Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind
As a recap, we have already discussed Habit #1: Be Proactive. Since we already know that you’re the driver of your life, it’s time to decide where to go and draw a map of how to get there. Beginning with the end in mind means developing a clear picture of where you want to go with your life. This doesn’t mean deciding every little detail of your future, but it simply means thinking beyond today and deciding what direction you want to take so that each step you take is always in the right direction. This is something you often do without even thinking about–you read a recipe before you bake a cake, you create an outline before you write a paper, you draw up blueprints before you build something. It is an important part of life.
Below are some crossroads you may face and you will need to choose which path to take:
- Do you want to go to college or trade school? Do you want to travel or learn another language?
- Should you try out for a team or join a club? What kinds of friends do you want to have?
- What will your attitude toward life be? What will you stand for? How will you contribute to the community?
So if it’s so important to have an end in mind, how do you do it? The best way Covey recommends is to develop a personal mission statement. This will help you to open your eyes to what’s really important to you and to help you make decisions accordingly. Mission statements can come in all types and varieties. Some are lengthy, some are as short as a tweet. Some are poems and some are rap lyrics. Some can be favorite quotes or even a picture or a photograph.
iLEAD Exploration’s focus on developing children who are free thinkers fits well with this habit. It’s based on imagination-the ability to envision what you can’t currently see with your eyes. When children are empowered to imagine what can be, and follow through with personal mission statements and goals, the results can be inspiring.