Begin With The End in Mind

By Justin Robinson, Aspiro Clinical Director

Recently I attended my grandfather’s funeral and while I was very saddened by his passing, my prevailing emotion surrounding his death was a deep sense of gratitude. Gratitude for his influence on me; Gratitude for the family traditions he helped established; Gratitude for his example; Gratitude for the legacy he left.

When the sadness crept in it was due to my realization that I could have done more to get to know him.

Listening to the speakers at his funeral, I was inspired and felt committed to better following his example.

My grandpa was a very respected orthodontist. People came from all over the world to consult, observe and learn the techniques he was pioneering which he freely shared at no cost with all who would come yet he avoided the spotlight and recognition for his accomplishments. My grandpa’s commitment was not to personal gain but rather on providing the best possible service to his patients. Through this commitment he was driven to find new and better ways to help his patients achieve what they wanted. His philosophy that guided his work and helped to shape his techniques was to begin with the end in mind.

Grandpa had a way of looking at people. He had a way of looking at the faces of his patients seeing beyond their immediate appearance regardless of how mangled the mouth or how crooked the teeth, and viewing the potential that lay within. By seeing the potential and not just the present problems or flaws, I believe it opened my grandpa’s eyes to the solutions. Grandpa was able to hold this vision in his mind’s eye as a guide in the work he was doing for them, even inspiring him to develop new techniques that were revolutionary in the field.

After the funeral as I pondered this philosophy I made the connection that grandpa’s legacy expands far beyond the field of orthodontia. As I reflected I realized that it is when I am living true to grandpa’s way of seeing people that I am most effective in my life. In my work as a therapist, when I successfully see beyond the current problems and hold a vision of the future, it helps guide my interactions with the individual. I believe the positive energy associated with that vision is at times felt by the individuals I am helping and helps them to believe and buy in to the interventions I am prescribing. I do believe that seeing others this way helps me to assist them in finding the solutions and paths that will help them overcome their problems and challenges to reach their potential.

All too often I encounter people discouraged, worn out, and frustrated by the trials they are facing.

The problems they are facing seem so large that at times it feels impossible to for them see anything but the problem. But if all we are seeing is the mangled mouth and the crooked teeth I believe we miss out on the insights that only come when we are looking at life from a very different perspective. I would like to challenge anyone desiring to invite change to apply my grandpa’s philosophy of beginning with the end in mind.

Reconnect with the good in that person, find the vision of future potential and hold onto it no matter how different the present reality may be. Trust that when you are seeing a person this way, they will feel a difference and likely respond differently to you. Trust that by holding this vision of the person in your heart and mind this future perspective will help you see more clearly how to interact in a way that will invite and create the changes you are hoping for.