I recently attended a training workshop at work about the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. As a quick overview, they are:
Habit 1: Be Proactive.
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind.
Habit 3: Put First Things First.
Habit 4: Think Win/Win.
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.
Habit 6: Synergize.
Habit 7: Sharpen the saw.
We were off to a good start with habit 1, but it didn’t take long to get stuck. When we reached habit 2, I was challenged. I’ve never really known my path, so to “begin with the end in mind” was almost an impossible task. As we continued our training, we were discussing traits that people often have, who “begin with the end in mind”. Things came up as being “driven” “determined” and “ambitious”. All attributes that i’d like to think I also have, in some form or other. As I was sitting in the class, I began to think about all the opportunities I would have missed if I did, in fact, ‘begin with the end in mind’. I probably would not have been sitting in a training workshop in the middle of New York City, that’s for sure. And so it got me thinking – I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad that I haven’t been able to “begin with the end in mind”. Sure I can understand if there’s no goal then you can’t be effective in reaching that goal, but I feel you can still be effective.
For me, there’s been no clear path, there’s just been a lot of fumbling. And so it seems I’ve fumbled my way to New York City. Its easy to forget where you are though, so on the days I do realise that I’m living and working in NYC it does feel like i’m walking around dreaming with my eyes wide open. Although I’ve never really known my path, i’ve always known the type of life i’ve wanted to live. A happy, healthy and adventurous one.
Effective towards an end goal? No. Effective by having a positive influence on the people I love in my life? I hope so.
