The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, first published in 1989, is a self-help book written by Stephen R. Covey. It has sold more than 15 million copies in 38 languages since first publication, which was marked by the release of a 15th anniversary edition in 2004. Covey presents an approach to being effective in attaining goals by aligning oneself to what he calls “true north” principles of a character ethic that he presents as universal and timeless.
[1] Contents|
The 7 Habits
Each chapter is dedicated to one of the habits, which are represented by the following imperatives: The First Three Habits surround moving from dependence to independence (i.e. self mastery)
* Habit 1: Be Proactive
Synopsis: Taking initiative in life by realizing your decisions (and how they align with life’s principles) are the primary determining factor for effectiveness in your life. Taking responsibility for your choices and the subsequent consequences that follow. Getting things done.
* Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Synopsis: Self-discover and clarify your deeply important character values and life goals. Envision the ideal characteristics for each of your various roles and relationships in life. It is always better to try and foresee situations. Predict outcomes and then think of worst case scenarios, will help come up with informed decisions.
* Habit 3: Put First Things First
Synopsis: Planning, prioritizing, and executing your week’s tasks based on importance rather than urgency. Evaluating if your efforts exemplify your desired character values, propel you towards goals, and enrich the roles and relationships elaborated in Habit 2. Prioritization is the key to the success of any business or in any walk of life. Being proactive rather than being reactive leads to success. The next three have to do with Interdependence (i.e. working with others)
* Habit 4: Think Win-Win
Synopsis: Genuinely striving for mutually beneficial solutions or agreements in your relationships. Valuing and respecting people by understanding a “win” for all is ultimately a better long-term resolution than if only one person in the situation had gotten his way. Everyone will feel inclusive and involved. A better environment of trust and loyalty establishes. * Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, then to be understood Synopsis: Using empathetic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. This creates an atmosphere of caring, respect, and positive problem solving. This can also avoid situations where the problem does not actually exist and its just a matter of misunderstanding. It is always said that listen double to what you talk since we have 2 ears to listen and one mouth to talk.
* Habit 6: Synergize
Synopsis: Combining the strengths of people through positive teamwork, so as to achieve goals no one person could have done alone. How to yield the most prolific performance out of a group of people through encouraging meaningful contribution, and modeling inspirational and supportive leadership. Everyone is a master of something and not everything. Positive potentials can be put together to achieve better results. The last habit relates to self-rejuvenation;
* Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Synopsis: The balancing and renewal of your resources, energy, and health to create a sustainable long-term effective lifestyle. This is constant improvement of one’s self in order to be a better human being and to sharpen one’s skills in order to achieve better results.
Abundance mentality
Covey coined the term abundance mentality or abundance mindset, a concept in which a person believes there are enough resources and success to share with others. It is commonly contrasted with the scarcity mindset (i.e. destructive and unnecessary competition), which is founded on the idea that, if someone else wins or is successful in a situation, that means you lose; not considering the possibility of all parties winning (in some way or another) in a given situation. Individuals with an abundance mentality are able to celebrate the success of others rather than be threatened by it.[2] A number of books appearing in the business press since then have discussed the idea.[3] The abundance mentality is believed to arrive from having a high self worth and security (see Habits 1, 2, and 3), and leads to the sharing of profits, recognition and responsibility.[4] Organizations may also apply an abundance mentality and while doing business.[5]
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey’s best-known book, has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide since its first publication in 1989. (The audio version became the first non-fiction audio-book in U.S. publishing history to sell more than one million copies.) Covey argues against what he calls “The Personality Ethic”, something he sees as prevalent in many modern self-help books. He instead promotes what he labels “The Character Ethic”: aligning one’s values with so-called “universal and timeless” principles. Covey adamantly refuses to conflate principles and values; he sees principles as external natural laws, while values remain internal and subjective. Covey proclaims that values govern people’s behavior, but principles ultimately determine the consequences. Covey presents his teachings in a series of habits, manifesting as a progression from dependence via independence to interdependence.
* Habit 1: Be Proactive
Synopsis: Take initiative in life by realizing that your decisions (and how they align with life’s principles) are the primary determining factor for effectiveness in your life. Take responsibility for your choices and the subsequent consequences that follow.
* Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Synopsis: Self-discover and clarify your deeply important character values and life goals. Envision the ideal characteristics for each of your various roles and relationships in life.
* Habit 3: Put First Things First
Synopsis: Planning, prioritizing, and executing your week’s tasks based on importance rather than urgency. Evaluating if your efforts exemplify your desired character values, propel you towards goals, and enrich the roles and relationships elaborated in Habit 2.
* Habit 4: Think Win-Win
Synopsis: Genuinely striving for mutually beneficial solutions or agreements in your relationships. Valuing and respecting people by understanding a “win” for all is ultimately a better long-term resolution than if only one person in the situation had gotten their way. * Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood Synopsis: Using empathetic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the listening, take an open mind to being influenced by you, which creates an atmosphere of caring, respect, and positive problem solving.
* Habit 6: Synergize
Synopsis: Combining the strengths of people through positive teamwork, so as to achieve goals no one person could have done alone. How to yield the most prolific performance out of a group of people through encouraging meaningful contribution, and modeling inspirational and supportive leadership.
* Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Synopsis: The balancing and renewal of your resources, energy, and health to create a sustainable long-term effective lifestyle. – Allow yourself to grow by maintaining a balanced program in the four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual.
Follow-ups to The Seven Habits
Follow-up titles to The Seven Habits aim both to add to the original and to form a cohesive philosophy on personal, principle-based leadership. They come in the format of audio books as well (such as the title Beyond The 7 Habits).
Covey has also written a number of learning-books for children. His son, Sean Covey, has written a version for teens and adults: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens. This version simplifies Covey’s 7 habits in order for younger readers to better understand them. ang pitong mga gawi ng mataas na epektibong mga tao ®
Dr Stephen Covey’s inspirational book – 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People ® Covey’s inspirational libro Dr Stephen – 7 mga gawi ng mga mataas na mabisang mga tao ® Dr Stephen Covey is a hugely influential management guru, whose book The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People, became a blueprint for personal development when it was published in 1990.