Just Begin It With the End In Mind

The First Day: Just Begin it With the End in Mind

In beginning to write this article, two things come to mind. The first thing that comes to mind is the second of Steven Covey’s original Seven Habits—to “begin with the end in mind”. The second thing that comes to mind is long-standing slogan of Nike, “Just do it”.

Having spent a good half of a year in research conducted for purposes of creating something motivational, it is kind of ironic, at best, that I haven’t written anything down and created anything motivational or inspirational for anyone else.

I plan on changing the world. A sage much wiser than myself once said to “be the change you wish to see in the world.” That means I have to stop being lazy, making excuses, throwing around rationalizations, blaming other people or circumstances (or for that matter, blaming even myself as blame is a completely irrational, non-functional waste of time and energy) or doing anything else that those who just wouldn’t dare to be different or great would do to keep themselves safely isolated in their comfort zones.

I learn every day, and I go out of my way to hear new facts, theories, methods, etc., but a presenter on a CD I was listening to recently pointed out that to learn really means to change our behavior in a beneficial way, or more aptly put— to truly learn is to apply and act on the new information given. I have failed for a long-time, to actually produce anything for the world because I would set lofty goal after lofty goal (without any dates or any means of measuring progress), I would create these long to-do lists, and for years now, I’ve studied, listened, read, observed, and have done a lot of absorbing of information, but for some time now I’ve passed nothing on—afraid to, afraid because of naysayers, afraid because of my past failures, afraid for so many reasons—afraid and lazy. It gets mighty comfortable in your own land of certainties, and it’s nice when there is a who or a what that can be blamed for your lack of success or happiness.

Stop blaming. Stop dwelling in the past. Stop fearing the future. Live in the now with an ideal vision of what future you would like to live in, and walk toward it. This is my first article at a particle site, and the first thing I’ve written in a long-time. I am on a journey from failure to success and I hope you will join me. I hope I will inspire you. I hope you would be kind enough to give me feedback and tell me when I’ve inspired you and/or what I could be doing a lot better. Please tell me your inspirational stories.

So here’s the first part of our mission—to decide first, and foremost, that we do have a mission, and to initiate it.

• First, we envision where we want to go. I want to help people become independent and self-sufficient. I want to be a recognized authority in this department. I recognize that we need to change our environment and our thought processes to move away from where we are and to where we want to go. I continue to improve my resume, and to make contacts and referrals. I have to change my behavior and thinking to be in line with who and where I want to be. Whatever it is you want to do or whoever it is you want to be, get detailed and completely sensory in your musings. Where do you want to live? What do you want to know completely about? How do you want to convey your expertise? What kind of clothes are you wearing? How are you going to change and grow? What kinds of financial changes, sacrifices, and investments are you willing to make? Because, in the end, if you’re attuned to your ideal life, you know that by delaying gratification and prioritizing, you can get there—just make sure you know what there looks, sounds, smells, tastes, and feels like.
• Second, we pry ourselves loose and pick up anchor. It’s not always enough to want to go somewhere else. We have to let go of those things, comfortable and not-so comfortable, that we cling to that keep us right where we are. This includes thought patterns, bad habits, friends, family—everyone and everything that could try very well to hold us in place. In my past, I had to let go of some people that even to do this day I love dearly, but, because they were not willing to give up a detrimental habit—and I was—it became time to sever ties. We must also do the same things with our prominent thought patterns. For those people you don’t want to give up on, it is helpful and sometimes necessary to get them on your team. I’m still working on getting my spouse to believe in my objectives—OUCH!!—it really hurts when your loved ones don’t believe in you, I know. Just keep going and, if you can, try to take them with you. Let go of the past. Letting go includes completely forgiving yourself and others—or at least doing as much forgiving as you can. The more you can forgive the more of your psyche you free up for being the positive person you want to be. Letting go also means, you realize that you need to focus on the things that are great in your life and the things you want to attain and to stop focusing on the things you don’t want. Psychology, quantum physics, and ancient scriptures all tell us that we get what we focus on—so why do we spend so much time complaining, fearing, daring, hating, fighting—creating focal points on things antithetical to what we want at worst and distracting ourselves from progress at best. Pry yourself free and let go and go forward with a little faith.
• Third, now we’ve begun to move. Now, you put your vision down on paper. You write out goals in long-term, short-term, and intermediary. You are willing to tweak them and be adaptable, but you do have your goals down, utilizing something like the “SMART” formula for each of your goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely). You choose one to go at right now, and then do something—anything at first, if need be!!!-to begin reaching your objective. You’re contacting the people you need to contact, researching the things you need to research—you are doing it, step-by-step.
• Fourth, we learn from our feedback, adjust course as needed, and move on. This stage of the process is constant and should become, after some time, the most recognizable part of the process. If we are learning, we are quite likely changing course, because we are hitting roadblocks, we are making mistakes, we are getting thwarted by others and by circumstances, and quite frankly, sometimes we’re changing our mind and deciding to work toward something altogether different than we had originally thought we were working toward. For now, I’ve got to make sure that my articles get better and better, and I will see if a current co-writing project will pan out, win my wife over to my objectives and goals and truly see what I can do better to be a part of her objectives and goals, and to continue to do the best I can for the clients I have with my day job and with my volunteer position. What are you doing right now to begin YOUR JOURNEY?

You’ve been with me for a while, so I guess that means we’ve somehow connected. I’d like to thank you for your patience and review what we’ve discussed so far. First of all, change what you put into your head. Stop with the TV and pop music and the drama and the intoxication. Starting with your commutes you can begin to put the better stuff into your head. Listen to how-to and/or inspirational CDs on your drive to and from work.

Read some good books. Anything by Steven Covey is a good start. First Things First and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People are excellent starters. The classic As a Man Thinketh by James Allen, while outdated in language (certainly a sexually-biased title that is reflective of the early 1900s in which it was published) it speaks succinctly and perfectly to the point of how we should monitor and adjust our thoughts. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie remains one of the greatest volumes on social relations ever written. Man, do I wish any of the publishers of the aforementioned titles would pay me for these shameless plugs. They’re good books and deserve a perusal.

Pray, meditate, and do whatever mental and spiritual exercises you need to turn your focus into a present-day and positive outlook. Forgive as much as you can, and believe in yourself, with, as the Man suggested, faith at least the size of a mustard seed, and you will go places as long as you also…

Work diligently, at only one or a very few goals at a time as to maximize your focus. And work on your objective daily. The more clear the picture, the more accurately you can move toward it. Be who you want to be, that is, be sincere, and begin doing the things you want to do, and the expertise will come with time. I’m right here beside you.