignore their personal space they will flinch. Any further respect you receive from them is merely mechanical and no longer willful submission.

Your success journey is highly empowered by recognizing your boundaries.