2021: become a visionary

A new year is dawning, and it will undoubtedly bring its share of surprises, both good and bad, as always. In this time of winter, of withdrawal, and before a new spring bloom, it's time for assessments and good resolutions. And we all experienced the events that presented themselves in 2020 in different ways.

How did you react? What did you learn during this year of both restrictions on physical freedom and openness to the world via the internet? What did you become aware of about yourself, your needs, and your relationships with others?

As this new year begins, I wanted to talk to you about freedom and perspective.

First of all, a step back from events because we are inundated with all kinds of information, most of it negative, all factual because no one will really remember it in a few years or months. This is the flow of life during which each generation thinks it is building a new world, a "modern" world different from the previous one, and which forgets what previous generations had built.

Each period sees its share of miseries (death, epidemics, war...) and victories because the four horsemen of the Apocalypse have never stopped their ride that began at the beginning of humanity. And one of them rides a white horse. He represents conquest and victory, over oneself of course and as I like to think. Victory over others is illusory and ephemeral because no one can dominate the thoughts and consciousness of others. True victory is therefore the one we win over ourselves and our shadow. And for that, we must learn to know and love ourselves.

The goal of this fight is, in my opinion, freedom, the freedom to be yourself, to no longer be afraid of judgments, to act with discernment in accordance with yourself, and to achieve your destiny or mission. We are all agents of change, facilitators, each in our own way. And for some change management theorists, these would be classified into five categories: visionaries, guardians of tradition, people in service of, managers, defenders. Even if this reading grid was developed for organizations, it can also be applied to individuals. We all have all of these qualities within ourselves, but with one dominant. I give you the test concerning visionaries below.

Do you recognize yourself?

Circle the statements that you think accurately describe you.

1. I have an intense spiritual life.
2. I often feel different from most people.
3. I seem to have a certain ability to anticipate future trends before they manifest.
4. I have an unusual combination of interests and passions.
5. I have had mystical or spiritual experiences that have guided me in my daily life and/or at work.
6. I speak more than one language or have in-depth knowledge of more than one culture.
7. I have considered or am considering a major career change that no one would have predicted.
8. I often find myself acting as a bridge or "translator" for people from very different backgrounds.
9. I feel like I'm being called to do something very special and important in the world.
10. I am attracted to people who are very different from me and I want to learn from them.
11. I am firmly aware of the problems facing the entire planet (global warming, destruction of forests, overpopulation and exploitation of people in poorer countries) and would like to see more action taken on them.
12. People often see me as a leader, even though I am different from most of the people who have been leaders in my organization.
13. I have the ability to understand beyond spoken words.
14. I consciously refer to something higher than myself for guidance and inspiration.
15. It is extremely important to me that my work is aligned with my deepest values.
16. I have unusual artistic abilities or gifts that I combine with practical, realistic skills.
17. I tend to bend the rules if I think it's for a higher purpose.
18. People often think of me as a daredevil, but what I'm doing doesn't seem risky. Somehow, I know it's going to work.
19. I have a strong sense of adventure.
20. I often explore new ideas or wonder what the next big thing will be in my field.

The higher the score, the more you have the profile of a visionary.

Edgewalkers: People and Organizations That Take Risks, Build Bridges, and Break New Ground (Praeger 2006) by Judi Neal. www.Edgewalkers.org