Beginning With The Ending

I recently read about an author who wrote the ending of the story first, after which he wrote the rest of the story to fit the ending.  This seemed backwards until I realized that what we do with many things in our life.  I pictured a career then found the appropriate studies to fit that dream.  As a cook, I picture the final meal, then make preparations that will enable me to place that meal on the table. I  wonder if most of us would not do better in life if we lived this way.  Get a picture of how we like our life to be, and then make choices that make our life fit that goal.  I heard an sermon that suggested we write our obituary and then live up to it.  Not a bad suggestion--begin with the ending and make the rest of life's story fit that ending.