““Begin with the end in mind” is based on the principle that all things are created twice. There’s a mental or first creation, and a physical or second creation to all things.”

~ Stephen R. Covey from “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”

“Begin with the end in mind.”

It’s Habit #2 of Covey’s seminal “Seven Habits.”

We’ve looked at the quintessential way to begin with the end in mind when we looked at our own funeral. (You did do that exercise, right?)

The idea is very simple: all great things (well, technically, all things good or bad) are created twice: first in the mind and then in reality.

FIRST, we must get clear on what we want. Then we create it in reality.

Think of building a house. What’s the first step? You discuss with your architect what you want to see and make some blueprints, right?

You don’t just bring in the construction team and get at it, do you?

So why in the name of heavenly [insert favorite deity here] don’t we do that in our lives?!?!

It’s stunning to me how little time we spend getting really clear on what we want—whether it’s with a specific project at work or in our life in general. Ironically, we’re typically MUCH better at planning a project at a job we hate than planning a life to create a job we love.

And, the greatest irony?

Most of us spend the greatest amount of time “blue-printing” our vacations to escape the dread of our day-to-day grind. Imagine if, instead, we spent that time planning our ideal lives so we didn’t need to escape on vacation so desperately.

* slaps head *

* steps off soap box *

So, do you need to spend more time “beginning with the end in mind”? (starting like now? :))

Me, too.

Let’s get on it.

Time to create our ideal.