I am a fan of the book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” written by the late, Stephen R. Covey. It’s been over 30 years since this book was first published and the “habits” still ring true today.
This month I’m going to review Habit #2 – Begin with the end in mind. This is a good time, while we are dealing with COVID-19, to look at this principle of personal leadership, and see how we can excel at our business, the projects we undertake, and even each day, by beginning with a clear understanding of our desired direction and destination.
Effective people realize that things are created mentally before they are created physically. They write a mission or purpose statement and use it as a frame of reference for making future decisions. Do you have yours?
Beginning with the end in mind also includes defining values to guide our proactivity (from Habit #1). Basically, we need to think of building our lives, like building a house. Start with a blueprint, that is a compilation of our value system, and then build on that foundation.
The following are a few questions you can ask yourself this month to see if you are practicing Habit 2.
- Do I have a clear sense of direction and purpose in my life and business?
- Do I begin my work projects with a well-defined understanding of desire results?
- Do I spend an appropriate amount of time planning before acting?
Wishing you a fantastic month ahead; I hope that the articles in this month’s issue will inspire and motivate you. Don’t forget to take advantage of the links to connect further with our contributors.
