Start With the End in Mind

There’s a great quote by the late business/productivity expert Stephen R. Covey, and I think it’s a good one now that we’re at the beginning of a new year. Here it is:

“Start with the end in mind.”

Ah, a bit of wisdom that is incredibly simple and direct.

It’s January 1, so you might be recovering from last night’s new year’s eve party…or recovering from the stress (and food!) from the holidays.

But eventually, you’ll start to think about what you want in the new year. That’s the easy part. We all have bucket lists, to-do lists, and big hopes and dreams.

Then it’s time for the hard part. How do you get there?

Well, despite my natural cheerleader tendencies, I’m not going to overwhelm you with a hundred action steps, worksheets, and motivational exercises to get you to go, go, go! If you want that, please join me for New Year New You.

Instead, I want you to re-read this quote and let it sink in.

“Start with the end in mind.”

What is your most important end goal?

If you only accomplish one big goal in 2013, what would mean the most to you?

  • Do you want to meet someone and begin a romantic relationship?
  • Do you want to go back to school?
  • Do you want to start a business?
  • Do you want to finally feel good about your body?
  • Do you want to cut ties all those negative influences in your life?

Before you do anything crazy this year (Buy a gym membership! Move to France! Give away all my worldly possessions!), hold that one end goal in mind.

Focus on it. Really feel what it would be like to actually accomplish it.

You will instinctively know how you need to begin this year in order to get yourself to the end you desire.

Got it?

OK, now it’s time to start.

What’s your end goal for 2013?

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7 Comments

  1. dianalynnsmiles on January 3, 2013 at 5:49 pm

    This is a good reminder for me. I tend to focus too much on individual actions and not on what my end goals are.



  2. BlessedMama on January 1, 2013 at 5:06 pm

    What a great quote! I’ll keep that in mind throughout the year.



    • Sage Grayson on January 1, 2013 at 7:04 pm

      Thanks! I love finding good quotes. This one reminds me to focus on the end goal and not on all the little distractions.



  3. xvavaveganx on January 1, 2013 at 7:10 am

    Happy New Year Sage! What a perfect post to start the new year. I’ve been working on visualizing exactly how I want 2013 to play out and what I want to accomplish in the next year. I’ve found it has been helping me focus and plan how to actually achieve my goals as opposed to just dream about them 🙂

    May 2013 bring you, Chris and Skyla good health, happiness and success! Thank you so much for your friendship, it means so much to me!



    • Sage Grayson on January 1, 2013 at 8:25 am

      Thank you so much for being a good friend to me too, Sarah! I’m wishing you and your family tons of happiness in 2013! 🙂



  4. Molly on January 1, 2013 at 7:21 am

    I agree, what a perfect post for the new year! I’ve thought a lot about what I want this year to be like as well as where I want to be a year from now. Your post the other day made me think a lot and I’ve decided that my word of the year is Health. It’s been slow going for me since I was finally diagnosed and I know that there are things I can do to help speed it up. That’s the main thing I’m focusing on this year and am looking forward to it.

    I hope that the year is starting out for you wonderfully!!



    • Sage Grayson on January 1, 2013 at 8:27 am

      Thanks so much, Molly! I think Heath is a perfect word for the year. Really, shouldn’t that be everyone’s top priority? I’m wishing you and your family lots of health, happiness, and prosperity in 2013. 🙂