Habit 2 : Being with the end in mind

seond habit deals with the personal leadership.

• To begin with the end in mind is to begin with the image of the end of your life as the frame of reference by which everything else is measured.
• We may be busy, we may be efficient, but we will only be effective if we begin with the end in mind

The reason for this ultimate dissatisfaction is that they did not begin with the end in mind. For many people, it is not just that they did not begin with the end in mind; it goes a bit deeper - they did not ever get around to defining the end itself and so they simply could not begin with the end in mind.

All Things are Created Twice:-

Idea is very simple: all great things (well, technically, all things good or bad) are created twice: frst 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 frst 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 world 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—wheth-er it’s with a specifc 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.

Leadership and Management

• Habit 2 is based on principles of personal leadership, which means that leadership is the first creation. Management is the second creation.
• Management is doing things right, leadership is doing the right things.
• Often people get into managing with efficiency, setting and achieving goals before they have even clarified values.

Rescripting: Becoming Your Own First Creator

Proactivity is based on the endowment of self-awareness. Two additional endowments enable us to expand our proactivity and to exercise personal leadership in our lives:

• imagination allows to visualize our potential
• conscience allows us to develop our talents within the context of principles and personal guidelines.

A Personal Mission Statement

• The most effective way to begin with the end in mind is to develop a personal mission statement.
• The key to the ability to change is a changeless sense of who you are, what you are about, and what you value.
• Once you have a sense of mission, you have the essence of your own proactivity; the vision and values which direct your life, the basic direction from which you set your goals.

At the Center

• Whatever is at the center of our life will be the source of our security, guidance, wisdom, and power.
• What is at the center of your life?

Alternative Centers

• Spouse centeredness
• Family centeredness
• Money centeredness
• Work centeredness
• Possession centeredness
• Pleasure centeredness
• Friend/enemy centeredness
• Church centeredness
• Self centeredness

A Principle Center

• Our lives need to be centered on correct principles -- deep, fundamental truths, classic truths, generic common denominators.
• As a principle centered person, you try stand apart from the emotions of situations and from other factors to evaluate options.