学进去

You may not realize it, but you do it all the time. That is, begin with the end in mind. You draw up a plan before you build a house. You read instructions before you make a cake. You create an outline before you write a paper. It’s part of life.

Let’s have a begin-with-the-end-in-mind experience by using your imagination. Find a place where you can be alone. First, clear your mind. Don’t think about anything else. Then breathe deeply, and open your brain wide. Now, let’s come to the key part of the experience. In your mind, picture someone walking toward you about half a block away. At first you can’t see who it is. As this person gets closer and closer, you suddenly realize, believe it or not, it’s you. But it’s not you today, it’s you as you’d like to be one year from now. Now think deeply. Ask yourself the following questions:

What have you done with your life over the past year? How do you feel inside? What do you look like? Has your personality grown? Remember, this is you as you would like to be one year from now.

You can go back to reality (现实) now. If you actually tried this, you probably got in touch with your deeper self. You got a feel for what’s important to you and what goals (目标) you’d like to achieve next year.

________ First, you’re at important crossroads in life, and the paths you choose now can influence you forever. Second, if you don’t decide your own future, someone else will do it for you.

As Li Ping, a middle school student in Shanghai, discovered beginning with the end in mind is a powerful way to help turn your dreams into realities:

When I feel stressed, I’ve found it really helps me. I go someplace where I can be alone, and try to see the whole picture of my dream life—and then I begin to think about what I need to get there. This method started when I was a ninth grader, and today I’m making some of those pictures in mind become a reality.