An important lesson today, “begin with the end in mind” from Stephen Covery’s “Seven Habits of an Effective Person”. If you haven’t read the book, you must!

This bite-size lesson will take you just minutes to read but is filled with practical wisdom you can apply in your life starting now. So, get reading!

Lesson 1: Begin with the End in Mind

Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” encourage us to live our lives consciously rather than react impulsively to circumstances. Imagine attending your own funeral; this exercise helps clarify values and goals over the longer-term.

This practice goes far beyond setting specific goals; rather, it entails understanding what truly matters to you, aligning your actions with your values, and crafting a personal mission statement to guide decision making and provide direction.

Covey recommends creating a personal mission statement as part of his “Begin With The End in Mind” method; using our mission statements as guides for daily decisions that align with our overall vision is one way it can assist; doing this allows actions to reflect deeply-held beliefs while cultivating lives full of purposeful joy. Here are a few helpful quotes from this book:

“What lies before and behind us are mere trifles compared to what lies within.”

(Quote from the book “7 Habits of Effective People” by Stephen Covey).

This quote emphasizes the critical role our inner values and character play in shaping our lives; external successes may come quickly while our internal guidance provides direction over time.

“Keeping Your End In Mind” refers to having a clear vision for where we wish to travel and planning the steps needed to arrive there more rapidly. This emphasizes this principle by outlining desired results more precisely and taking actions which lead us closer towards meeting them more swiftly.

Practical Steps for Starting with the End in Mind:

Outline all your key roles such as parent, spouse, friend and professional status and then visualize what contribution (parenthood or friendship or impact in the workplace or community role?) you wish to make to each one.

As part of your role and contribution, draft your personal mission statement: It should encompass both core values and overall purpose for living; make it relevant and personal to yourself and revisit as necessary as life changes and evolves.

Goal Setting: Align your mission statement with specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (SMART) goals that support and reflect the values you hold as part of an overarching vision statement.

Visualize Your Success: Think back on what it would take for you to reach your goals; what activities would happen, who is present…? Visualization can be an immensely effective motivator that keeps you on the right path towards achieving what matters to you most.

Prioritize Your Activities: With your vision and goals clear, set priorities for daily activities accordingly. Don’t be afraid to say no when something doesn’t align with them!

Regular Review and Reflect: Take time each week or month to reflect upon your actions, considering whether they reflect your values and goals while making necessary modifications as appropriate.

Inspiration and Additional Considerations: Covey emphasizes the power of our imagination when discussing this habit, encouraging us to envision our desired future and formulate an actionable life plan.

Leadership vs Management: Covey distinguishes between leadership and management by outlining their respective functions; for instance, leadership involves setting direction while management involves efficiently reaching goals. His “Begin With the End in Mind” philosophy helps individuals identify their individual direction before beginning management tasks.

Personal Leadership: At its core, personal leadership entails taking charge and shaping our own destiny proactively. Recognizing our sway over events lies at the forefront of this concept.

Values Are Essential in Life: These principles serve as the backbone for our personal mission statement and guide decision-making and character formation. Take some time to identify which of your principles have the greatest meaning in your life, along with those values which make an impressionable statement about who we are as individuals.

Continuous Improvement: Beginning With the End in Mind is not just another exercise but an ongoing journey toward meaningful lives. Beginning With the End in Mind is not about trying something one time – rather, continuous improvement should become part of daily living!

As soon as you form a habit of being proactive rather than reacting, your life becomes much more manageable while providing an enriching existence for yourself.