“March toward those goals.”

“Tighten up those bootstraps.”

“Sweat and grind your way to joy.”

These concepts have never worked for me.

Holding a vibrant vision and keeping it alive is the true “goal.”

“Do what intrigues you, explore what interests you; think mystery, not mastery.” 

― Julia Cameron

I spent a few days with Sam Keen, the author of Fire in the Belly. He is a juicy and adventurous character. His latest pursuit was trapeze lessons and he had just finished his book, Learning to Fly which is a treatise on “letting go of the bar” and trusting that space between.

I picked him up from the airport and asked, “So, I guess you’re attempting mastery of the trapeze?” He said somewhat briskly, “Absolutely not, I’m learning about beauty.”

It took me some time to understand this, and am still learning to embrace the idea that life is an approach to the sweetness of experience. It is not a march toward some kind of perfection or intellectual ideal.

Have you ever felt that your life is more like a rerun than a fresh adventure? Is it time to press pause on the merry-go-round? Can we tune into our inner world with some intention? Consider letting go of the obsessive goal-making and let’s dive into the world of visions.

We often get so focused on the results, that we miss the moments when life is actually happening. Rumi, the 13th-century poet and visionary wrote:

If you’ve made it this far on the healing path, you know we are not just “what we do.” There’s considerable research that shows that most of our actions are from subconscious conditioning. We have to look deeply within to get out of the ongoing - often unsatisfying - grind. Another Rumi quote:

There is a lot of rhetoric encouraging “set your goals and march toward them.” But our goals are often being driven by those unconscious forces. And we wonder why we don’t follow through and then feel sh*ty about it. Visions are a completely different animal.

What’s the difference between visions and goals? Goals can be useful, but if not connected to a wider vision, they can often become rigid roadmaps that lead us to places we don’t want to be. A vision is a fluid, inspiring picture of where you want to be. Pia Melody wrote about how we should think about goals: “A vision is a dream with a deadline.” It’s a spark of creativity, a magnetic pull toward a life that resonates deeply with your soul.

Our lives are often shaped by old wounds and societal conditioning. These invisible forces can create a life that feels like a prison, rather than a playground. Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way wrote, “Creativity is God’s gift to us, use it or lose it.” By tapping into our creativity, we can design a life that is authentic and fulfilling.

My dad was a good old soul who lived through the Depression and World War II. He was a brilliant philosopher who only finished 11th grade. He was a slave of duty, and only dove into the classics and some writing in his very old age. He was never able to encourage or understand my creative endeavors and had many phrases like, “You’ll never make a buck with that“ and “Get a backup plan.” Practical and stifling.

Remember, we are all artists with the power to paint our own masterpieces. We have to learn to re-parent ourselves. Can we ditch the “backup plan” and try letting go of the trapeze bar occasionally? As we say in the 12-step rooms, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.”

To ignite your vision, reconnect with that child within. Children are natural visionaries, brimming with curiosity and imagination. As we grow older, we often lose touch with this playful spirit. Rekindle it by spending time in nature, exploring new interests, and allowing yourself to dream without judgment.

Your vision is a living, breathing entity. It will evolve and change as you grow. Living with this flexibility requires trust in the process, support, and a lot of practice. As you let go of the old worn-out ways, and step into the unknown forest, it can be scary. Think - Wizard of Oz. But, that adventure story is so timeless because it speaks to the archetype of visions that live in us all.

Often visions feel impossible. This makes sense. Many forces outside of us, and within, have helped us see that our deepest dreams are out of our reach. Seeing them as “impossible” is how we’ve stayed stuck. We must detach from this hyper-practical thinking to see the possibilities. With practice, they will move out of that category and become our reality.

Some of the questions we can ask and take to our journals are: “What would we do if there were no obstacles due to other obligations” and “What is your vision for the ideal career, relationships, finances, and creativity?” This is the topic of our Recover! Heal! Launch! program this week. Join us there for videos, worksheets, and visualizations to take this into action.

AN AFFIRMATION

Today, I am seeing beyond my limited thinking. I am actively connecting with the child within and my adult visionary. I am moving the impossible into action.

Reminder: You are part of a community here. We are supporting each other to grow! Please reply with your experience and comments. We’ll be doing a monthly round-up of community responses.

Holding a vision for your most creative life,

Bob

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