BEGINNING FROM THE END

Executive Summary

I recently received a proposal and had to flick through 13 pages to get to the end to reach the essence, my response to the sender was as below:

"Executive Summary to be Section 1. Reason: Senior people want to go to the end from the beginning, so we should position the document accordingly."

People who are in the habit of beginning with the end in mind are in the habit of achieving. Focusing on the 'essence' and 'the essence of the essence' allows us to remove wasted information and activity and subsequently frees up our time to be deployed for useful and vital information and activity - giving us results and vitality in the process.

Micro Level And Macro Level

The mentality of beginning from the end is important at all levels, from preparing for a day to day meeting to having a life plan. This is because of the rule mental creation first and physical creation second. Put simply, if we think things through properly from how we will use our life to what we want as an outcome from a meeting, we are far more likely to get what we want. And on the contrary, if we do not do the mental creation, either someone else would have done it for us or we will end up with random outcomes at best, or outcomes we are not happy with at worst. Let me demonstrate this to you with two experiments...

Experiment 1

Take a look around your room (the one you are in now physically) for 5 seconds and focus on everything that you see in the colour red. Stop reading this and look around for 5 seconds 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Now close your eyes and recall all the red items you saw and list them in your mind. Now think of how many green items you can remember without looking again! You'll remember a lot more red things than green things right?

Outcome of the experiment: You can only get what you focus on and if you don't have anything to focus on you will only get random stuff :(

Experiment 2

Go on to YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn and spend 1:30 minute on each website.

Now grab a piece of paper and write down your biggest obstacle at work or business. Next, choose YouTube, Facebook or LinkedIn to as your source of a solution for your obstacle for 4:30 session. Due to thinking from the end at the beginning, you should have a clearer benefit of the same time on the same websites.

Outcome of the experiment: You can only get what you focus on and if you don't have anything to focus on you will only get random stuff :(

Use 360° Beginning From the End

As I have used this type of thinking over the years, it has helped to to save time and heartache and focus on the things that matter. Thinking from the end and taking the opinion of others will sharpen our thinking and give others the impression you are super smart. One of the accomplished methods of becoming more creative and a solutions orientated is to think in this way. Below are a set of questions that help me in investing in property and may be a guide to help you in whatever walk of life you are from...

Investors or Landowners:

What you thinking? What is your ideal outcome? How do you see it working between us? What are you trying to achieve? What is your investment need? Can you provide me proof of funds? How do we intend to move the funds? Where are your funds at the moment? Is it available in cash? How soon are you able to move funds? What are your obstacles in moving funds? Lets agree on process of moving funds. Let's discuss deal breakers between us now? I will need to control the delivery of the delivery development, are you ok with this? We do shariah compliant structures only, does this work for you? What is important to do in the heads of terms? Give me a date of when we should sign the contract? Let's define our exit plans from now.

All of the above are orientated with the end in mind, to eliminate wastage in time and effort and maximise the possibility of a positive result.

Deal Sourcers and Estate Agents:

Can you arrange the site owner to meet me tomorrow to close the deal? What is your relationship to the site? Can you get me the following information? What is your fee? We will need time to do my DD, a minimum of one month will this be ok? How many properties were listed with you in 2017 and 2018? What proportion did you sell in which time frame? If you cannot sell my flats within 60 days, I will change or terminate the contract is this ok? Lets define how you will get paid now...

The End

Physical creation comes after the mental creation. From visualising a building, to sketching a build to building a building. From planning a discussion and visualising the outcomes, to its execution. Beginning from the end will help to save time and trouble, make it easier to achieve goals, and is not a guaranteed way of getting what we want. BUT it is much more likely will be enabled you to get the things you want and allow a better control of your own life.

Would love to hear from you...

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Babrul Matin, is also known as Zubair.

Babrul is known as the ‘Islamic Investor’, he is best known for Real Estate development in the UK market. Babrul's mission is to combine ethical performance with profitability, and drive shariah compliant investment and business practices in real markets across the Globe. Babrul has written for, or been covered by, The BBC, The British Council, The Red Money Group, The Office for Standards in Education, The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, Islamic Finance News, as well as various councils and local newspapers.