The Second Habit - Begin With The End In Mind

This week, John Goodpaster sent out an article on "the second habit".  In Stephen Covey's landmark business book, "The Seven Habits Of Highly Successful People", the second habit is to begin with the end in mind.

I find this an odd perspective.  Simply put, if you don't know where you are going, you can't focus on getting anywhere.  The other six habits don't do much good.  Let's face it, how do you really know what "Win/Win" is if you don't have a vision of the end game?  Or how do you "Put First Things First" if you don't know what you are really trying to do?

Some of my thinking comes from personal experience, some from observation, and a little from coaching.  I am so driven about the idea though because I saw what it did to my business, and other owners like me, and I don't want anyone to have to experience it.

Years ago when I retired from the Air Force Reserves I took over and built up a business in the Houston Texas area.  I didn't "Begin With The End In Mind".  I just tried to grow a business that didn't have any purpose or direction.  When I built my first business, I knew exactly where I wanted it to go, and how it would help other business grow.  Basically it was a different format of what I do now, same end game.

The Houston company didn't have any of that.  It really was something for me to do, and it was a very very expensive lesson.

When I work with clients today, the primary effort of my work is defining that end game, even if it is a vague image.

To illustrate how this works, I met John through a real estate office I used to be affiliated with.  My end game for real estate isn't to become a Millionaire Real Estate Agent.  Rather, it is to invest in Real Estate and have an inside advantage as an agent.  The truth is there isn't much advantage because sellers are always cautious when you tell them you are a Realtor.

Knowing I would never be the top agent at my last firm, I started looking for a firm geared towards investor agents.  At the suggestion of one of my mentors, I took a look at Keller-Williams.  My license is now hanging on the wall in the local Keller-Williams office.

Knowing what I wanted out of Real Estate helped me make a better decision of which office to affiliate with and it also helped me find an office that wouldn't be trying to send me door knocking for listings.  It also helps to keep me from letting the real estate business side track me from my primary purpose of helping and inspiring people to take responsibility for their lives and make something great.

If you pick up a copy of the Covey Book, Seven Habits, add my little twist and make Habit 2 the foundation that drives the remaining habits.  If you save that habit for last, the other habits are wasted energy and nothing more.

If you aren't sure what your end game is, think about something you wanted to do, even as a child that could change the world, even if only just a little and make something great.  Do That!