Vision Keepers

Vision Keepers

Where there is no vision, the people perish. Proverbs 29:18, KJV

Mean Joe Greene, one of my teammates on the Pittsburgh Steelers, told me about the time he was ready to quit. The team had been losing, so one day in 1972 he cleaned out his locker and headed for the airport. One of the Steelers’ coaches persuaded him to return, but his story illustrates one of the challenges of leadership: keeping everyone on the team focused on and committed to the vision and mission through thick and especially thin.

It’s easy to lose sight of the goal—or to lose heart in trying to reach it—but occasional reminders can help. When I was coaching, I met with the whole team before and after games and every Wednesday. I would remind our players of the big picture and help them set smaller goals within the larger mission. After a loss, I would often remind them that our short-term goals were still attainable and that we were still on track to reach our ultimate goal. When the team had been playing well, I would remind them not to fall in love with their own press clippings but to remember that both pride and complacency were enemies to our mission and would eventually lead to a fall. Whether we were winning or losing, we had to shake off the past and keep moving ahead. We just needed to focus on the task right in front of us.

Whether with our personal goals or as leaders of others, we must always keep the vision out front and readily accessible. It’s easy to put our heads down and forget why we do what we do, but keeping our eyes on the prize can keep us going. This is especially important when circumstances are bleak and discouragement sets in, but it’s also true when things are going well and complacency sets in. Both situations tempt us to lose our focus. But when we remember where we’re headed, we tend to get there much more often.

Uncommon Key > When you lose sight of the goal, it’s unlikely you’ll reach it. Keep the vision in front of you and those around you—and always continue moving toward it.