Sunday, January 28, 2007

Truly understand "Begin with the End in Mind"

The principle difference between a human and an animal is that a human possesses self-awareness and conscience while an animal does not. People usually take things for granted. Let me share with you a story...

Bill was at a pub late at night discussing business and realised that it was already very late and that his wife was waiting for him on the bed. Dragging his drunken soul, he rushed back, wanting to make it up for her wife's long wait. Once in the room, he immediately hopped onto bed and satisfied the tired soul. After which, he went to the toilet and was shocked when he saw his wife. "Wasn't that you on the bed?" He shrieked. "That was my mother. She dropped by to visit."
Many a time, we tend to assume and take things for granted.

Now, I have an exercise for you to do. And I hope you do it diligently because through this exercise, you will benefit aplenty. You will appreciate goal setting a whole lot great deal more.
Imagine, you happened to walk pass a funeral ceremony. You saw your family members participating in the ceremony. You joined in the ceremony and could feel the sadness in the environment. Then, you strolled to the coffin and looked at the deceased. You see your face.
Now, (regardless of your religion or beliefs) you read the programme for the ceremony and learnt that 4 different groups of people will be giving speeches on you.

Bring out a pen and a paper now. Write down what you wish to hear (all the good comments) from these 4 group of people.
  1. Parents
  2. Best Friend
  3. Superior in your organisation
  4. Your subordinate in your organisation

Spend about fifteen minutes and focus on what you really wish to hear from them, all the good things about you that you wish they will say.

"Begin with the End in Mind"

Take a moment and reflect on the speeches that your recorded. Do you already fulfil all the good points that they mentioned about you?

If you hadn't been communicating with your parents, do you wish to see them on stage and say, "I don't understand him. Ask his friends to give the speech instead."? If not, shouldn't you be communicating more with your parents, more than the yes, okay, ya, sure?

This simple exercise is for you to appreciate "Begin with the End in Mind". With the notes that you written down on the speech, use it as the list of goals that you want to achieve in your life. Start making changes to your life. Unless you wish that no one will speak good of you in your funeral.

1 comment:

  1. Nice entry. I do agree with your points although I guess it's not that important for me what others say... As I said, maybe it just doesn't matter? To die a good person with everyone tearing or to die a bad person with everyone indifferent?

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