IN DEFENSE OF VISION
What comes to mind when someone asks about your favorite company? A clothing brand? A major league team? A business changing the world—like SpaceX, Amazon, or OpenAI? Or maybe you're drawn to the quiet, compounding success of Berkshire Hathaway.
Whatever your answer, it’s probably not about the industry. It’s about aspiration. These companies are instantly recognizable—sometimes even by people who don't care about business—because of the size of their vision and the scale of their impact.
Not every company needs to shoot for the moon. Some want to detoxify an industry. Others want to change how a product is made. Others want to raise the standard of living in their community. These are long-haul goals. Aspirations that can’t be rushed.
But too often, media hides the decades behind the headlines. You’ll see the last two or three years of a fifty-year story and hear it called “an overnight success.” And we love that arc: the underdog against the odds. The hero facing down Goliath.
But how does that apply to your business?
Here are four reasons why aspirations matter—and why your business needs a clear vision.
1. You’ve Got to Know Where You’re Going
The first step to building a legacy is being about something. Great businesses don’t need to be trendy or sleek. But they do need to matter to someone. That’s what vision is: knowing where you’re going.
A vision shifts your focus from surviving the month to shaping the next 50 years. It adds meaning. It anchors decision-making.
Vision isn’t just lofty language—it’s a battle plan. You can’t grind your way to greatness by doing whatever feels right that day. Some days, you won’t feel like showing up at all. But a meaningful, future-focused goal will bring you back to the table. The energy to keep going comes from knowing you’re building something bigger than yourself.
An effective vision takes time. And it requires flexibility. You’ll need to build in room to adapt, revise, and rebuild. That’s not compromise—it’s leadership. You don’t reach the summit by ignoring the terrain. You adjust. You stay aimed at the peak.
And just as important as what you pursue? Knowing what you're not chasing.
2. You Can’t Do Everything
Every yes is also a no. Say yes to everything, and you’ll end up overwhelmed, scattered, and ineffective. You’ll exhaust your team, confuse your customers, and dilute your impact.
Vision is a filter. It helps you focus. It protects you from the temptation to copy others’ success and keeps your business aligned with your own purpose.
The same goes for your team. When the vision is clear, people know what matters most. That sense of internal alignment is rare—and powerful. When people are connected to something bigger, they solve problems without needing micromanagement. They own it.
And when you focus your product or service? It gets great. Trying to serve everyone means you serve no one well. But building something specific for someone specific—that’s where excellence happens. That’s where pricing and loyalty go up. And if you want to explore something new? Launch a new line. Don’t water down what already works.
Also—don’t fall into the trap of thinking vision only matters for recruiting. It matters for retention. Your best people want something to follow.
3. People Need a Reason to Care
People work for money. But they stay for meaning.
A strong vision gives your team a reason to care. A reason to believe the claims you make in your hiring page or staff handbook. And they’ll need reminders—especially when the work gets hard. What will you point to? A six-year-old success story? Or a well-articulated vision they’re helping build?
Talk to a struggling CEO, and it won’t take long before you hear about teams pulling in different directions. That’s what happens when there’s no clear vision. When you don’t define what matters, your leaders will make their own assumptions. Even a slight misalignment across a few strong leaders will lead to conflict, confusion, and disconnection.
Vision gives people clarity—and freedom. They know what’s expected, and they have space to define how they’ll contribute within that framework. That ownership leads to loyalty.
In today’s job market, people are mobile. If a better title or a 20% raise is all that connects them to your business, they’ll leave. But if they see how their work changes lives, if they know their contribution matters, they’ll stay. Maybe not forever—but longer. And they’ll care more while they’re there.
Your team is your frontline when the unexpected happens. Make sure they know why they’re showing up.
4. Life Throws Curveballs—Vision Keeps You Steady
Your ability to lead through chaos depends on how clearly you’ve defined your “why.”
Things will change. You don’t need perfect foresight. But you do need a clear sense of who you serve, what kind of company you’re building, and how to make today count. If you can say that out loud—today—you’re ahead of most.
This isn’t about being decent at business. It’s about being best in class. That takes leadership—starting with you. Developing yourself. Growing your executive team. Building a deep bench of future leaders. It’s all possible. But only if you know where you’re going.
The other night over dinner, my wife said something that stopped me cold:
“You know what the test of a great company is? When the families of the employees say it’s a great place to work.”
She’s right.
Too many families rely on companies that provide income and insurance—and not much more. But you can build something better. Something lasting. Something that changes lives.
You can build a business with a vision worth following.
What’s the vision driving your business forward?
I’d love to hear how you're building something that lasts.
If you're frustrated and you're ready to start leading, there are a couple of ways to begin untangling the mess and end the chaos.
I'm building an email list of leaders who are interested in building their legacy. Subscribe today.
If you're ready now, book a complimentary coaching call so we can work on a plan together.
If you want to get started now, use the Decisive Leader Guide to get some wins.
