The 7 Components Of Vision
Author: Ericka Jackson

When we hear about vision, we often hear the words purpose,
dreams, calling, passion and gifts used synonymously. It's time
to clear this up once and for all! There are seven components to
vision and understanding each one will help clarify your path.

First, let's talk about this word "dream" that you have heard
so much about and how it fits into vision. While a dream is an
important part of the puzzle, it is just the beginning. Dreams
open up your imagination and ability for your mind to "see"
what it is that you can conceive for your life. Many of us
model our dreams after the lives of others. While dreams open
the doorway, there are 7 components of vision that are through
the door that dreams assist you in opening. Dreams alone will
not take you to your promised land. If you've been dreaming,
it's time to gain the clarity you need to truly manifest your
vision.

Purpose. The first component of vision is purpose. Your purpose
tells you the theme of your life; the reason you exist. To
uncover your purpose, ask yourself, "If money and time were not
an issue, what I would do and If I could make plenty of money
any way I chose, what would I do?" Your purpose gives you a
general idea and direction to move, but by itself, it is not
the whole picture.

Desires of your heart. The second component of vision is the
desires of your heart. The desires of your heart go beyond
your surface-level dreams to those things you deeply long for,
desire and are willing to work for. The desires of your heart
compel you in a way that won't let you go. What do you really
want?

Scripture tells you that God will give you the desires of your
heart if you put His Kingdom first. While dreams require
nothing in particular and may or may not come to pass, desires
of your heart require obedience and are part of God's grace,
mercy and blessings that He has in store for you.

Passion. Your passion consists of those things that bring you
joy and fulfill you when you are doing them. When you are
operating in your passion, you experience a flow and
effortlessness that makes it easy to stay the course. When you
are passionate you are excited, inspired, motivated, focused,
fulfilled, and walking in your greatness. Within your passion
lies the clues that will keep you going. What do you love
doing? What are you passionate about?

Gifts and talents. The next aspects of vision to talk about are
your gifts and talents. Your gifts are those things that just
come naturally to you and are not actually taught, they were
deposited in you from God. If you did go to school to learn
more about them, you probably excelled in them or you were
bored because it came so easily to you. Gifts are sometimes
challenging to identify because they are such a part of you.
What gifts have God bestowed upon you? Hidden in your gifts are
the additional clues you need to understand the methods God has
given you to make a difference in your area of purpose.

Yet, gifts are only half of this component. The other half of
this component is your talent. Your talent consists of those
things you are naturally good at, but need to practice
developing to perfect. What are you good at, but need to be
great at in order to effectively operate in your gifting?
Together, your gifts and talents create an additional dimension
to understanding your specific Kingdom assignment.

Area of service. Your area of service is the particular target
audience or group of people you were put here to serve. Another
way to think about your area of service is your special niche.
You are a Shepard. When you are a Shepard, your sheep recognize
and respond to your voice and call. God has created you to
oversee a flock that can only hear your voice. Who is your
flock? Are they scattered all over the hillsides waiting for
you to live your vision? Are they not being taken care of
because you are in fear or are they tied up tending to the
daily obligations that fill your calendar, but are not God's
purpose for you? Who were you born to serve? What does your
flock need?

Calling. I also refer to your calling as your altitude. Your
calling or altitude is the scope of your Kingdom assignment
(within your child's school, the city, state, region, nation or
world). Be careful not to confuse your calling with what you
think it would be fun to do. Be careful not to covet someone
else's calling. If God did not drop that vision into your
spirit, it is not for you. Focus on what God has shown you as
your specific role. You will be completely fulfilled carrying
out your calling even though others may be doing similar work
on a broader scale.

Together, all the 7 components of vision should assist you in
clarifying the full picture of what you were born to do. Please
take some time to get clear about it because it holds the power
to change the course of the rest of your life. With all 7
components, you now have all of the tools you need to take the
steps toward making your vision a reality.

About The Author: Ericka D. Jackson is a Christian Speaker,
Author, and Business Coach. She provides individuals,
organizations, and churches with the tools to achieve God's
vision for their lives. Visit http://www.erickajackson.com for
insights, techniques and resources to fulfill your calling.