The end depends upon the beginning. (Phillips Academy motto)

But, the philosopher Plato said, “The beginning is the most important part of the work.” Actually, they’re both right. Every writer knows that getting his work off to a good start is important; otherwise, he may lose his reader in the first paragraph. Writers also realize, however, that they’d better know where they’re heading, what the end is intended to be.

The end of a matter is better than its beginning (Ecclesiastes 7:8).