Last Updated on Thursday, 29 July 2010 00:59 Written by Robert Geiger Saturday, 24 July 2010 16:13

Here we are in a continuing recession, the worst in recent history, and people are looking to anyone for help.

So, what does it take to create jobs?  In a word, Vision.

That's right, Vision.  Every entrepreneur and every leader needs a clear vision of what they want to do create so that they know what they are doing and why.  So that they can find the motivation to achieve and actualize that vision for themselves and for those employed by them.

On the broadest scale, we as a country have been able to mobilize around shared visions and accomplish tremendous goals.   Take NASA, for example.  The goal, to put a Man on the Moon.  Clear and simple.  It was a Race to Space.  We wanted to be first.  And, we did it.  In the process, we created hundreds of thousands of jobs, pushed the limits of human creativity, created thousands of new technologies and products, and generated whole new industries.   In the process, millions of people and families were actively engaged in the economy, actively spending money at the corner store, buying automobiles, paying mortgages, buying food, and paying taxes.

This is the economic result of an inspiring vision.  The vision of those that came before us.

I'm not seeing much by the way of vision from our currently elected government or business leaders these days.  And that's a shame as we deserve better.  When I was growing up, I was aware of larger goals and we talked about our vision for the future.  We had something to look forward to and there was Leadership guiding and facilitating these visions.

Let me give you an example of a country with a clear vision.  I was watching the Science Channel and they were interviewing an entrepreneur from California who wanted to make Electric Cars for the US market.  He basically went about finding sources that would manufacture the components of the car in various other countries.  For batteries, a cutting edge technology with a future, he turned to China.  The Chinese, to their credit and foresight, said to him, "how many batteries do you need?" and proceeded to build a $500 MILLION Dollar factory to build batteries for HIS CARS!

You see, the Chinese have a vision.  They want to be on the leading edge of technology as a producer, and on the leading edge of clean, green energy powering their lives (their entire country) over the next 10-20 years.  They have CONCRETE GOALS related directly to achieving these results.  They have over a Billion people... 4 times as many as we have in the United States.

Here in America, the Greatest period of prosperity we ever experienced came when we built the infrastructure for our future that brought roads, interstate highways, electricity, phones, water, etc., to every household in America.  Prosperity on a societal level is a function of BUILDING SOMETHING.  Building Something requires having a Vision.

Now, that infrastructure is old and technologically obsolete.  America is not new anymore.  Our infrastructure is ready for an upgrade... which means we're ready for a new Vision!

Let's consider this Vision:.

• Energy independence for every household in America -- Off the Grid,
• Cars and Trucks that do not require burning anything, and
• Ubiquitous communications and data infrastructure freely available to everyone, everywhere.

Consider the implications of the United States setting this as a goal and LEADING THE WORLD into the next century by demonstrating how to Plan and Implement this Vision.   We'd have to plan to phase out the old infrastructures, and build the new ones.  We'd have to plan to train the minds and talents required in our schools and universities.  We'd need to communicate and coordinate on all levels.  In stead of patching the old system, we'd be building a completely new one.  We'd need new manufacturing facilities for the materials, panels, wind turbines, batteries, etc.  We'd need plants to recycle all the metals from the existing power lines into wire for the electric motors powering the new electric cars.

Our universities would be engage in research and development to advance the new technologies needed to achieve our new vision.

There would be jobs building the new factories and the new machines to outfit them, maintaining the new machines and factories.  Millions would be engaged in the upgrade and refurbishing of our economy.

When we were finished, people would live in houses that did not have an electric bill.   They could communicate with each other freely.  The houses would have water collection systems to augment the local water system for use around the house.  We would not need wires hung from telephone poles.  The power companies would be reduced in size and in their influence on our lives.  They would change and morph into whatever they will need to be.

While this is happening over the next two decades, there would be spin off products and technologies that we can not even dream about, just like what happened with NASA.  Anybody use Velcro?  Heat resistant polymers?

Someone once observed that there's 3 kinds of people in the world: Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened.

So, I ask you, what's our vision?  What kind of people do we want to be?

What kind of person do you want to be?  What kind of community to you want to live in?

What kind of future do you en-VISION for our children?

This is what it means to have Vision.  This is what it means to be Entrepreneurial.  This is what it means to Create.  The American spirit has always been one of creative ingenuity, inspiration, and aspiration, in a country built on individual rights and freedom.

If you agree with me that we can rebuild our lives by living into a new vision of what's possible for our futures, then start doing something to make it happen.   Create the future you want with your time, your dollars, and your votes.

I look forward to co-creating that future with you in partnership.

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Comments (2)

• 2010-07-28 18:53:47 | |98.122.30.xxx| Christine  - Great Article!

  Great article -- and so true! Let's get vision!

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• 2010-08-04 18:26:30 | |174.97.239.xxx| Laurel  - Great vision!

  I agree Robert! That is why we need to have vision for ways to "get off the grid" and be self-sufficient. It's not all about going green - that is a part of it - but it is about doing what makes us free!! Tearing down old infrastructure and using what makes more sense - wouldn't that be amazing?

  Those who have this vision are already behind the scenes creating this new life - if you are an entrepreneur you need to be part of this in your own life!

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