The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Few days ago, I found myself nibbling through my 2005 files when I made a learning portfolio featuring one great book as a requirement to my Education 1 subject.

This post is published in memory of late Dr. Stephen R. Covey(1932-2012), an articulate author, businessman, motivational speaker and the beautiful mind behind the #1 Most Influential Business Book of the Twentieth Century - The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. 

I couldn't argue that his book has a special force (in a positive way) that influenced me in my self-evaluation and effectiveness in a holistic way. Thanks Dr. Covey! The world will never forget you and the principles you've shared.

This is my attempt to make an abridge version of my paper.

Habit 1: Be Proactive

The Habit of Personal Vision

All changes start within. Inside out. As Robert H. Schuller said,

"If it's going to be, it's up to me."

If we want change, it starts from us - our beliefs, principles, words and action. We have a choice. We can opt to blame our family, the society, church or the government. We can choose to take action and responsibility of our life. Not tomorrow. Now.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

The Habit of Personal Leadership

"Success has nothing to do with speed but something to do with direction." 

To have a clear vision of our destination in life. Envision your future. Knowing where we are and where we want to go puts us in the advantage. Life may overwhelm us with lots of seemingly rewarding things in the present, jam-packed schedule, active lifestyle. But the real deal is, does these activities draw us closer to our life goals.

Thanks to Walt Disney's vision 70 years ago, family and friends can now enjoy the magical world of Disneyland.

Habit 3: Put First Things First

The Habit of Personal Management

"Time is God's gift to us, what we do with our time is our gift to God."

God gave us all 60 minutes an hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year, +1 on a leap year. Equally. It's amazing how other people manage to accomplish significantly.   

"Give me a man who says, 'This one thing I do' and not 'This 50 things, I  dabble in.' " --D.L. Moody

Sometimes it's learning to say "No" to good things, so we can say "Yes" to better and more essential ones.

Habit 4: Think Win-Win

The Habit of Interpersonal Leadership 

A frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human relationships. Seeing life more of a cooperative than a competitive arena. We must stress that life is not about games and competition. Not about winning or losing. 

Life is not always the benefit of me, myself and I. It should be the benefit of we and us.

In every drama, both the hero and the villain complements and adds flavor to the story.

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand and then be Understood

The Habit of Emphatic Communication

The best encouragement we can give to our friends who are going through crucial times is not to give advice but simply be there to listen to them. Listen to feel them. Listen to understand. There are times we just listen, so we can babble our opinion and seemingly expertise in the matter. Emphatic listening is  more than just hearing words and story. Its also understanding the intent and feelings of the person. So we would be able to respond with love and sensibility.

Habit 6: Synergize

The Habit of Creative Cooperation

When two or more people work together to understand something they can create a phenomenon called "synergy."

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

The Habit of Renewal

"When you're through changing, you're through" --Bruce Barton

Sharpening the saw means enhancing the greatest asset that you have - Y-O-U. As a living creature of this  evolving planet, we cannot afford to be left behind, we must learn to grow with it.