Embracing the Journey: The Power of Vision and Perseverance

"Perseverance separates doers from dreamers," Steve Jobs

I have been surrounding myself with builders, dreamers, connectors, doctors, researchers, writers: people with a passion for uplifting the community and making the world a better place. There exists in this space, an enthusiasm and an audacity for dreaming big, sharing their messages, believing they can make a difference and then executing in every and any way possible to turn dreams into reality. They improve quality of life, generate opportunity, uncover innovation in the least obvious or most obvious spaces. This community drives our world to the next level with that enthusiasm to proceed and work, and with the audacity to overcome all of the inherent challenges that surround their missions.

This insatiable army of people hoist those visions and missions to do more, to do better and to succeed. They wake up with an eagerness to continue their work and they end their day with scrolling through the proverbial list of opportunities to tackle tomorrow. Their motivation and drive is to capture their dreams and manifest them into reality. These renegades of technology, of business, of medicine, of industry and engineering capture an idea, an opportunity, an underserved mission, and with their passion, seek whatever reward to imbue the earth with their accomplishments. They willingly put the community on their backs and drive forward to achieve the sometimes impossible and the improbable. Fighting or figuring, they take the path of most resistance with enthusiasm, grit and honor. Some are motivated by ambition, money, and super-stardom. Others are motivated by experienced pain or the lack or gap they feel in their lives. Some are motivated to be philanthropic with a benevolent spirit in whatever ecosystem they find themselves. Whatever drives them, they inspire and advocate for others to join their mission. They craft their communications to win the crowd, encourage investment from others, travel away from their comfort zones to pitch their dreams, then back home to hone their message. Necessity drives them to develop a cohort willing to follow those dreams. Alone our opportunities are limited, together visions become reality. They give others purpose and create community amongst their group: motivating and pulling the expertise and fervor from the teams to drive and achieve. Too often, it’s ‘back to the drawing board’ but that does not deter their coterie, because they too have been impressed with the passion of their leader.

The path from dreams to success does exist. May you have the vision to find it, the courage to get on to it, and the perseverance to follow.

Kalpana Chawla

Builders spend tireless hours pouring over data, white boarding ideas, researching, experimenting and failing often but somehow find the energy to bounce back with more data nourishing and fortifying their knowledge and curiosity. Back to the drawing board, the lab, the cohort, the experts and community to restart and move forward. They seek and thrive on collaborating with like minded experts, philanthropists and visionaries: trusting the process and believing in their vision with a trust and faith that the environment will encourage them to proceed. Sometimes, their efforts are rewarded. Often, the need to move on comes harshly but it does not extinguish the flame to move forward. I encourage those builders, the dreamers, connectors, doctors, researchers, writers: people with a passion for uplifting the community and making the world a better place with the following quon, a reflection on being present and focused.

I was once inspired by a yogi while I was in practice. While breathing through our Asanas, her guidance moved us to not be frustrated about where we are today. Our focus should be on our current practice, and this particular decision to come to the mat. Through these actions, this energy, we come closer to reaching that Point of change. She used an analogy of and soon it became clear. I have since come to rely on this to manage my own impatience, frustration or any emotion that takes me away from my mission. It is simple yet complex and requires patience. Once you see it, it becomes a lesson in perseverance, patience, the importance of self-reflection and observation…and through those long hours between the early mornings and late nights, it becomes hope:

Water gradually heats up, then, when it reaches that point, it boils.

Water gradually cools down, then, when it reaches that point, it freezes.

Hindsight can be precious. It can offer us insight in a beneficial way…as long as we do not dwell in that place for long. I reflect on my life, with this wisdom in mind and clearly see those examples of that Point – the gradual change, the buildup of effort, emotion, action, and reaction. All that energy leading to those crescendos, those Points of real change. When I reached those Points, which manifested themselves as change, the impact was far greater than imagined – distinctly profound in many ways, and yet, all those points cooled, sometimes gradually, sometimes abruptly. In every case, there was another point to find.

I struggle to fully articulate the lesson – I am still learning myself. I can say that it gives me hope and encouragement. It wakes me up so that I take notice of the buildup, the gradual progression of each step and its importance. I must honor each step, each bit of progress, whether it becomes progress or regression. Each moment cherished, right now…and then the next. This is important because before we know it, we find ourselves falling into that rhythm, that cadence of life; knowing or unknowingly, we are proceeding towards the Point only by focusing on that step we are taking now.

Give proper respect to that step…make it count. Cherish it like a gift. It is another point to grow and flourish – a step towards thriving. Do not let it become a brick or a burden to slow your progress; disrupt your cadence.

With that in my mind and in my heart, my focus is on the possibilities and forward progression. I will respect the buildup of today’s step and then all those steps that will eventually lead to that point.

I thank you for spending some time here.