No more "Winging it"

I was at a Biathlon practice on the week-end and we were preparing to do our shooting practice. I first had my athletes prepare for the practice and then get into the firing position. We closed our eyes and envisioned the perfect shot… the perfect practice. We then went on to physically do what we had envisioned and likely cut our prep time in half and I know our practice rocked! It got me thinking of our professional practice. Why do so many entrepreneurs just “wing it”… Just “let it happen”? What would happen to our success rate if we took time to creative visualize our business, our big meeting, our day? I read a great book once (yes I read lots of books) called The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey. I would like to share with you his 2nd habit…

“Habit 2 is based on imagination--the ability to envision in your mind what you cannot at present see with your eyes. It is based on the principle that all things are created twice. There is a mental (first) creation, and a physical (second) creation. The physical creation follows the mental, just as a building follows a blueprint. 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. It's about connecting again with your own uniqueness and then defining the personal, moral, and ethical guidelines within which you can most happily express and fulfill yourself. Begin with the End in Mind means to begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles to make things happen.”