Begin With The End In Mind

Recently I heard Barack Obama talk about his early childhood.  He recalled how his mother would get up at 4:30 in the morning to get ready for work.  His mother got him up as well to review his lessons for the day.  He said as an eight-year-old child he would complain about this early rising and his mother replied that she didn’t like it any more than he did but that it was necessary.  

Barack Obama’s mother was creating a habit for her young son.  She was instilling in him the importance of learning and that the momentary hardship of getting up early was part of becoming a successful person.  His mother had a clear understanding of the destination.  She was beginning with the end in mind. 

In parenting if you want to raise responsible self disciplined children you have to keep the end clearly in mind as you interact with your children on a daily basis.  You can’t behave toward them in ways that undermine their self-discipline or their self-esteem.

Anytime you make a plan in life you are beginning with the end in mind.  Planning a trip you determine the destination and the best way to travel before you leave.  Planting a garden you plan it out before you plant.   The end in mind is the creation of a desired future.  How you get there is taking the responsible steps and living in harmony with the plan. 

Beginning with the end in mind is based on personal leadership.  Unfortunately in many schools directing students to a desired outcome is based on management.   Management is doing things right, leadership is doing the right things. 

So how can a school truly direct their students with the end in mind?  One simple way is to have a dedicated program of character education.  It must be consistent and deliberate and everyone from the youngest student to the oldest staff member must be part of it.  

Creative World Connections daily messages are one such program.   It is a simple tool to give students direction and purpose.  Both of these help create self-awareness.  With self-awareness students discover their imagination and conscience.  Their decisions can be in harmony with doing the right things.

You have to be amazed at the profound influence that Barack Obama’s mother had on him.   Her end in mind helped inspire a person who in turn inspires others every single day.  

The potential for greatness lies in all of us.   Oliver Wendell Homes said, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”