BEGIN WITH THE END RESULT
IN MIND
Before you look
forward to your end destination, you should consider your starting point. Right
now, what is your current situation?. At what stage of life are you in. What
are your current assets and strengths? What are your liabilities and
weaknesses? Spend some time conducting an inventory of your strengths and
weaknesses, assets and liabilities, and likes and dislikes. Determine what are
your core values and priorities, and what are really important to you. Have a
good handle on where you stand right now.
If you had your
life to live over again what would you do differently. What do you think you
could do about it? What is the biggest mistake you have made so far? What would
you change? These are questions you can ask yourself when you want to reexamine
yourself in terms of your life situation. Be fair and honest, as fair with
yourself as you would be with somebody else. What is your purpose and goals in life?
This is a fundamental question that most people ask themselves at one time or
another. If you think I have the answer for you, you are wrong. You have the
answer. We all have the answer within each one of us. For those of you who have
not yet found your purpose in life, I can guide you in your search for it by
beginning with the end result in mind.
To begin with the
end result in mind means you need to have a clear and precise understanding of
your destination. Find a quiet place where you can relax, be alone and
uninterrupted when you are concentrating on the following exercise. You need a
piece of paper to write your honest impressions, feelings and visualizations.
Take your time to do this visualization exercise.
Exercise: Visualize yourself at
your own funeral after a long, happy and fulfilled life. Assume that you have
lived your life to your full potential.
Your
family, friends and colleagues have come to honour you, to express feelings of
love and appreciation for your life.
Think
deeply and write down the epitaphs and eulogies you would like each of the
following speakers to say about you and your life:
1. Members of your immediate family: your
spouse, children and siblings.
2. Your best friend.
3. A member of your profession you admire.
4. A member of your church and/or
community you respect.
Try to imagine what
these people would say about you in your various roles. What would you be
remembered for? How did you touch and influence their lives? What contributions
did you make to your family, friends, profession and community? Write down what
you would like to be said of you at the end of your life.
You can repeat this
exercise until you are pretty sure that you have identified your inner sources
of identity such as your beliefs, values and primary characteristics. This visualization
exercise will help you identify the core beliefs and values that are most
important to you, for example: happiness, love, good health, honesty, peace of
mind, spirituality, gratitude, simplicity, beauty, respect, integrity, joy,
trust, understanding, fairness, hard work, recognition, professionalism,
service to others and caring relationship. Aside from making you face your own
mortality, this exercise guides you in discovering your roles and goals in
life. It is necessary to reassess your different roles in life as time goes on
in order to take into account your personal sense of balance and significant
emotional events. Regular self-examination forms part of life's journey and
plays a major role in awareness, insight and wisdom. In my opinion, this visualization exercise is one of the most insightful
and impactful tools that you can use to guide you to live a meaningful,
purposeful and fulfilled life.
Excerpt from my book:
Become your best.
www.kintue-fee.com
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