The idea seems paradoxical to start at the end, but it is a recommendation I keep seeing over and over again—so it's kinda hard not to listen to it.
What Does It Mean to Begin at the End?
Covey talks about it in big terms, such as imagining your funeral and what you would want people to say about you—“Begin today with the image, picture, or paradigm of the end of your life as your frame of reference or the criterion by which everything else is examined.” De Bono talks about it in what I’ll liken to hiking terms since I enjoy hiking so much—“It may be necessary to be on top of the mountain in order to find the best way up.” Essentially, what they are both saying is that if you have a good idea of where you want to end up, the path to get there is much clearer.
Why Is It Important to Know Your Destination?
But why is it important? If you don’t know where you want to go and are still moving forward, you are just spinning your wheels. Covey describes it as “climbing the ladder of success only to discover it’s leaning against the wrong wall.” That quote from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People hit me so hard when I read it. We are often told to finish high school, go to college, get a degree, get a job, start a family, buy a house, and so on because that is what society expects from us. But to what end? If you don’t have that end goal in mind, you are just climbing that ladder to nowhere—hiking that trail on the wrong mountain.
Lessons from Climbing Down Ladders
This is a big reason why I took a break from my college education. I initially thought I knew exactly what my end goal was and had the perfect plan to get me there, but then life happened, and that end goal no longer made sense. So rather than continue to climb a ladder to a non-existent goal line, I chose to hold off until I knew what I wanted.
Some may think that climbing down a ladder and starting back at the bottom of a new ladder sounds awful, like a lot of work, or nonsensical. However, having done this many times over, I’m so grateful for each ladder I have descended and for each new ladder I have partially ascended. Each ascent and descent has taught me valuable lessons. Each trip has allowed me to get closer to identifying my “end” so that I will know “my” ladder when I see it—or hell, even create my own ladder if need be.
Business Application: Work Backward to Move Forward
The bigger business lesson in Covey’s Habit of “Begin With The End In Mind” is about taking the time to identify what you really want so that you can plan your path by working backward. This is a common project management technique, yet so many business operators fail to do it. Covey says, “An effective goal focuses primarily on results rather than activity.” What results do you want to see? Stop making progress just to make progress—you will ultimately go nowhere fast. Figure out your “end” and start there.
Ponder This
- Have you ever found yourself climbing a ladder only to realize it was leaning against the wrong wall? What did you do next?
- What’s one end goal you’ve identified in your life or business, and how has starting with that in mind shaped your actions?
- What would it look like if you had to create your own ladder, and where would it lead you?
Books
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey
- Lateral Thinking - Edward de Bono
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