Habit 2: Begin with the End In Mind!

If you are a proactive person, you have to then think about what you want? In other words, what is your goal? What desired results do you wish to achieve? Don't think about HOW to meet your goals but WHAT goals you want to achieve. This is the thinking with "the end in mind."

Covey believes the best way to practice living your life while aiming at a desired result can best be done through creating a "Personal Mission Statement." This isn't like most mission statements you hear about from companies that put out these statements that really don't make much sense... This statement is to document your perception or vision of your life. So this is something based on principles. If I were to say "I want to live my life happy" wouldn't be a great mission statement because I am describing an emotion not a principle. If I were to say "I want to live my life providing service to others" well, there is a principle (service) that will then lead me to being happy. 

I created one, but not one I want to share. It's not meant to be something you boast, it is meant to be something that helps you personally drive yourself to living in the path that will help you succeed in the life you want to live.

Planning is essential to fulfilling any goal whether it be in a job or just a home project. But without a clear vision of the "End In Mind" you will really have trouble achieving any desired results.

Now, we have long term goals (for example: I want to provide service to others) and short-term goals (for example: I want to get healthy for my wife). Either way, you need to know the goal before you can achieve one.

This is all about thinking with the end in mind.