vision

vision is probably the most essential element to progress. the foundation of any future developments. an effort without a vision is like building without foundation.
i just had a conversation with a colleague over ski and snowboard. i just happen to school him about history of snowboarding, how it started and the pioneers like Jake Burton, Tom Sims, Dimitrije Milovich and Mike Olsen dared to explore the unknown grounds, then how later Shawn Farmer and Nick Pereta developed the skills until now that already legends like Terje Haakonsen and Travis Rice are pushing the limits further.
i have been skiing for 28 years now and i have never been encouraged to snowboard. never even tempted, in fact i kind of don't like snowboarders for their generally reckless and irresponsible attitude. specially their "i'm too cool to wait in line" attitude, while queuing up for lift.
just like any other thing tough, a good snowboarder is always admirable while riding.
not to get distracted from the topic, after seeing the movie First Descent, which is about history of snowboarding and a first descent in Alaska's very own Chugach mountain range, i could only have admiration for those people i named above. what they had was a dream, which turned into an ambition and a vision. later they just made it happen. as simple as that. all they were was bunch of surfer dudes or skateboarders who wanted to experience the same feeling on the snow and they just did it. it was genuine and pure effort.
what made them a success story was that they never mixed a vision with an illusion. it's so important not to be deluded. not to mix a vision with an illusion.
a great lesson learned for me and although i might curse life from time to time, i feel lucky to be born at a time to have known such people, i am sure if i were few years older or younger i wouldn't have the same feeling and understanding about it.