Begin With The End In Mind
May 25, 2020
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."
--Oliver Wendall Holmes
Last night, I was chatting with my inner circle of powerful women about what we anticipated was going to transpire when this COVID19 quarantine was over. We all agreed that things were going to be different, but what changes did each of us need to make for us to succeed in the future? This is not just a question for the 6 of us women, but many people are asking themselves the same thing. For some of us, events occurred during this time which were considered as definite wake-up calls.
What about you? Have you pondered the changes you may need to make going forward?
There is a concept which comes from Steven Covey's book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." In a nutshell, Covey suggests for us to take some quiet time and think deeply about what we would like people to say about us at our funeral. (Yeah...really...who wants to think about that now?) Seriously considering this, will bring us closer to what we really value. Knowing our values may bring us a different definition of personal success for us.
How often have we purchased what we thought was the perfect car for us and after seven car payments we realize the car was not a fit for our family? In the past, I hired a couple of people who seemed perfect for the job description, except for one minor flaw. That minor flaw created tension in the workplace and those employees had to be let go. Or we venture into a relationship that ends up being not at all healthy for us. We all know people who have worked really hard, become successful, yet felt empty after they reached their goals.
If we know what we value and what is important to us, it will be the compass that daily keeps us on track. If I value honesty, I won't be tempted to embellish details so I look better. If I value my marriage, I will hold my husband in high esteem. If I value family, I will not run after my vision at the expense of my relationships with them. My values will give me a true north. Do I always succeed at trekking true north? I would love to say "yes," but honesty is a character trait that I value:) My values direct my day.
Knowing what we value and what is really important to us will help us create a vision that will be truly fulfilling. On our journey to achieving our vision, when the bumps and distractions come...and they will...our values will keep us on track with integrity.
In hopes of fulfilling our unique potential and creating our perfect vision going forward, maybe Covey's exercise is an action we take. What would we want our loved ones--family, close friends, co-workers and church friends--to say about us at our funeral? Get into our fat chair or our favorite quiet place and take some time to think into this. Even if it takes us more than one sitting, discovering inner awareness of our values will tell us what we really want.
If I can add value or assistance in your discovery, please contact me!
Pondering,
Jan
How often have we purchased what we thought was the perfect car for us and after seven car payments we realize the car was not a fit for our family? In the past, I hired a couple of people who seemed perfect for the job description, except for one minor flaw. That minor flaw created tension in the workplace and those employees had to be let go. Or we venture into a relationship that ends up being not at all healthy for us. We all know people who have worked really hard, become successful, yet felt empty after they reached their goals.
If we know what we value and what is important to us, it will be the compass that daily keeps us on track. If I value honesty, I won't be tempted to embellish details so I look better. If I value my marriage, I will hold my husband in high esteem. If I value family, I will not run after my vision at the expense of my relationships with them. My values will give me a true north. Do I always succeed at trekking true north? I would love to say "yes," but honesty is a character trait that I value:) My values direct my day.
Knowing what we value and what is really important to us will help us create a vision that will be truly fulfilling. On our journey to achieving our vision, when the bumps and distractions come...and they will...our values will keep us on track with integrity.
In hopes of fulfilling our unique potential and creating our perfect vision going forward, maybe Covey's exercise is an action we take. What would we want our loved ones--family, close friends, co-workers and church friends--to say about us at our funeral? Get into our fat chair or our favorite quiet place and take some time to think into this. Even if it takes us more than one sitting, discovering inner awareness of our values will tell us what we really want.
If I can add value or assistance in your discovery, please contact me!
Pondering,
Jan
Jan McDonald
The John Maxwell Team