A "Vision Filter"

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A "Vision Filter"

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CraigL

posts: 9051

Jan 16, 2007 4:30 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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On a different post, I was thinking about things and the term "vision filter" popped into my mind. I think I`ll coin the term and make millions! :-)

What`s a vision filter? Well, start with a common term--"the vision." What`s that mean?

People talk about having a vision for their company, business, future, relationship, job, or whatever else. It`s a reference to the imagined outline and structure for something that doesn`t yet exist. It`s a mental roadmap for how to turn that vision into reality, by seeing the details "visually" in the imagination.

What`s a filter, then? Filters, commonly used in light and sound, are like a strainer you`d find in a kitchen. The filter allows certain information to pass, and blocks out all the other information. So a filter would allow the water to pass through, but prevents the spaghetti from passing.

A belief system is just that--the system of beliefs we each hold in mind about what is reality and how does it work. Those beliefs can be organized or not, and can be true or false. Beliefs can be proven, experienced, a habit, unexamined, unproven, speculations, or just guesswork.

A belief system generates logic, reason, thought, and action. If you believe you can make money selling garden hoses, then you`ll back up your supposition with logic, reasons, arguments, and action.

A "vision filter" is like a 50% gray filter, used in photographic editing. Although its "on top" of an image, you don`t actually see it. The qualities of the filter are such that it passes through ALL the information of the underlying photograph, with only the slightest dimming in brightness.

However, because there is this filter on top of the photograph, you can erase some of the gray and the underlying picture gets brighter. Or you can paint more gray on it, and the underlying area gets darker.

Consider the person who says, "I`m gonna make millions selling round stones to people. I love those stones, and wish I had them all over the house. I believe everyone would want lots of round stones, and I think I can make big bucks selling them."

Okay, that`s the vision...to sell round stones. The vision filter comes into play before even the very first action of starting the business. A vision filter is another word for "assumption," but perhaps more poetic.

In the example, the person`s assumption is that because they themselves love round rocks, therefore everyone on Earth loves round rocks. A second assumption is that round rocks are so hard to come by, someone should build a store selling those rocks to people.

The vision filter is the composite "strainer" we have, made up of all the assumptions held in our belief system. The problem is if we want to look at the filter itself, or choose to ignore it. We can have unexamined premises or not....it`s a choice each of us makes.

kg

posts: 30

Jan 17, 2007 7:53 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Okay, Craig, I think I understand the vision filter concept. What are you going to do with it? Coin the term and make millions? How?

Would you create multiple filters to trigger words used in defining a business model then analyze the words by categories/groups? How will the combination of words determine the success of the model? If you have 50 trigger words, wouldn`t you end up with thousands of word combinations? And what do those words mean? This is not just word play, as you know, it is probability.

Many character and personality tests do just what you describe. Could you actually create a business personalty profile based on vision filters? That would be amazing, assuming someone hasn`t already perfected this idea. I never reinvent the wheel! I learned that mistake years ago. So, let`s put your idea into actual practice. It is a very good idea. Could a person who is looking to develop a business concept run it through various filters to define and refine it? Would it help an enterpreneur develop the perfect business model based on their internal belief system?

I hope you didn`t throw this idea out for discussion, expecting no feedback. It is very interesting,

Katherine

CraigL

posts: 9051

Jan 18, 2007 7:57 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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LOL! Um....the making millions is just an expression. Although, I suppose I could go someplace with it....probably from the motivational speaking direction, though. Enh...not my problem, I`m just introducing a term. :-D

What I believe happens more often than not, is that we grow up using certain words and expressions, but eventually lose track of their meaning. SOOOooo many people have bought into that stupid phrase that "if you make an assumption, you make an ass out of `u` and `me."

And it is mindless. It`s that modern culture prefers needlepoint philosophy and instant self-help books, in place of actual thought. To that end, by inserting a "new" phrase, I suspect it`s possible to confuse someone enough that they stop to actually look at the possible meaning.

I`m not posting this to confuse anyone. This isn`t a comment or judgement on mental acuity. It`s rather that it`s nearly impossible to avoid getting swept up in the over-use of thought-expressions that have lost their punch....their real meaning.

We can`t live without assumptions. You assume you`ll wake up tomorrow morning, that gravity will still work, that your job will still be around, that your bank will still have your money. You assume constantly, and to try to live without assumptions is impossible. It`s when those assumptions get in the way, or they`re unexamined, that life gets strange.

A "vision filter" is a term I think that`s new enough that it has a bit more sticking power than "belief system, paradigm, or set of assumptions." It connects to photography and cameras, and we can actually "see" a filter in our mind`s eye.

The more we can form an actual image of something, the more real it becomes, and the better we can remember its meaning.

If I were to say to you, "Have you checked your assumptions," what mental picture would you call to mind? On the other hand, if I say to you, "Check your vision filter. How is it coloring your idea?" I wonder if that wouldn`t be a bit easier to accomplish.

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