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Wher setting goals and thinking of what you’d truly love in life, you may have heard of the “last is first” principle. I call it the Law of Finale. In other words, when you’re making plans in your life, the first principle is to start with the final end product. Management expert Stephen Covey says it in this way: “Begin with the end in mind.” I say that you should see the final outcome of what you imagine, and start from there.
I learned this from an architect who designs many of the world’s skyscrapers. He begins his process by creating a model of how he’d love his building to look. He then imagines every detail, working his way back to these thoughts: What would I love to do here? What goes there? How does this look? He continues until he gets to the first thing he’d love to do—so he starts with the last and finds his way to the beginning.
I use this principle whenever I plan. For example, when I’m writing a book, I precisely imagine the final product that I’d love to see, and then I ask myself about the different pieces—the theme, the title, the four cardinal messages, and then three sub-messages for each one. Next, I bring it down into ever-finer detail, asking myself, What paragraphs, what sentences, and finally, what words would I love to use? I work my way back from the final product all the way down to the smallest detail that I can act on today.
Begin with the outcome you hold in your heart and trace your way to daily action steps. If you start with the big picture and progress to the small bits, you’ll find that it’s as they say: “By the inch it’s a cinch, but by the mile, it’s a pile.” If you work from the last to the first and break it all down into small bits, anything can be accomplished.
Whether I’m writing a book, giving a seminar, traveling somewhere, or putting on a tour for a group, I follow this principle. For instance, I planned a tour to Greece with my students, where we’d be studying the philosophy of the Greeks in their own land and environment. I dreamed it down to the last detail. Then I worked my way back until I knew exactly what action steps to take each day to make the trip a possibility.
If you apply this idea to your plans and goals, anything is possible. Follow the Law of Finale to your dreams—and to your amazing life.
WORDS OFPOWER
My dreams are now possible, for I take small steps toward them every day.
I start with the final dream in mind and work my way back to its accomplishment.
I see my goals and then find the details.
I keep the final outcome before me, and I break it down to daily action steps.
I live the life I love as I do the daily action steps leading to my dreams.
I manifest the life I love, for I know the last is first and the first is last.
MY WORDS OF POWER
MY REFLECTIONS
How can I use the Law of Finale today to fulfill my life’s
purpose, dreams, and objectives?
