"If what we focus on is magnified by our attention, we want to be sure we are magnifying something worthy." –Sue Annis Hammond

That's the first line from my "Designing Life" class notes on November 7th, 2011. I found this page to be particularly enlightening and thought you would, too. (Plus some random little doodles.)

This class, along with "Creative Environment," which I took my senior year at Arizona State University, was taught by Professor William Heywood. He is, without a doubt, the most insightful person I've ever encountered. Every. Single. Thing. That comes out of his mouth changes your perspective on the world for the better.

There wasn't a single class that went by where I didn't latch on to every wise word, soaking it up like a sponge. I've kept all my notes from both classes—which is not the case for any other class I've ever taken in my life. Tonight is the first time I've reviewed them again, now six years later.

Designing Life, 11/7/11 Notes

In life, we focus on "B" and "C" priorities instead of "A" priorities.

• A Priorities: absolutely vital (not "necessary" per se)
• B Priorities: important, but not vital (they will usually become "A" priorities eventually)
• C Priorities: Trivial

Most of the time, we obsess over "C" priorities, which we need some of, but not as much as we usually give attention to. This behavior derails your mission and distracts from what really deserves your energy. Your conscious and unconscious mind play a huge role.

There is ONE Universal Rule of Planning:

"You will never be greater than the vision that guides you." –Unknown

A vision is a guiding image of success formed in terms of contribution to society.

If a strategic plan is the "blueprint" for an individual's work, then the vision is the "artists' rendering" of the achievement of that plan.

How do you create your vision?

Creating a vision begins with and relies heavily on intuition and dreaming. It requires the individual to stretch their expectations, aspirations, and performance. It should challenge and inspire the individual to achieve their mission.

The secret lies in PLAY.

You know your talents/passions by what you do when you play. It's when you pull all-nighters to finish projects and are happy about it—that's where your passion lies.

"Our test of greatness of a dream is that it has the energy to lift people out of their moribund ways to a level of being and relating, from which the future can be faced with more HOPE than most of us can summon today." –Robert K. Greenleaf

Without that powerful, attractive, valuable vision... why bother?