Believing Is Seeing
Have you ever worked really hard at something and wondered if the juice was worth the squeeze?
It is the vision of what could be possible that keeps us moving forward when doubt begins to creep in and the daily grind becomes overwhelming.
Every Christmas season, my family and I watch The Santa Clause, where Tim Allen unexpectedly becomes Santa Claus. One line from that movie has always stuck with me. At one point, an elf tells Santa:
“Seeing isn’t believing. Believing is seeing.”
The older I get, the more I believe that statement is true.
Over the years, I have coached a large number of youth sports teams. Many of my girls soccer teams began each season playing tentatively. They weren’t sure how good they could become. They couldn’t yet see what was possible, so their belief in themselves lagged behind their potential.
To help them grow, I would often have them scrimmage against boys teams. At first, they struggled. The
speed was different. The physicality was different. The results were not always encouraging. But over time they adapted. Their confidence grew. Their level of play improved.
Something interesting happened when they stepped back onto the field against other girls teams. They no longer saw themselves the same way. They believed they could compete. They believed they belonged. And once they believed it, the results often followed.
That is one of the most important responsibilities of leadership.
Leaders paint a picture of what could be before others can see it for themselves. They help people believe that a better future is possible. They put meaning behind the daily effort. They create hope when progress is slow and uncertainty is high.
Roger Bannister believed a sub-four-minute mile was possible when most people thought it couldn’t be done.
The Wright Brothers believed powered flight was possible when others dismissed the idea.
Jim Valvano believed his team could win a national championship when almost no one—including many of his own players thought it was realistic.
Each of them had a vision long before they had proof.
They took the next step, then the next, and gradually the future became clearer until they could finally reach out and touch it.
Most great achievements begin this way. A vision comes first. The path comes later.
A vision isn’t a statement hanging on a wall.
It is a belief that resides in the hearts of the team.
As leaders, one of our greatest responsibilities is to build that belief.
What future are you asking your team to believe in?
Where might doubt be limiting what is possible?
How are you helping others see opportunities they cannot yet see for themselves?
CHALLENGE
This week, take time to clearly articulate the future you want to create. Then share that vision with someone who needs encouragement.
Because seeing isn’t always believing.
Sometimes believing is seeing.
