After a few recent conversations, I feel compelled to write about a topic that’s surfaced in many conversations lately: The importance of visionaries.
Every city has them. They’re the thinkers, the re-thinkers, the innovators and the dreamers. They have an enormous capacity to see “what could have been” and burn the midnight oil dreaming of “what could be.” They have a passion for inspiring, they love to encourage others, and they have a special talent for capturing the vision of many and putting it into a comprehensive format. They have a burning desire to see their communities flourish and often work behind the scenes. They’re connectors. They love to build relationships with others, hear their stories, and find ways to help them pursue their dreams and aspirations.
Visionaries are a critical component to any placemaking process and, more importantly, an enormous asset to any city.
We have an immense wealth of visionary leadership here in Northeast Indiana that often doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. People like Holli Seabury, whose vision for a healthier Northeast Indiana has inspired many to work towards an active, healthy lifestyle. People like Heather Schoegler who understand the wealth of potential that can be unleashed through social connectivity. People like Gerald Coleman who have a passion for leading our city’s young people and improve the quality of life they experience. People like Olivia Fabian who understand the importance of encouraging entrepreneurial thinking among our region’s young people and are working feverishly to increase opportunity here by launching ventures of their own. People like Noel Knox who are constantly encouraging and cheering on the efforts of others, and people like Jim Cook who dare to ask the question “what if?”
There’s dozens of others that could (and should) be added to that list, but the primary purpose of this post is to point out something I think is all too often missed. All throughout grade school and even into adulthood, “challenging the status quo” and “daring to be different” are popular slogans that stand the test of time and have a certain appeal to them. Everyone has a little bit of a rebellious side to them - we all like to think and act differently from time to time. But there’s a keen difference between saying and doing - the number of people who like to say they’re thinking outside of the box as opposed to the number of people who actually dare to question how important the box really is in the first place is a significant gap. Hats off to those who ask the big questions, who dream the big dreams, and who charge fearlessly into the unknown.
In relation to my earlier blog post, take note of these visionaries as I assure you a new crop of them is emerging all around the world today. Technological advances in communication have enabled them to connect much quicker than before. They have a greater capacity to inspire and are constantly being inspired by the work and stories of other visionaries around the world. They’re weird people. They do weird things and tackle hard problems. They live life upstream and do things that don’t make sense to many. They’re driven by things that most of us don’t understand and put in long hours with little or no compensation simply because they’re passionate about the cause they’re working towards. They’re able to cast a vision of what something might look like or become and can’t stand the thought of throwing that vision on the back-burner without attempting to execute on it first.
Some of them will make statements that confuse you. Some of them will work on projects that you don’t understand. Some of them will reject conventional thinking and traditional paths in life. Some of them will choose not to pursue a degree and instead further their learning through alternative means (like me). Some of them will challenge your ideas and question your strategies. All of that is okay. Do not discourage them. It’s okay to guide them and it’s okay to offer insight, but give them the benefit of the doubt and have a little faith. Above all, hold on to them - they’re an incredible asset to whichever community they choose to locate in. Do not lose them.
Over the past year I’ve had the humbling opportunity to meet so many visionary people around the world through the Twelve Cities Project, Thiel Foundation activities, and chance encounters where I happened to be in the right place at the right time. Of every visionary individual I’ve met, one commonality binds them all together: An undying passion for improving the lives of people around the world and creating opportunity for future generations. These are people who put in 16 hour days to selflessly help others around them - sometimes people they don’t even know. They create value, but not for the purpose of personal wealth. They have a broader vision than that. They realize that the more value they’re able to add to the marketplace, the more value and wealth others will be able to enjoy. This is why I so enjoy what I’m doing through the Twelve Cities Project, and what we’re prepping for with the Twelve Cities Fellowship. In bringing these young visionaries to Fort Wayne and engaging them in the process of creating something, the opportunity at hand is enormous.
So to those of you who are daring to be weird, daring to be visionary - thank you. Things will get tough, the waters will get rough, and at some times it may feel as though you’re climbing a never-ending hill, but remember that there are many of us out there who deeply appreciate what you’re doing and will be there to support you along the way. Don’t let yourself become jaded and don’t let yourself burnout. It takes a community to build a vision, but it takes a visionary to push a community forward.