When I began to read about habit 2 I thought about the phrase my Dad always says. “You will never see what you don’t see”. I’m sure it’s a saying many have heard before but I always felt this to be my moto in life. I have never been the smartest in class or the best on the field but one thing is for sure, I will chase after my dreams until they are reality. There have been many goals in my life that I have accomplished and many that I am still trying to accomplish. When I was growing up my uncle told me to forget about school you don’t have what it takes, find a profession that can make you some decent money. I nodded and said your right, but in my mind’s eye I could see myself going to college and being a teacher or something to do with education. You see I come from a family of field workers and most have never finished high school let alone went on to college. I ended up listening to my uncle’s advice and found a good profession, I became a cement worker. I got my state license and thought this is it, I got a good profession now I can afford to send myself to collage. “If you don't make a conscious effort to visualize who you are and what you want in life, then you empower other people and circumstances to shape you and your life by default”. I use habit 2 on a daily basis, I am always visualizing (day dreaming) on the goals I want to accomplishes and where these goals are going to take me and my family. If it wasn’t for creating a reality in my mind I would be stuck in a job I hate with a life I didn’t want. I am a firm believer of begin with the end in mind.
One of the behaviors I will change is being more proactive with my goals and visualization. Sometimes we forget we have to move and put in hard work to accomplish our goals. They just don’t happen because we think happy thoughts on a life we want. Be proactive coupled with a strong belief in your dreams. It’s funny how I have always believed habit 2 but never expressed it to my students. That is a lesson I need to start working on. All students day dream and want a life unique to their imagination, but I don’t think they know how to utilize those dreams and turn them into goals that can be attained. I am going to start recommending and teaching little pieces of this book when I have the opportunity. Habit 2 is a must for any high school student to learn.
References
Covey, S. (2008). The Leader in Me (2nd Edition ed.). New York, New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks.