We are primarily short term thinkers. We do something and then expect to see results. We want immediacy. Most of us don’t even consider the long term picture, but for those of us that do, long term simply means planning for the future.
As this continues to dwindle, even fewer people are focusing on long term goals that they’re consistently working towards. Many of us are content with our short-sightedness and our ability to easily plan for the future. Not many of us have the discipline or motivation to work towards something bigger than we can touch or see.
When we take all of the people above out of the equation we’re left with virtually no one. Those that still remain are the dreamers. Those that still remain are the world changers. These are rare individuals. They understand where they are in the present, they have a goal for the future and work towards it every day, but what separates them from the rest of us and makes them world changers, is their ability to think beyond our current comprehension. They ask the questions: What will the world be like in 500 years? What will I contribute in order to make that possible?
Long term can exist in your lifespan, but it can also expand past it. Only those who dare to think 500 years ahead will affect it.