7 Habits: Begin with the End in Mind

Since I probably won't have time to share all these thoughts, links, etc. in class (because I want to save time for all of YOU and your awesomeness!) I thought I would send them here...

--In the great discovery, I realized that there are only a few things I would walk across a steel beam placed across two sky scrapers for: liberty in America and my honey, Quinn :).  What were yours?

--I COMPLETELY AGREE with that we (teens or otherwise) spend too much time trying to make our mission statements "cool" or "perfect."  When Tova and Kel and I were going through the book in Hungary, none of us remembered to bring a finished one to class.  We sat there and wrote something down, and guess what?!  They became the almost perfect finished mission statement that has changed my life!  And I just hurried and wrote down positive statements of what I want to be.  So powerful.

--Favorite quotes:

"You and I are much too complex to be neatly shelves into a category like clothing in a department store, as if there were only a handful of different types of people in the world instead of millions of unique individuals."

(Cool connection with explorers like Columbus and persevering...if in a different way :)) "On the mainland (of the Yucutan), Cortez did something no other expedition leader had thought of: He burned his ships.  By cutting off all means of retreat, Cortez committed his entire force and himself to the cause.  It was conquest or bust."  Just do it! 




*****************************************************
Until one is committed (remember month one's theme of commitment?), there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.  There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans, that the moment one definitely commits oneself then providence moves too.  All sorts of things begin to occur which would never otherwise have occurred, and a whole stream of events issues from teh decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and material assistance which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.  I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets:
     Whatever you can do or dream you can begin it.
     Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.
***************************************************
The awesome story about the scrawny kid who becomes an amazing athlete reminds me of Tyler Haws:

"So if you're not endowed with all the beauty, biceps, bucks, or brains that you covet--congratulations!  You may just have the better draw :)!"
Here is the clip from Dead Poets Society that Sean Covey refers to:

LOVE THIS CHAPTER!!! SEIZE THE DAY!  RISE TO THE GREATNESS WITHIN YOU....