Habit #2

One day, I just happened to ask Wonia, a fitter of mine, what the date that day is. He said “it is the 16th of January” and said that “time flies and we grow old very fast”. I smiled with what I heard and told him that I am excited to grow old because I already have an idea of what I will become on that time. I told him that I would probably have the things that I would like to have on that time, accomplished a lot of my plans and that it is just a matter of time before I get them. I already have a vision of what my future looks like, I continued.

Habit #2 from Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is "Begin with the end in mind". Other would call it the big picture, other’s term is vision.

"Vision is defined as the ability to see beyond the present and to create what does not exist. A strong vision fuels passion and helps you transcend fear, doubt, discouragement and barriers preventing you from accomplishing your goals."

-Stephen Covey

Here in K.K.Kingston, I have a usual Saturday meeting and before I begin the technical trainings, I realized that I need goal setting first for my personnel. I made a form from which I asked them to write down what they want to become. I would like to know first where they want to go so I can show them the way. The other gives a long term goal and some short. I also asked them the steps they think can help them from achieving it. Others are too shy to write what they want so I told them my story.

In the post The Foundation I wrote: "I envisioned myself of becoming like him (DMR, a Maintenance Manager) managing both Mechanical and Electrical divisions and after 5 years of hard work, it came to life when I accepted the job here in PNG as a Plant Engineer."

I told them that I did not become a Plant Engineer by chance. I have been proactive enough to learn what is needed. From vision to reality, it is a great feeling to achieve something. It took me years to get it... but I got it. After the story, they became very enthusiastic on writing what they want to be and in adding the steps they will take. I gave them more of mine and other’s experiences that may motivate them, and they responded well.

Read post: Habit #1