Make Your Vision a Reality
I’ve seen a lot of examples of hypocrisy in recent years—people preaching about ideals then completely failing, in their words and actions, to live up to those ideals. Of course, none of us is perfect. Failing to live up to your vision for yourself and your life is not inherently hypocritical, and it’s good to have aspirational ideals—ideals you hope and plan to live up to. It’s entirely different to espouse an ideal and live your life completely contrary to it because it’s convenient or beneficial.
Your vision for the world
When the world seems to be going wrong, a good way to cope is to develop a solid vision of what the world should look like. Getting into the details of your ideal world will help you build a better future and give you a solid argument and approach when working toward that vision. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to fight for a better future without having a clear picture of what that future looks like.
Don’t be a hypocrite
There’s a long history in politics and religion of leaders claiming a dogma or set of moral values and living a life that is utterly devoid of those values. We’re seeing that on the news every day at the moment. This kind of hypocrisy is intentional and virulent. When the exhortations occur, it is either a deliberate misrepresentation or the person is delusional and believes they are somehow living those ideals. They may also think that they are above others’ judgment.
However, politics and religion are merely the most prominent examples of this kind of hypocrisy. Everyone has the potential to rationalize elements of their lives that aren’t consistent with their morals or values. It’s important for everyone to reflect on their ideals and explore whether they are living—or working toward living—their ideals.
Live by example
If you believe in an ideal and believe that others should also live according to this ideal, the best way to make that happen is to live by example. Espousing an ideal is considerably less impactful if the person speaking does not live up to that ideal. Ultimately, you may not be able to change people, but you can show them what you believe by living that belief. If you don’t think highly enough of an ideal to live it yourself, then you’re not very likely to reach others’ hearts and minds. Living your ideal can be challenging, but it is vital. You need to decide how important the ideal is and why it’s so important for yourself and others.
Developing a vision and a path forward
Humans are complicated. Across regions, cultures, and socioeconomic conditions, there is a vast difference in what people envision for themselves and the greater good. You might have a vision that you feel is obvious. My vision, for example, is for a world full of empathy and compassion, where people’s fundamental needs are met, and all people live in peace and in harmony with nature. But if someone has lived a life full of violence in which their basic needs for food, water, and shelter are not met, their vision might be more specific and short-term. One’s experiences drive one’s vision for the world. My vision inherently includes conditions that provide for everyone’s basic needs, and until we reach that point, it is difficult to argue for the more lofty elements of my vision.
A personal vision can seem self-righteous, naive, unfeasible, or misguided, but it is also a critical component of a meaningful life. You must know where you’d like to go if you are to have any hope of getting there.
