When studying the lives of all the great achievers in history, those who have had the most significant impact on who we are today, a pattern begins to emerge. These individuals display the highest manifestations of what are referred to as the “four native intelligences”; mental – IQ, physical – PQ, emotional – EQ, and spiritual – SQ. According to personal growth guru Stephen Covey, the highest manifestation of each of these intelligences includes; vision for the mental, discipline for the physical, passion for the emotional, and conscience for the spiritual.
Albert Einstein once said that, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” He was right! Knowledge resides in memories, in the past. It is finite. Vision, on the other hand, resides in imagination. It is our ability to visualize a potential future. Vision is not fantasy. It embodies desires, hopes, and dreams yet to come. It is infinite and transcends history! One of the most powerful visions is that of our own personal mission and sense of self destiny. Developing a Personal Mission Statement is one of the best ways to capture your vision and begin walking it out.
Discipline refers to the execution and sacrifice necessary to realize a vision. Discipline is how the rubber will hit the road. Many people see discipline as an absence of freedom. They want the freedom to do what they want when they want. But this is not freedom, it is a trap! Only the disciplined are truly free, free from enslaving moods, appetites and passions. Discipline allows us to be happy. It allows us to subordinate what we want now for what we eventually want and helps us avoid the traps of instant gratification!
Passion, according to Covey, is the fuel at the heart of vision and discipline. Passion keeps us disciplined! “When life, work, play and love all revolve around the same thing, you’ve got passion!” Passion comes from the heart and is seen in others as optimism, energy, enthusiasm and determination. Passion is deeply rooted in the power of choice and can be found at the intersection of the needs of the world and your talents.
Lastly, conscience is the moral law within us. It is our moral compass. It is a sense of fairness, honesty, respect and contribution that transcends culture and age. Conscience becomes the driving force behind vision, discipline and passion. It aligns our behaviors with what is right.
Find your passion, develop your vision and create discipline. Align your behavior with true north on your compass and begin the path to greatness!
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