Begin With the End in Mind
Humans are limited creatures. We are on the whole very short sighted, greedy, and rather lazy. We look for a comfort zone in all we do, and once we find it we vigorously protect it. What is known is safe. Uncertainty is dangerous…
And yet we dream. We dream of a better life, of how things “should” be. We see the world around us, and envision how it could be better. But… making it better involves change. And change involves work, and uncertainty. And uncertainty is dangerous…
Whether starting a business, or getting back on your feet, or improving a relationship, we all can identify things in our lives that we’d like to make better. The question is, how do you take the edge off that uncertainty? How do we make it easier – and more advantageous – even in the short term – to take that risk and challenging the status quo?
Beginning with the end in mind is Habit #2 in Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and is generally a good strategy for almost everything we do. According to Dr. Covey, this strategy (or Habit) “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.”
Think of it this way: if you are climbing into your car for a cross-country adventure, you will be wise to have with you a map. Wiser still will be to have studied the map, chosen a destination, and made plans and decisions based on the knowledge you have right there in your hand. Any time you take a journey, or set out to build something of any substance, you should first consider where exactly you want to go; what exactly you want to end up with.
This holds true for just about every human endeavor. (I challenge you to name one where it falls short.) In the event you are starting a business, running or managing a business, or dreaming to someday doing so, the principle of “beginning with the end in mind” is of crucial importance. How will it end? What will happen when it is time for you to move on? What’s your exit strategy?
In his article from About.com:Entrepreneurs, Mitchell York discusses what you really need to be doing now if you intend to sell your business sometime in the future. York points to an expert on the subject: John Warrillow, author of Built to Sell. On his blog, Warrillow suggests 7 things you should start doing in 2010 to begin making your business more sellable down the road when you want to retire.
…And yet we dream. Well, dreaming is easy. Delivery is hard. But if you know where you are going, you are more likely to get there, no matter how difficult the road.
Well said Jeff. Thank you.
Nice to hear from you Maureen. Thanks for your comment.
So how do you get us short-sighted, lazy people to envision the end? I realize there isn’t a one-size fits all answer here. I am just pointing out that the struggle to figure out where you really want to get to is its own wall to get over!
Indeed that is the case. And thank you for your comment. We have lots of ways to work on identifying your “True Vision.” We first discuss your core values and your core purpose – those things you really care about deep down. Once we have identified these (usually in rough draft form at first, with continuous tweaks to dial it in completely), we then look at whether your current actions are getting you closer to fulfilling that vision. Articulating your True Vision is a very important exercise that helps you see the foundation of what truly lights your fire, and also gives you a road map to happiness and fulfillment.