The Power of a Vision

I came back from Vietnam about a week ago and my most powerful takeaway was how inspirational Ho Chi Minh was to his country.  Ho Chi Minh's vision was to have a united and independent country under communist rule.  It didn't even matter to him what religion his people chose as long as they were there to support the efforts of war and the country when it is in need. Although some people are against a communist country, I'm not advocating whether or not a vision is good or bad, righteous or wrong.  I'm speaking to how powerful a vision is once the visionary sets his or her life's blood, heart and work into making it into a reality and how it attracts the masses.  I mean, Hitler also had a vision and his magnetism, charisma and power pushed forward his vision.

It didn't occur to me how powerful how Ho Chi Minh was until my tour guide told us how "Ho Chi Minh" is not his original name.  He was born as Nguyễn Sinh Cung and changed his name to the Chinese comrade who covertly switched places with him in prison where he was sentenced to die the next morning after 18 months of imprisonment.  The real Ho Chi Minh sacrificed his life so that Vietnam can continue to have their leader, so that his vision didn't die with him.  What cause or vision speaks to you so fluently that makes you willing to die for it? 

Ho Chi Minh's vision had penetrated into foreign lands and attracted the support of entire countries who were willing to sacrifice their citizens for it.  North and South Vietnam were finally unified and under communist rule at the end of the Vietnam War, thirty-four years since the first struggle for Vietnam's independence and six years after Ho Chi Minh's death.  Being a leader for any radical cause can mean an untimely death yet leaders will fight for it because the vision is bigger than themselves.   

Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 26 years.  Gandhi, Abe Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. were assassinated.  All these past leaders knew that taking a stand would mean dedication and complete risk and overhaul of their lives.  What cause would you put your life on the line for?  What vision do you have for the world?  Finding a cure for cancer?  A cure for AIDS?  A world where every child gets an education?  Where everyone gets to eat three meals a day?  Where everyone has health care?  Although much of our past leaders have sacrificed themselves for their vision of a better world, there is still more work to be done. 

The world cannot wait for its next leaders.  Although it may not be as apparent, it is still demanding it.  Let your vision of the world inspire you in your everyday actions.  

My Vision for My World:  A world where people are loving, joyful, giving and urgently proactive.  Curiosity, open-mindedness and daring exploration is the force pushing the boundaries for new milestones and breakthroughs.  There is a thirst for knowledge, compassion and a plethora of resources to quench it.  

Happy MLK Day.