EP159 S05 – Key Takeaways of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Do you want to know what successful people consistently do? Let’s revisit a classic today: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. #AdvancedQualityPrograms #TheQualityGuy #The7Habits
After selling 25 million copies in 40 languages, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has become an icon in the field of leadership and personal development. Like the other two books we explored, this will be a high-level review of the entire book to inspire you with ideas and potentially ignite your interest in exploring it strategies to change your life.
Covey built this book on the principle that inner success precedes external success. He affirms that a “private victory” must come before any “public victory.” Essentially, personal mastery comes first. He discusses how habits are the building blocks of the life you want to create.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is not a get-rich-quick method. It’s about strategic, deliberate change to create your own destiny. Covey draws a distinction between effective and efficient progress. Many of us are caught up in “time management” when efficiency is not the primary objective we should be pursuing. He says that we should think about what is most important to us and see if it is the center around which our life revolves, without worrying about efficiency. There is no use in being “efficient” if what we are doing lacks meaning or essential value. Effectiveness then is more important in that sense. So, let’s get into the habits.
Habit #1: Be Proactive
Your life doesn’t just “happen.” Whether you realize it or not, it is carefully designed by you. The choices, after all, are yours. You choose happiness, sadness, decisiveness, ambivalence, success, failure, courage, and fear. The key lies in remembering that every moment and situation provides a new choice. In doing so, it gives us the perfect opportunity to do things that produce positive results.
Being proactive in life means taking responsibility for your life. We are responsible by being proactive. Proactivity is our ability to respond to situations (both good and bad) in a way that means taking responsibility. We choose the direction and course we will follow, and the decisions we make affect how we respond to any situation. Proactive people take responsibility for their lives and actions.
Proactive vs. Reactive: What is the difference?
Proactive people choose their behavior. Reactive people let others choose their behavior. Proactive people take control of their own emotions. Reactive people believe others control their emotions by giving away their power. Proactive people direct their intentions and actions toward what they want. Reactive people let other people direct them and tell them what to do.
Reactive people are affected by their environment, giving up responsibility for the outcomes they have in life. They don’t take responsibility, shift blame, have fluctuations in attitude and emotions…
Covey suggests that one of the best ways to become proactive is to control and watch the quality of your language. Your language creates the quality of your life so we need to learn to use phrases like “I can,” “I will,” and “I prefer,” instead of “I can’t,” “I have to,” or “if only.”
Habit #2: Begin With the End in Mind
“Begin with the end in mind” is based on the principle that all things are created twice. There’s a mental or first creation, and a physical or second creation to all things. This principle is much like the carpenter’s rule: measure twice, cut once. It is to figure out what you want in life before you end up with something you may not want.
The best way to do this is by developing a personal mission statement. Goals and milestones will follow, guiding your journey. This will allow you to make daily decisions that align with your purpose, passion, and the destination you are seeking.
Habit #3: Put First Things First
Covey says, “Habit 1 says, ‘You’re in charge. You’re the creator.’ Being proactive is about choice. Habit 2 is the first, or the mental creation. Beginning with the end in mind is about your vision. Habit 3 is the second creation, the physical creation. This habit is where Habits 1 and 2 come together.”
This habit is about setting priorities and executing daily on those priorities that will take you closer to your goals. In that sense, priorities fall into four quadrants: Important and urgent, Important and not urgent, Urgent but not important, and not urgent nor important.
The goal is to spend as much of your time in Quadrants 1 and 2. Live in these quadrants and you will be effective. Avoid, as much as possible, Quadrant 4 where not urgent nor important tasks happen, like scrolling on social media, where many of us tend to waste time.
Habit #4: Think Win/Win
Most people tend to think in dichotomies: strong or weak, hardball or softball, win or lose. But this kind of thinking is fundamentally flawed. It’s based on power and position rather than principle. Win/Win is based on the paradigm that there is plenty for everyone, that one person’s success is not achieved at the expense or exclusion of others. This habit is all about learning to think abundantly. There is always a win/win solution in business, relationships, and life, if you are open to it.
Habit #5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
This habit speaks for itself, but it really emphasizes the importance of developing empathy and a genuine interest in what others are communicating. When we prioritize understanding, we become far more effective communicators and leaders.
Habit #6: Synergize
Synergy is created when people and teams work together cooperatively. This habit evolves naturally when all the other habits are in place, creating a result greater than the sum of its parts. This generally happens when you, as a leader, foster openness to ideas, solutions, and input from others within your Circle of Influence. The key is being open to ideas, diversity, and differences of opinion, both mental and emotional.
Habit #7: Sharpen the Saw
Sharpening the saw is about regularly renewing and recharging the four key dimensions of your life: physical, spiritual, mental, and social. Without recovery and personal development, our ultimate potential cannot be realized.
Physical: Developing a sense of well-being and health.
Spiritual: Developing a sense of peace through meditation, inner reflection, and other practices.
Mental: Expanding your mind, learning new skills, and mastering current ones.
Social: Nurturing relationships and connections with others.
Sharpening the saw is, in my opinion, crucial for continuous growth and improvement.
This book definitely deserves your time. Covey does a great job of making the case for developing habits that will allow you to create lasting change in your life.
What about the quality philosophies of the book? Well, sincerely, all of it. Modern-day personal and professional development depends on an understanding of these 7 Habits. Lasting change and optimization only come from developing these 7 Habits, which build your character from the inside out, personally, professionally, and globally. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People might be the best summary of a whole semester of a personal MBA. Apply these principles to project management, to finances, and you will definitely get results.