Today is a historic day for the United States of America; for the 59th time in our country’s history, we inaugurated a new president and vice-president, and began another chapter in our leadership history. As is common for inaugurations, there were a lot of words spoken about where our country finds itself and where the new leadership sees the nation going. It is a day of vision and invitation.
Good leaders cast vision and invite you to embrace it; great leaders cast vision, invite you to embrace it, and then create a pathway for you to take action to bring it about. A vision is only as good as the practical steps you and I can take to see it come true.
A vision minus action steps is a merely an ideal; it’s a compelling picture of a possibility without arms or legs. It’s like eating sugar when your energy is low—it offers a short burst of energy but leaves you emptier once that burst burns out.
A true vision provides a pathway to seeing that vision come true. Those steps will not be exact; there will be challenges that arise, plans that change, and new information revealed that reforms what the vision requires. But without a first step, no vision can go anywhere. That’s why the first step is the most important, because the first step reveals the next step, and that’s how visions come to pass:
Visionaries take the next step, one step at a time.
Over the last three weeks, I’ve been inviting people to join me in a vision of Transformation—a vision where good people, who learn and live good values, value other people and add value to them and together they take action to create a positive values culture that changes the communities and countries of our world.
To make it practical, I’ve challenged you to join me in walking/running/swimming/biking/hiking or otherwise moving one mile a day while thinking deeply about a Transformational Value. Thousands of you have joined in by not only hitting the streets daily but registering to join me for the Transform-a-thon, our virtual 5K event that takes place this Saturday, January 23rd.
You’ve received a personal letter from me, welcoming you to the movement, as well as your own personal copy of Change Your World, my new book written with my good friend Rob Hoskins. You also received your personal race bib to wear on Saturday when you join me for either (or both) of the two scheduled 5K walk/runs. You’ll find the schedule for the day on the Change Your World website, as well as the schedule for mine and Rob’s upcoming book tour!
I want to renew my personal invitation for you to join me and my fellow visionaries who are taking the necessary steps to see Transformation come to pass.
Sign up today for the Transform-a-thon virtual 5K this Saturday. Get out there and that first step, and lock arms with us as well all take that next step. Now is our time. Let’s not let allow it to pass with our shoes untied, our pathway not traveled, our vision unfulfilled.
We need you. The world needs you. Join me and let’s step into a better tomorrow together.