I’m not typically into self-help books, but The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey has been cited often and has been recommended to me a few times. Today, I am excited to share some of the insights that I gained from the book with you.
- Be proactive
- It’s always better to be proactive (prepared) than it is to be reactive.
- Being proactive increases your ability to influence others. Prepared people are leaders, not followers.
- It’s important to assume responsibility when problems arise versus blaming or judging.
- Begin with an end in mind
- This involves planning, brainstorming, and visualizing before taking action.
- Put first things first
- Doing things well requires having a clear view of your big-picture goals and values.
- Effectiveness over efficiency
- Quality over quantity
- Essentialism
- Doing things well requires having a clear view of your big-picture goals and values.
- Think win-win
- We live in a competitive world, but we can’t make an impact with a win-lose mindset. Sometimes competition makes everyone lose.
- We need to work on investing in each other. Relationships are the foundation of success.
- Seek first to understand, then to be understood
- People tend to trust empathetic people; in other words, people who can listen and understand.
- Empathetic listening– Involves hearing what others are saying both verbally and nonverbally.
- Synergize
- Treat others with openness and respect.
- Identify strengths in others. Build up those strengths as you get stuff done and make things happen.
- Sharpen the saw (if you want to keep sawing)
- After considering the first 6 habits, one must keep self-care in mind.
- Self-care involves taking care of our bodies, minds, relationships, and our soul.
I hope this summary of the 7 Habits sparked some ideas for you. I will personally be focusing on habits 5 & 7 in the coming months. You can find this book here.
What habit stood out most to you? Share with me in the comments!
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