Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Extraordinary Visions - Dewitt Jones

Vision, passion, purpose and creativity – the four words that sum up how great things happen, whether it is art, business, or education.

His father told him a story – two guys breaking stone. One feels he is just chipping stone, the other feels he is building a cathedral. Our vision of a task, project, idea etc is influenced by our attitude toward it. Dreaming and imagining is an important part of creating passion for the task.

Mr. Jones related the story of how he became a film maker. He was suppose to go to Harvard Business school, but a night of dreaming and talking led him to withdraw his application and go to California to learn how to make films. He, and his friends, envisioned a kayak trip up the coast of Japan. He wrote a proposal to National Geographic, went for an interview with a quickly made demo film. They offered to follow him on the trip and make the film thermselves. He refused this offer. Rewriting his proposal, the president saw Mr. Jones's vision and hired him. When vision and passion combine, anything is possible.

Mr. Jones then shared his photos of the wonderful people and places he saw throughout the world. His narration was a celebration of the very best that this world has to offer.

He started to question the slogans and philosophies that people try to live their lives with. Nature is beauty and passion, not competition, win/lose. There are so many possibilities. There is more than one right answer, which is the key to creativity. There are several right answers, you just have to look at the different perspective. Don't stop at the first right answer. Look for the next right answer. Do so not in terror, but with comfort.

Problems are truly opportunities.

The average National Geographic article uses over 400 rolls of film to get the 30 pictures that are used.

The professional question is “did you get the shot” – not how many good ones do you get in a roll of 36.

Train your technique.
Place yourself where there in the place of most potential
Open yourself to possibilities – things wyou wold never even dream off
Focus the vision by celebrating what is right in the situation
By celebrating the right, we have the energy to fix the wrong.

I saw an angel in the stone and just carved to set it free – Michelangelo

Life is about continually finding the next right answer – keeping the vision.
When we believe it – we see it.

In our lives, there is an edge between success and significance. Not just the best in the world, but the best for the world. It takes us past being good professionally into our personal lives.

You take it all in and then give it all back. Take the very best that you are and publish it in your daily life.

Can we find the balance between what we do and who we are? Be able to take it all in and give it all back with grace and humility.

“My object in living is to unite
My avocation and my vocation
As my two eyes make one in sight” (Robert Frost)


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