Day 13: Begin with the End in Mind

I have no idea what to do today. Sure, there are always lots of tasks on the list, but what is the most effective use of my time? What will have the most impact for me?

In his book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, Dr. Stephen Covey gives good advice in his second habit on what actions to take to be effective: Begin with the end in mind.

For my goal of filling the Train the Trainer virtual program, this means all actions are put through the filter of this end point. How can I integrate this goal into the action I am doing right now? What other action is directly related to this goal?]

This is very different from the power of positive thinking. In fact, beginning with the end in mind is not, from my perspective, sitting and visualizing what a full class would look like. Neither is it imagining the emotions that I’d feel from a full class, or hearing the feedback from the many participants. Those are points that the encouraging positive thinkers would recommend: feel what you would feel, see what you would see, and hear what you would hear if you reached the goal. Make it real.

Nope, this method has never sat right with me. I think it’s because when I sit to visualize what I want to create, I get antsy. I want to go and take action immediately to bring it to life rather than just imagining it. In my mind, action is what builds the possibilities, not the act of thinking about it. Interacting with you and living the unfolding of my plans are much more exciting than imagining the completed task.

The action I choose to take now is writing. In this writing, I am reaching out to you – an invisible audience whom I trust will be there to read the words. I hope you find what is written to be of help to you in reaching your own goal in this 21-day Challenge.

I also know that I am serving myself in this active process of writing. Each post I write clarifies my own direction. By writing, I am re-establishing the priority of my goal again and again and again in my mind. No matter what the outcome of this particular 21-day Challenge is, I know my mind has been trained in a positive way to focus on this goal. And that, in my experience, will ensure future success.

The thirteen yoga-sutra of Patanjali says:

Practice is the repeated effort to follow the disciplines which give permanent control of the thought-waves of the mind.

I find the pragmatic effort of focusing the mind on business results brings a tangible touchstone to the spiritual efforts to focus the mind in order to connect with the divine. It’s all mind stuff we are working with – whether we’re overcoming business obstacles or an apparent separation from God.

In this 21-day Challenge, how have you noticed your mind responding? What is now different about your mindset in relation to your goal versus your mindset when you began? How are the mind games in this 21-day Challenge similar to the mind games that arise in meditation?

Take the Challenge:

• 21-Day Yoga Marketing Challenge (overview)
• Day 12: Stop Doing That!
• Day 13: Begin with the End in Mind
• Day 14: Heaven and Hell in a Yoga Business

[tags]Megan McDonough, training the trainer program, yoga business, business marketing consultant, 21-day yoga marketing challenge[/tags]