Begin with the end in mind

My inspiring partner introduced me to Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) a few years back. I have since been exposed to its tenets through motivational speakers and authors I follow like Eban Pagan, Wyatt Woodsmall and Anthony Robins. NLP describes the fundamental dynamics between mind (neuro) and language (linguistic) and how their interplay affects our body and behavior (programming).

 The myriad of NLP techniques are based on four operational principals:
1.     Know your outcome (write it down; be specific; state it in the positive)
 2.     Have the sensory acuity to see whether you’re getting your outcome (how is going to look/smell/sound /feel when you achieve your outcome?)
 3.     Harness the behavioral flexibility to achieve your outcome (you can’t change and stay the same!)
 4.     Take action now

Rather than focusing on what we want, it’s all too common to focus on what we don’t want. But it’s hard to not do something. Nothing is wrong with not doing something, but it doesn’t’ give us direction.  NLP advises us to reach for the carrot, rather than avoid the stick. 
 
As Stephen Covey explains, begin with the end in mind. Beginning with the end in mind reminds us to live a life with
purpose, to live purposefully. The clearer we can be about what we want, the more specific we are about our goal, the more achievable it becomes. Otherwise, we’ll be setting sail for a trip that Anthony Robins calls the Niagara Syndrome:

 "Life is like a river for many people, they just jump in the river of life without ever deciding where they want to end up. They set off on a journey without even a little spadework. In a short period of time, they find themselves caught up in the current: current events, current fears, current challenges...When they come to forks in the river, they don’t consciously decide where they want to go or which is the right direction for them. They merely ‘go with the flow’. They become a part of the mass of the people who are directed by the environment instead of by their own values and goals. As a result, they feel out of control. They remain in this unconscious state until one day the sounds of raging water awakens them and they discover that they are five feet from Niagara Falls in a boat with no oars. At this point, they say, “Oh Shit”. But by then, it is too late. "

Before setting sail towards a new goal, get specific:
What specifically do you want?
How will you know when you have it?
What resources do you have now, and what resources will you need to get your outcome?

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