Gratitude Focus: Vision

Written by Orvin Kimbrough | May 31, 2026

Reflection/Why I’m Grateful:

Today, I’m grateful for vision.

I’ve been in enough leadership rooms to know there’s always a tension between doing what feels right, what is right, what’s practical for the day-to-day, and what’s necessary for the future. I’ve been around the block enough times to see what happens when leaders refuse to zoom out—when they get caught only managing the business as it is instead of imagining what it could be.

One of the most fascinating dynamics in leadership is watching that tension play out in real time. You can be in a room full of incredibly gifted leaders—experts in their fields—but some have no curiosity about what’s coming around the corner. Sometimes that’s because they’re close to retirement and don’t believe it will affect them. Other times, it’s because they see the future as a distraction from current business.

But here’s what I’ve learned: if you ignore what’s around the corner long enough, one day you’ll look up and find that it’s already right in front of you.

That’s why I’m grateful for the time I spent with my team today—grateful for their willingness to engage in vision work, even when it feels abstract or far off. It’s not easy to stay present while thinking ahead. But as stewards of the assets we manage, we have a responsibility to prepare for what’s next. Anything that threatens value deserves our attention. Anything that enhances or grows value deserves it even more.

Everything is speeding up—technology, competition, change. It’s not just that I’m getting older; it’s that the world really is moving faster. Which means as leaders, we must think faster, act wiser, and stay rooted in vision.

 “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
— Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)