Begin with the End in Mind

Do you ever get that "song" in your head that you just can't get out no matter what you do?  Do you know what's playing in my head? Of course not, well, let me tell you, it's (insert track): Food glorious food, we're anxious to try it, three banquets a day, our favorite diet....You get the picture (It's from Ice Age 2)....Of course while I'm trying to create my little angel is running around singing because she's trying to get me excited about Ice Age 4.  Why did I bring up this little parallel? Well, TPT of course!  I can't get it out of my head.  I dream about things to do, I'm constantly looking at everything for inspiration. It's good!  You get a spark.  At least I do.  Zig Ziglar said that we have it wrong when we think that we'll get motivated to action, but actually "we should get moving (start the action) and the motivation will follow."  So true.  I didn't really have a title for this blog until just this moment....We are gearing up for a full fledged year of students, lessons, Common Core standards, parents, not to mention our own personal lives....What does this have to do with what I just quoted by Zig?  We are teachers....we are constantly moving forward, no matter what. We move forward to ACTION always and that action keeps us motivated throughout the year!  Stephen Covey, a man whose work I greatly admired left us with 7 Highly Effective Habits that we can use in our classrooms, TPT, and life:

Habit 1: Be proactive
Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind
Habit 3: Put First Things First
Habit 4: Think Win Win
Habit 5: Seek to first understand, then to be understood
Habit 6: Synergize
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

I'll be re-reading and re-committing myself to these principles to help me throughout the year.  How will you prepare?  I'd love to hear some things that keep you going....

Happy Teaching

Kimberly