Superpower #6: Vision
Foundations Superpower #6: VISION
“Where there is no vision the people perish.”
Proverbs 29:18
“Dreams are extremely important. You can’t do it unless you can imagine it.”
George Lucas
“Determine that the thing can and shall be done and then we shall find the way.”
Abraham Lincoln
“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.”
Napoleon Hill
I could go on and on with the great vision quotes. The bottom line is that vision is the creation of our world before it exists. This is true for inventors, for entrepreneurs, for artists, authors and, yes, it is also true for you and I. Vision is the precursor to reality in our lives. This is why we have to be careful to make sure we have a positive, empowering vision that informs the life we want, instead of vision that creates reality we don’t. I know that some reading this will think it is hocus focus foolery, but it is not. The fact that the mind and the thoughts we allow, create and foster in it are extreme indicators of the outcomes in our life is a fact beyond dispute at this point; while the great philosophers have always known this, science has since proved it. But, like all knowledge, it only matters rather you do, and what you are willing to do about it. In this blog I intend to give the exact formula anyone can use to accomplish, or at least move towards, anything he or she wants in life, as well as some personal examples from my own life.
The first step towards creating a new reality is to see it (vision). I saw the place that Krav Maga Martial Arts would be for years before I opened the dojo. Right before I did, in October of 2000, I wrote the mission statement that we are living today. I belong to an entrepreneur mastermind group and see the great difficulty some have in writing their Vision and Mission statements. Mine flew out of my mind and onto paper as easily as I am penning this. The truth is, I had been writing it for decades; I just had to get it out of my head, into my business and then back out into the world. This is the way it is with anything. So the first action item is to decide on what you want and create that vision in your mind. ONly then can you begin manifesting it in the world.
The second step is to believe. The great American entrepreneur Henry Ford said so poignantly, “rather you believe you can or believe you can’t, you’re right”. Even after we create for our life a vivid vision of what we desire (and strong desire is incidentally also a secret ingredient to making this all work), we have to believe we can make it come true. Our subconscious mind is master, and harder to fool than any other person is. Your mind will only begin actually working to manifest your vision if you are all in. You must believe in your vision, in your team, in your God, and in your own ability to become, to do and to get what it is that you really want. This part is simple, not easy. Like most things, developing your belief muscle takes a lot of training. But like all things, the more you work at it, the better you will get.
The third step is an oft overlooked one in our world today; you have to do the work. I believe that whatever success I have enjoyed to this point in my life came as the result of hard work. My vision and belief were actually kind of weak early on; but God gave me opportunities and I worked hard and so I was blessed. As a young paratrooper in the US Army, I won an Army Green to Gold scholarship. I went on to have a successful military career as an Army officer. I worked hard and trained hard studying martial arts all of my military career in spite of the fact that I had to do it around crazy hard work and frequent deployments. I was having my first birthings of Vision at that time. Even though I thought I would do my 20 and retire from the Army, I often fantasized of what it would be like if I had my own martial arts school. Sometimes I would be thinking about what I would do differently and better than the schools I was training at. I also often taught on bases and schools I was working at, further rehearsing the vision I would one day live- to open an amazing dojo empowering hundreds of lives through martial art!
While we have empowered many lives over the last 20 years, we are nowhere near done yet! My vision, belief and desire are stronger than ever, and I don’t just think about it. Everything that I do every day is meant to move us towards my Vision. At work, I sow into an amazing team and help them accomplish their vision and goals while they help accomplish mine. In my private life I sow into my kids and grandson as best as I can, because helping them grow into people who fulfill their vision for their lives is also a part of mine. And, rather teaching a class, working on a system or writing this book, I am sowing into my vision to make an impact on my world. Even as a young man, and either in spite of or because of low self esteem and a lack of confidence (believe it or not) I had at that time, I knew that I wanted to make a difference. More than anything I wanted to become someone who could speak into other people’s lives in a way that developed self esteem and grew confidence. To this day it inspires me when one of my students comes back to tell me about the positive difference I made in their life. I feel alive, validated and fueled to keep doing what I do every time that this happens.
I almost removed the last part of the last paragraph because I wasn’t sure it directly supports what I am trying to share in this blog. But then I realized that the feeling of satisfaction I get when students tell me I’ve made a difference for them may actually be the last step:
- develop a vision for what you want for your life
- believe you can achieve it
- do the work it will take
- check to ensure you’re on the right vision. If it doesn’t bring you joy and/or positively affect others, perhaps it’s time to start over.
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TampaKravMaga.com and Krav Maga Martial Arts have been empowering lives through the martial arts in the Tampa Bay area for 20 years!
Founded in 2000 by Grandmaster Stephen J. Del Castillo, a 7th degree Black Belt and Sr. Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts and Karate lessons for pre-school children ages 3-6 and elementary age kids ages 7 and up are designed to develop the critical building blocks kids need – specialized for their age group – for school excellence and later success in life.
Krav Maga Martial Arts Adult Krav Maga training is a complete adult self defense, fitness, and conditioning program for adults who want to learn real world self defense, lose weight, and/or get (and stay in shape).
If you have any questions about our program, or would like to go ahead redeem your 2 weeks FREE, you can call us anytime at 813-547-6368 or visit our Krav Maga Martial Arts website.
About Grandmaster Stephen J. Del Castillo: Grandmaster Del Castillo is the founding Master Instructor of Krav Maga Martial Arts and has been empowering lives in Pasco and Hillsborough Counties since October of 2000. He is a 7th degree Blackbelt, MBA, author, mentor and success coach, a US Army Veteran and a proud father and grandfather. He is married to Ms. Barbara Del Castillo who helps him run the school. Grand Master Del Castillo began his training in the early 80’s and has high level blackbelts in Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Premier Martial Arts and Krav Maga Martial Arts as well as experience in kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do and Jiujitsu. He has high level instructor certifications from BBSI, IKMF, and KMG and has been featured in numerous Martial Arts publications and also Success magazine. He was a competitive sport karate and American Kickboxing instructor until he enlisted in the US Army where he served in the 82nd Airborne Division, where he won an Army Green to Gold scholarship and proceeded to ROTC and the University of Tampa. He was commisioned in 1992 and went on to serve in Germany with the 3rd Infantry Division and then in several other posts in the US until he left military service to pursue his dream of creating KMMA in 2000.
The Krav MagaMartial Arts Headquarters is in Lutz, FL at 1900 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., 33549. Krav Maga Martial Arts serves Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, and surrounding areas.
Also, check us out on Fun4TampaKids & on Go2Karate.com