Vision Isn’t a Lightning Strike

Vision gets romanticized in creative industries - as if it’s a sudden lightning strike of genius that illuminates everything in a single flash.

But in my experience, it rarely looks like that.

Vision isn’t about seeing the future.

It’s about believing it’s possible.

The Early Days of “Anything Is Possible”

When we started Barbour Spangle Design, we were just two designers with a dream and a borrowed office. There was no roadmap, no grand strategy - just a shared belief that if we worked hard enough and stayed true to our values, anything was possible.

Those words became more than a phrase.

They were printed on our office wall, included on our first website, and etched into the way we thought about design, leadership, and possibility.

At the time, we didn’t know the term visionary.

We just knew we had to see beyond what existed - and believe in what could.

That belief has carried us through recessions, market shifts, and moments when the next step wasn’t at all clear. It’s what kept us designing, evolving, and building something that would last.

Vision as Practice

Over the years, I’ve learned that vision isn’t static - it’s something you practice.

It’s choosing progress over perfection.

Curiosity over comfort.

Momentum over doubt.

Vision takes courage because there’s always that moment when the path is foggy, the solution doesn’t exist yet, or others can’t see what you’re trying to build.

That’s when belief matters most.

It’s when you lead from faith in what’s possible - not proof of what’s certain.

Vision as Leadership

At its heart, vision is a form of leadership.

It’s the ability to hold space for possibility long enough that others can start to see it too.

I think back to the teams, clients, and communities we’ve worked with - all moments where design wasn’t just about aesthetics. It was about believing in a better way to live, work, and connect.

That’s what vision really does: it invites people to believe alongside you.

And just like in those early days, the phrase still holds true.

Anything is possible.

💭 When the path feels uncertain, how do you stay committed to the possibilities you can’t yet see?

Until next time,