How to Design a Vision

image source Flickr/darrellg

The first thing most people might think of when they hear the word ‘design’ might be grand cathedrals or futuristic drawings and schematics produced by Leonardo da Vinci. However, “design” is also associated with planning and strategy. Having a good grasp of design, along the lines of the latter connotation, is as critical as having a strong and inspirational vision that you can share. But how do you use design to turn a personal vision into a reality?

In How to Design a Vision, Dinis Guarda, defines “design” as the “way we plan or or develop the balance between the inner thoughts and actions.” Guarda says that with regular effort, design can be used as the way of constructing the objectives of your daily life, “When I visualise the concept of design with my life I oblige myself to do an analysis about my own strategy and planning. It is not easy to do this analysis and find the right degree of objectivity, trust me. I have been understanding that to make effective what I want and the way I work to get it is a long term strategy and a continuous effort, design planning that start everyday when I wake up.”

The goal is to understand your own passions and find your own unique vision and not to work inside a bubble. Guarda emphasizes the importance of sharing your passions and enthusiasm with like-minded individuals as well as creating the “right processes to engage with them.” The overnight boom of social networking means that no one can claim to be a tribe of one. Think of social media as tools of empowerment that allows you to connect with and engage with those who share your aspirations. After all, it is the best way to reach out and actually have the capacity to be an agent of change or likewise amplify the work of change agents and mission-driven peers and organizations.

As Guarda notes, “We live in an economy of share and vision and inspiration are probably the best currency to reach aspiration wishes,” and actively engaging this environment can open your life up to a completely new design, one that continuous refocuses the balance between the way you thought, the way you think and the way you act. Developing a good and holistic design can realign the balance between your capabilities and what you can deliver. “Make sure that what you want and what you are doing to get it are aligned – that is the design of a vision!” says Guarda.

A clear vision can drive others to action, achieving great things. However, Guarda reminds us that the concept of a vision is also very personal, and requires reaching a synthesis of “all inspirational inner forces and letting free the will that turns into balance and intelligence the old understanding of the tension between reason and feeling.” And with the right degree of passion and insight, a good vision supported by strong design can inspire change. “Whatever your passion (or drama),” says Guarda, “ I am sure there is a long tail of people like you ready to communicate with you and share with you.”