“Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.” – Jonathan Swift*

The author of such noted works as Gulliver’s Travels and A Modest Proposal offers this piece of wisdom for anyone in a role that requires forward thinking and plan execution. My favorite part of this quote is the word ‘art’ being used as a descriptor. Art is creation; it’s translating ideas and intuition into reality. That’s the power of the human mind: what you see could very well be invisible to those around you, but those around you are also seeing things that may be invisible to you. When I graduated, the idea of paid medication reviews was foreign. We were available to the public for all of their medication needs, whether it be a 3-minute consult or one lasting half an hour. Those off-hand medication reviews were not formalized or necessarily valued as they should have been. It wasn’t until a small group lobbied associations and governments to fund these services that they started to appear.

The best part? Vision as an art, is not defined in black and white. It’s like a rainbow in that every person views through their own prism; the conditions and viewing angle are unique and the person directly next to you will not capture the same arc or brilliance. Whether narrow or broad spectrum, a vision is defined by a person’s individuality, style and skill-set. Those same medication reviews now have a framework, but it’s up to each pharmacist to create value for their patients and for themselves as practitioners.

Now anyone can be artistic but most often the quality is measured by social perception or taste. Do you have a favorite genre of music? How about painters or sculptors? For those that don’t thrill you, does that make the artist any less talented or the art of poorer quality? Does anyone remember the controversy when the National Gallery of Canada spent $1.8 million dollars to buy the Voice of  Fire? Regardless of our own opinions on Abstract Expressionism, this piece was a result of Barnett Newman’s vision and is admired and appreciated by many. If you are interested in viewing more of Mr. Newman’s works, please visit: https://www.artsy.net/artist/barnett-newman

So if everyone has artistic capability and may see things others can’t, why do certain folks stand out in the crowd as being visionaries in their respective fields?

‘Great leaders communicate a vision that captures the imagination and fires the hearts and minds of those around them.‘ – Joseph B. Wirthlin*

It’s rather difficult to formulate an opinion or contribute to a vision if you’re not aware it exists. That song on the radio was written, arranged and recorded, but until it was promoted there were few listeners. Van Gogh was certainly eccentric but if he had never dared to show his canvas to anyone, it’s doubtful he’d have much of a place in history. In the Canadian pharmacy world, our leaders have provided the Blueprint For Pharmacy and on an increasing scale, policy decisions are being made in reference to the Blueprint vision.

We are all experiencing enormous change integrating these new clinical services to current practices. Our local leaders are communicating their visions through provincial associations and government relations. Demonstration projects are popping up in Nova Scotia in the form of the Bloom Program and funded minor ailment prescribing. Perhaps there are plenty of items happening that were once invisible to you. By the same token, it’s up to us to communicate our visions as well. Insert yourself into the discourse and create your own art for how your future should look. Have a supportive family doctor in the clinic that performs home-visits? Perhaps there is an opportunity to collaborate on a disease-state management program. Interested in reading lab screening for thyroid disorders? Someday, endocrinology may be needing our help to identify red flags or coordinating dose adjustments. There is no wrong answer or approach so don’t be afraid to apply your style.

After all, you’re seeing things no one else can; only you can make them visible.

*Quotes courtesy of Brainy Quotes – http://www.brainyquote.com/

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, employer or affiliation.