Habit #2 Begin with the End in Mind (Drive in life…or life will drive YOU)
I put up a similar quote before. Not sure about the name of the quoter. It’s on my tumblr somewhere…maybe I’m paraphrasing it.
“Life is always moving forward and you can’t stop it. Luckily, you’re the pilot!”
Beginning with the end in mind is important because you create a mental roadmap for yourself that guides you in decisions and opportunities. We obviously can’t know what the word is like in five years because of how advanced our species has become, but we can each have a personal idea of who we want to become, so every decision we make brings us closer to our imagined, better self.
You can begin with a personal mission statement: something you constantly refer to that motivates you in the direction you want to head in your life. Your personal mission statement helps you push pause during important events in your life and remind you about your direction, and if you need to keep doing what you do or change habits.
If you don’t lead your life, someone else will.
A mission statement is almost like your identity blurb. If someone reads it or sees it, they could quickly get a general idea of who you truly are, what makes you unique.
A mission statement is also like a deep-rooted tree that helps you deal with change because you can hold onto it when life is tough. Benefits like animals, flowers, buds, and leaves can be ripped off by personal life events (a storm, hurricane, tornado for metaphorical ideas), but the trunk and roots are firmly there to grasp.
Other blurbs from the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey
- (don’t be a snob) people are too complex to be judged quickly and labeled. Take time to learn their mission statement, whether written already or learned through experience by being around them
- don’t dwell over mistakes and crash and burn. We’re all human and learn through failure
- be a first rate version of yourself and not a second rate version of someone else
- goals aren’t made in one day, it takes small steps. A goal not written is only a wish, so monitor your progress and witness yourself succeeding!!! =D
- just go for it. Commit and carry through your goal. Do or do not, there is no try (Yoda).
- use important moments in life to form goals and reflect on direction. Look for big TRANSITION MOMENTS in life. They need thought.
- “rope up” with people for support in different principles in your life. People need people. Even if it’s a rare and short meeting with a mentor you admire. They have experience, and can save you time with sharing value and experience
- Lastly, turn some weaknesses intro strengths, recognize your talents, and take opportunities to do small things in a great way, if not greater things to be accomplished at the moment.
