It’s important to have the vision to see the potential of someone or something, and not just the sight to see what they are now.

In early 1977, George Lucas screened an early cut of “Star Wars” for a number of filmmakers and studio executives. It was before all the special effects were finished on the film, and there were still some cuts that needed to be made.

ALMOST every single person there hated it.

The executives walked out, at the afterparty filmmaker Brian DePalma infamously tore it to shreds with his critique, and Lucas was understandably depressed.

Only ONE person disagreed with everyone else.

Only ONE person had the vision to see what it could be, what it was going to be, rather than what it was at the time.

Only ONE person said to Lucas and everyone else, “This is going to be a huge hit, it’s going to be the biggest box office smash of all time.”

That ONE person?

Steven Spielberg.

Later on that night, the executives in charge of the film called Spielberg up, thinking that Steven was just being nice to his friend, Lucas, at the gathering.

Nope. Spielberg doubled down and told them they were all wrong, that “Star Wars” was going to be a huge hit.

Several months later, AFTER the special effects had been added, and after some cuts had been made, “Star Wars” screened again, for largely the same people, in addition to a larger select audience.

The reaction was far, far, different.

The film got a standing ovation. Several standing ovations, in fact.

Including from Spielberg. The only person who had the vision to see what the film could be, the faith in what it was going to be, instead of just what it was at the time.

There’s a lesson in there for all of us.

Sometimes you’ve got to have that faith, that vision, that ability to not just look at where someone or something is now, but where they’re going to be, the direction they’re going in, the momentum they’ve got moving forward, and realize that they’re going to be different, be better, weeks, months, years from now. It’s just a matter of time. It’s a matter of them reaching their potential, becoming what they’re meant to be.

It takes a special person to see that in advance.

It takes someone with vision.

I talk to my son, Jackson, about this all the time. He’s just turned 15. He’s in one of the most profound transitional phases of his life, his early teens, and will be going through a lot of changes, especially in the next few years. It takes vision to be able to see his potential, determination and hard work to make it happen, but, like in other phases of his life, it will happen if you stay on a positive path and just keep working towards where you want to be, where you see yourself being ultimately.

Because sometimes it’s most important to have that vision in regard to yourself, to believe in yourself, and to keep going along your path to your goals.

And that goes for all of us.

Be your own Spielberg.

You know where you want to be. You have that vision. Make it happen, and don’t let anyone discourage you along the way.