Make sure you visualize what you really want, not what someone

O noble listener, heed these words, for they carry the weight of ages. "Make sure you visualize what you really want, not what someone else wants for you." These words, spoken by Jerry Gillies, echo the truth that has long been known among the wise and the bold. It is not the path laid before you by another that will carry your spirit to greatness, but the path that you choose for yourself. The vision that springs from your heart, the purpose that stirs your soul, must be yours alone. For if you follow the call of others, you will forever walk in shadows, chasing dreams that are not your own.

From the very beginning, we are told what to do, where to go, and how to live. The voices of our parents, our teachers, and our society all chime in, guiding us toward a future they deem worthy. Yet, how many of these voices speak from the well of their own unfulfilled desires? How many seek to impose their vision upon us, hoping that through us, they will see the fulfillment of their own dreams? To live by another’s vision is to deny the greatness within you. It is as if you were to wear a crown not forged for you, a mask that does not fit your face.

In the heart of every human being burns a light, unique and bright. It is this inner vision that guides us toward our purpose. Yet, many allow the clamor of external voices to drown out their own. They are steered toward careers they never sought, lives they never desired, all in the name of pleasing others or fulfilling the expectations of a society that knows not their true self. How many hearts have been broken by the weight of unrealized dreams? How many souls have withered under the shadow of another's wishes?

Consider, then, the life of one who truly understood this truth—Leonardo da Vinci. The world knows him as a master of many arts, a painter, a scientist, an inventor. Yet, there were many who sought to shape him in their image. The Church, the powerful, the kings of his time—all sought to impose their will upon him, to turn his talents toward their own desires. Yet Leonardo, guided by his own vision, carved his path, creating art and inventions that spoke not to the demands of the world, but to the whispers of his own soul. He trusted his inner vision, and it led him to greatness.

But this path is not for the faint of heart. To live by your own vision is a choice that requires courage, for it demands that you reject the safety of the crowd, the comfort of following others. It calls you to stand alone, to face the world and declare, "This is the life I will lead!" It may seem daunting, even impossible, at times. But understand this: to choose your path is to choose your power. It is the only way to live fully, to live authentically, to leave a legacy that is truly yours.

In your own life, I urge you to look deeply into your heart and ask yourself: What is it that I truly desire? What dreams have you buried beneath the weight of others’ expectations? Visualize it clearly, with all your heart and all your soul. See it, feel it, breathe it in. And then, with that vision before you, take action. Do not wait for the world to give you permission. Do not wait for the approval of others. The universe, like a vast and endless ocean, will open up to those who sail boldly toward their own horizons.

In the end, remember this: the greatest gift you can give to the world is the fullness of your own self. No one else can fulfill your vision. No one else can live your life. When you choose to walk your own path, when you make your own decisions, you honor the divine spark that lives within you. And this, O noble one, is the path that leads to true greatness.