Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind

This is what got me into network marketing and to begin to reconnect with old friends. I began by thinking who would be at my funeral...it turned out that it was probably my wife, kids and sister. But now that I've made new friends and reconnected with old ones, there will hopefully be at least a few more people.

Again from www.stephencovey.com

So, what do you want to be when you grow up? That question may appear a little trite, but think about it for a moment. Are you--right now--who you want to be, what you dreamed you'd be, doing what you always wanted to do? Be honest. Sometimes people find themselves achieving victories that are empty--successes that have come at the expense of things that were far more valuable to them. If your ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step you take gets you to the wrong place faster. 

Habit 2 is based on imagination--the ability to envision in your mind what you cannot at present see with your eyes. It is based on the principle that all things are created twice. There is a mental (first) creation, and a physical (second) creation. The physical creation follows the mental, just as a building follows a blueprint. If you don't make a conscious effort to visualize who you are and what you want in life, then you empower other people and circumstances to shape you and your life by default. It's about connecting again with your own uniqueness and then defining the personal, moral, and ethical guidelines within which you can most happily express and fulfill yourself. Begin with the End in Mind means to begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles to make things happen. 

One of the best ways to incorporate Habit 2 into your life is to develop a Personal Mission Statement. It focuses on what you want to be and do. It is your plan for success. It reaffirms who you are, puts your goals in focus, and moves your ideas into the real world. Your mission statement makes you the leader of your own life. You create your own destiny and secure the future you envision.

I've talked quite a bit about mission and vision statements. Although, what they call a Personal Mission Statement is more properly called a vision statement, since it's talking about your vision for the future. See my blog posts on the subject here: vision and mission

Monday - Habit 1 - Be Proactive

Tuesday - Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind

Wednesday - Habit 3 - Put First Things First

Thursday - Habit 4 - Think Win-win

Monday - Habit 5 - Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

Tuesday - Habit 6 - Synergize

Wednesday - Habit 7 - Sharpen the Saw

Thursday - The 8th Habit - Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs

Interesting days

Today - Entrepreneurs' Day, World Prematurity Day, Take A Hike Day, Petroleum Day, Unfriend Day and Homemade Bread Day If anybody is planning on making homemade bread, I'd be glad to help you taste test the results

Tomorrow - Occult Day

Next Tuesday - Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day What unique talent do you have?

December 17 - Re-gifting Day, Maple Syrup Day and Wright Brothers Day