3.25

1

Apr 27, 2011

I would like to make clear that David Hasselhoff's appearance in this review should in no way be deemed to imply that I endorse or support his career in any way whatsoever.Thank you for your understanding.

FIVE "PRACTICAL" HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE

First, a few comments on the seven so-called “habits” identified in the book, namely:

1.Be proactive,
2.Begin with the End in Mind,
3. Put First Things First,
4. Think Win-Win,
5. Seek First to Understand, then to be understood,
6.
I would like to make clear that David Hasselhoff's appearance in this review should in no way be deemed to imply that I endorse or support his career in any way whatsoever.Thank you for your understanding.

FIVE "PRACTICAL" HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE

First, a few comments on the seven so-called “habits” identified in the book, namely:

1.Be proactive,
2.Begin with the End in Mind,
3. Put First Things First,
4. Think Win-Win,
5. Seek First to Understand, then to be understood,
6. Synergize, and
7. Sharpen the Saw

In a word…..crap!!
In several words, what a giant, steaming pile of new-age, masturbatory, corp-lingo, platitude spewing bullshit.

Think Win-Win…are you kidding me with this Jim Jones Kool-aid party chant?

Synergize….just hearing that word makes me throw up in my mouth.

Sharpen the saw….exactly…reading that phrase makes me literally want to sharpen the saw and slice a hate filled path through the contents of this book.

This book is like a giant fortune cookie full of sounds good but says nothing. My advice: rather than read this book, go get a six pack or a bottle of wine, grab some China Mieville or Dan Simmons and find a nice comfy tree to sit under while you read something that might actually expand your mind.

Now I certainly don't have any foolproof answers or magic exercises that will help you bring out the "inner-winner" inside you. However, I did come up five pracical (and hopefully a little humorous) habits that have proven to be pretty effective at making people successful in their chosen field (tongue planted firmly in cheek).

1. EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICAL SCIENCE TO BECOME THE BEST YOU CAN BE



2. BE BOLD, BE DARING AND DELIVER TO THE MARKETPLACE THE NEXT BIG THING



3. DON’T BE AFRAID TO USE THE FORCE TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOAL



4. GET IN GOOD WITH THE GERMANS



5. BE RUTHLESS PROACTIVE IN DEALING WITH THE COMPETITION



THE END.....
...more

4

Mar 30, 2009

This book explains 7 principles that make a person more effective personally and professionally. Covey shows how a principle-centered, character-based life helps you build the healthy relationships that are key to an effective life. This classic is well worth reading for its perspective and practical advice.

Concepts
Correct Principles: Covey frequently references his Christianity. He says the Habits are based on "Correct Principles" (aka Natural Law) found in Judeo-Christian scriptures and common This book explains 7 principles that make a person more effective personally and professionally. Covey shows how a principle-centered, character-based life helps you build the healthy relationships that are key to an effective life. This classic is well worth reading for its perspective and practical advice.

Concepts
Correct Principles: Covey frequently references his Christianity. He says the Habits are based on "Correct Principles" (aka Natural Law) found in Judeo-Christian scriptures and common to major religions.

P/PC Balance: Covey says you must maintain a balance between production (P; your output) and production capability (PC; your ability to produce). You must stay healthy and renew yourself (see Habit 7) or you'll get burned out and become ineffective. He uses the fable of the Goose and the Golden Egg as a metaphor.

Interdependence: Covey says the Habits lead you from dependence to independence to interdependence (cooperating with others to achieve a common goal; producing things greater than the sum of their parts).

The 7 Habits
Habit 1: Be Proactive
You choose how to respond to what life throws at you. Between stimulus and response lies your freedom to choose. Take responsibility for your actions.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Choose your short-term, daily behavior according to the plan you have for your entire life. Think about the legacy you want to leave. Put things in perspective; what would you want people to say at your funeral?

