| "Nodding approvingly he signed his name on the inside label of the violin ... Antonio Stradivari. He was 92. He heard a sound in his head. The sound of a very special violin. Pursuit of that sound became his life's passion. What are yours and my sounds? Antonio Stradivari, maker of Stradivarius violins, is probably the most famous violin maker ever. His instruments are regarded as amongst the finest stringed instruments ever created, are highly prized, and still played by professionals today. Only one other maker, Joseph Guarneri del Gesù, commands the same respect among violin soloists. The value of a Stradivarius violin ranges from $25,000 to over $200,000.". Quotes from the video, "The Fifth Discipline" (mouse-over the violin to meet the man behind the story). The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, pg 201, Charlotte Roberts, Bryan Smith, Rick Ross Working with Personal Mastery means entering the realm of matters of the heart. Developing a personal vision means tapping into a deep well of hope and aspiration, including the longing to serve something greater than oneself, and the desire to have a joyful life. Step 1: The exercise begins informally. You sit down and "make up" a few ideas about your aims, writing them on a paper. No one else need ever see them. There is no "proper" way to answer and no measurable way to win or lose. Playfulness, inventiveness, and spiritedness are all helpful - as if you could again take on the attitudes of the child you once were, who asked similar questions long ago. Step 2: Pick a locale where you can sit or recline in privacy, a quiet and relaxed space to write, with comfortable furniture and no glaring light or other visual distraction. Play a favourite piece of music (or work in silence if you prefer). Most importantly, give yourself a block of time for this exercise - at least an hour, on a day relatively free of hassle. Hold your phone calls and visitors for tha duration. Step 3: Begin by bringing yourself to a reflective frame of mind. Take a few deep breaths and be relaxed, comfortable and centred. From there you may move right to the exercise; or you may prefer to ease in by recalling an image or memory meaningful to you. Shut your eyes for a moment and try to stay with that image. Then open your eyes and begin answering the following questions:
Step 4: After drawing the vision. Did you articulate a vision that is close to what you actually want? You may be right about your vision's unacceptability. If you can't have it at work in this place, then your vision might include finding another place to work which will allow you to grow and flourish. Continue until a complete picture of what you want is filled in on the pages. Divining all aspects of the vision takes time. It feels a bit like peeling back the layers of an onion, except every layer remains valuable. You may find that many components of your vision lead you to the same three or four primary goals. Each person has his own set of primary goals, sometimes buried so deeply that it's not uncommon to see people brought to tears when they become aware of them. To keep asking the question, "What would it bring me?" immerses you in a gently insistent structure that forces you to take the time to see what you deeply want. Step 5: Long after you have your vision. A vision statement is an expression of hope, and if we have no hope, it is hard to create a vision. A personal vision is not a done deal, already existing and waiting for you to unearth it and decode it. It is something you create and continue to re-create, throughout your life. It is a vision you should include, only if you want it for yourself - not because you think others want it (even your significant other, although we have found that this exercise if done together tends to lead people to feel a sense of mutual respect and kinship). For a start: Suspend your doubts, worries, fears and concerns about the limits of your future. Write for a moment, as if real life could live up to your deepest wishes. What would happen then? What do you care to bring to reality? A story from: Courage Does Not Always Roar. "I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." - Christopher Reeve My Mom's entire life changed in the matter of a few seconds. While driving home late one night, my parents' SUV was hit from behind by a drunk driver traveling 70 miles per hour. Their car was pushed off the road and down an embankment, where it flipped several times. Dad was crushed by the impact and killed instantly. Mom was thrown from the SUV and paramedics found her on the side of the road. My brother was in Houston when the accident happened, and I was living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, when I heard the news. We both flew home as soon as we could, and I have to tell you that was the longest flight of my entire life. I was only 28 years old at the time and never could have imagined that something so tragic would happen to my family. Once I saw my Mom in the hospital, I knew she had a long road ahead of her. She had crushing injuries to her arm and shoulder, and her elbow was dislocated in three places, leaving it permanently bent. The doctors thought that they might need to amputate her arm. It was difficult for me to find a spot to touch her that was not bruised - a place to reach out and let her know, "I am here now, and somehow it will all be ok." After a few months and nine surgeries, my Mother was ready to go home and begin physical therapy on her road to recovery. Having been deeply sedated for the majority of her time in the hospital, she had just found out about my Father's death and was only beginning to realize how her life had changed forever. While the hospital had helped my mother to heal, it had also taken her independence, self esteem and confidence. My Mother found herself in an unfamiliar world when she entered her home. My Father's energy was everywhere but his presence was gone. How was she going to manage all of this? Where would she find the strength? She felt lost and helpless in her own house. Although it took my Mom a long time to physically recover from the accident, it was only a short time before my Mom's positive spirit returned. She is a fiery Italian woman with the strength of character of a Buddhist monk and a heart of gold. I never doubted that she would persevere and make the best of her situation. Many people would have gone into a deep depression with the circumstances. But not my Mother. Her response to the situation that life handed her taught me that even though you can't control what happens to you, you can control your reaction and attitude. Throughout her journey of recovery, my Mother rarely complained. I could see the pain in her eyes during physical therapy, but never heard her question why this had happened to her. Life was tough to be sure, but Mother never lost her sense of humor. In doing so, she was able to cope more effectively and put others at ease. In fact, I remember one "role reversal" where we both just had to laugh. Mother had lost a lot of weight during her hospital stay, so I bought her some new clothes. I had to dress her at first, but she challenged herself every day. Finally, when she was able to get dressed on her own, she looked at me in the mirror and started laughing. While she appreciated the clothes I had bought, she really hated the styles I had chosen for her and couldn't wait to go shopping on her own. I started laughing too; she had struggled for months to put on these clothes that she didn't even like! It reminded me of when I was in kindergarten and my mother made me wear dresses when I just wanted to wear pants. It was a funny role reversal for both of us and I understood how she felt. Mother celebrated the small victories. At first, she had to depend on my brother or me to help her do everything. She accepted our help with grace, a smile on her face, or a little laugh about how big a production a simple task like going to the bathroom had become in her life. She lost her independence to drive and cook or to enjoy her favorite hobbies, but you never heard her complain. It took my Mom two long years to gain back her strength and limited flexibility. She still does not have full movement in her hand and will never be able to raise her arm over her head, but these limitations have not stopped her in the least. She set her mind to achieve simple goals like dressing herself and eating with her left hand, and then tackled tougher skills like cooking and driving a car. It wasn't an easy road. It was one full of potholes and twists and turns. She had many setbacks on her journey of recovery, but she never gave up hope. She kept a positive attitude, accepted her challenges and persevered ... trying a little harder to recover each day. That's not to say that she didn't have sad moments and feelings of frustration, because she did, but they never lasted long. She rarely felt sorry for herself, and many times consoled other family members and friends who broke down in tears. Those few years were a traumatic time for our entire family. Mom had to overcome many challenges. But she found that strength of will and a sense of humor can get you through the toughest times, even when you don't think you have anything to smile about. My Mother became a real friend to me during that time. I felt her tenderness and vulnerability, but I never forgot that she was my beautiful, strong Mother-the one who showed me what real courage is all about. Read more: http://www.beliefnet.com/Inspiration/Inspired-Faith/Courage-Does-Not-Always- Roar/Persist-No-Matter-What-and-Overcome-Your-Limitations.aspx#ixzz1M3YxEt7i |
Steps and questions to help draw out personal visions
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Asking Questions ...
| "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothining is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." - Albert Einstein |