I'm yet to meet another human being who does not a) have an extraordinary vision, or b) want one. And I'm not talking about a 'grass is greener on the other side' type vision. I'm referring to those visions that have been mulling over in our minds for days, weeks, years. The visions that have been tested in conversation with colleagues and companions over the meeting table and dinner table. The visions that we believe will change the world for the better.
What makes a vision an extraordinary one is its ability to transcend the 'better life for me' and considers a 'better life for us all'. For leaders and business owners, that could be a new product to take to market, a new service to offer to customers, a new organisation to build from scratch. But it could just as much be designing a more joyful environment to work in, ensuring all decisions are values driven, or collaborating with other businesses to support local or global community.
For individuals, that extraordinary vision could be following our career calling, having more emotional energy for loved ones or crossing the marathon finish line having raised bucket loads of cash for charity.
Extraordinary (adjective): The very unusual or the remarkable
No vision is the same. That's what I love about them. The creativity and passion that accompanies a vision never ceases to amaze me. There's nothing better than seeing another person, or group of people, come alive when they talk about where they're going, and why. Visions are inspirational and have the power to drive us forward to make positive change. So why don't they always transform into a happy reality?
Vision (noun): The ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom
We will each have our own reasons for why we are yet to realise our visions. Perhaps we're missing the practical tools, enough money, the right people on our side, self-belief and confidence, or it just isn't the right time yet.
The ancient Greeks had two words for time, both are key to making the extraordinary happen. Firstly, Chronos time, the one we are most familiar with. Chronos time is what we can measure in seconds, minutes and hours. It's the beneficial time for planning actions e.g. "At 10.30pm each evening I will write down 3 things that I am grateful for." or "Every Friday at 10am we will huddle as a team for 10 minutes to share learnings from the week."
But Chronos time has a dark side in the world of transforming visions. It's the time that we can too easily use as an excuse for not doing things - "I haven't got the time."
This is where Kairos time kicks in. Kairos time is qualitative. It refers to the right and opportune moment, some even call it the perfect moment where the world takes a breath, and in the pause before it exhales, fates can be changed. I believe that, where Chronos time makes sense in our head, Kairos time can be felt in our heart and gut. It's the intuitive sensation of knowing something needs to happen, now, to make it a reality.
Reality (noun): The state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them
And when that feeling kicks in you know it's time to take action. To navigate Chronos time start small. By taking bitesize everyday actions you'll be more attuned to when to ramp it up or take your foot off the gas. If you, and/or your team, aren't sure where to start then I recommend Dan Pink's latest Pinkcast with Richard Leider for a 1 minute exercise you can do on a paper serviette.
Or get in touch and we can talk about transforming your extraordinary vision into a happy reality, using the power of everyday actions.