If you are familiar with Madonna’s ballad hit, Crazy for you, then here is its origin story.

It was written specially for the 1985 movie, Vision Quest.

The movie was also Madonna’s first feature film credit. She played a singer at the bar singing the song.

I got to know the movie from the song and always wondered what was the significance of a Vision Quest.

Referenced from Wikipedia, a vision quest in a rite of passage in some Native American cultures.

The plot of its namesake movie from Rotten Tomatoes is as such:

High school wrestler Louden Swain feels he must do something significant in his life shortly after turning 18. Despite vehement advice against it from his father and coach, Swain decides to try to lose over 20 pounds in a very short time in an attempt to take on the defending state champion of a lower weight class. Meanwhile, he falls for the edgy, older Carla, who provides further distraction for the young wrestler.

So it’s the usual story arc of a protagonist taking on a challenge and trying to succeed despite the odds – in this case, his vision quest is his commitment to doing something remarkable to commemorate his growing from teen to young adult.

Have you had Vision Quests in your life?

Do you remember significant milestones where you’ve set out challenges for yourself to work towards?

Have you had many mini-visions within an overarching vision in your life?

If you haven’t, might you perhaps consider a Vision + Quest when undertaking your next big project?

Here are some strong suggestions:

• Make it fun
• Turn the challenge into an adventure
• Dramatize your role, make yourself the protagonist of your own movie
• Make each step high stakes and see where you land
• Make yourself a soundtrack that’ll fuel you in hard and fun times

Featured Image Source: Journeys in Darkness & Light and Warner Bros