Habit 3: Put First Things First
Daily planning is too narrow and short-sighted. Weekly planning gives a better big-picture perspective of your goals, and allows for the flexibility to deal with the things that will inevitably come up.

People are more important than things, so plan your time accordingly. Be efficient with things, but effective with people. You can't be efficient with relationships; they take time. Instead of focusing on things and time, focus on relationships and results.

Only spend time on things that align with your deep values. Don't waste time on other things, even if it means saying no to requests. Don't prioritize your schedule; schedule your priorities.

Think of tasks in terms of urgency and importance. Focus on the important, even though they seem less urgent. Think preventatively to keep tasks from ever becoming urgent.

Use stewardship delegation instead of "gofer" delegation; teach a person to be the steward of the task you assign to them, rather than constantly telling them to "go for this" or "go for that".

Habit 4: Think Win/Win
Most of life requires cooperation, not competition. Work together with co-workers, friends, and family for mutual benefit. Approach everything in terms of "win/win or no deal"; if you can't reach a deal in which both parties feel they're winning, don't make a deal at all.

Create win/win agreements that clearly state expectations, privileges, consequences up front. This prevents you from having to figure those things out when issues arise, and makes the relationship more smooth because it causes each person to manage themselves.

Think in terms of the Abundance Mentality rather than the Scarcity Mentality; The quest for recognition, credit, power, and profit isn't a zero-sum game. Be happy when others succeed.

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood
Listen with the intent to understand, not to reply. Diagnose before you prescribe. Understand needs, concerns, situation before you give advice.

To understand others, listen with empathy. To be understood, present your views according to:
ethos: personal credibility
pathos: emotional alignment with the other person
logos: logical reasoning

You can't motivate people by appealing to satisfied needs (money, status, etc.); only unsatisfied needs motivate.

Habit 6: Synergize.
Value the differences in relationships. Oneness is not sameness, it's complementariness. Unity is not uniformity.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Renew and improve in yourself in the following categories, by spending at least an hour each day.
• Physical: Eat right and exercise.
• Spiritual: Find and carry an inner peace. Meditate, read scripture, or spend time in nature.
• Mental: Read good literature to gain the insights of others. Write, organize, and plan.
• Social/emotional: Understand others. Serve others, at work or through volunteering.

Afterward
Covey says a summary of the first 3 Habits is "make and keep a promise," and a summary of the next 3 Habits is "involve others in the problem and work out the solution together." He says the first 3 Habits are about integrity, and the next 3 are about loyalty. ...more

5

Sep 19, 2007

Ever since I worked at the bookstore at Virginia Tech, I would watch the douchebag* business major undergrads buy this book for their classes and look down upon them, and the book by association, as, well, douchebags.

*This is not to say that all undergrad business majors are douchebags. I've met one really really awesome one. Additionally, after working at a major university bookstore, a majority of all undergrad students can be fairly classified as douchebags. Jebus.

Consequently, I never picked Ever since I worked at the bookstore at Virginia Tech, I would watch the douchebag* business major undergrads buy this book for their classes and look down upon them, and the book by association, as, well, douchebags.

*This is not to say that all undergrad business majors are douchebags. I've met one really really awesome one. Additionally, after working at a major university bookstore, a majority of all undergrad students can be fairly classified as douchebags. Jebus.

Consequently, I never picked up this book. I hated the people who were reading it for class. I hated the people who were assigning it for their classes. I hated my job and I hated the area that I was living in. (I was, yes indeedy, a hater)

Obviously it wasn't the right time for me to read it.

My current boss (who is only occasionally a douchebag) is doing this huge self-help/life plan program, and from it, there is a major reading list. As I am a wee bit addicted to books, I immediately agreed, and when I started searching on Amazon for the reading list, "7 Habits" appeared on pretty much every single page. So I picked that one up too.

Excellent decision. I chose to read it first. It has taken me, probably three weeks to read it. I have ordered (with my boss' blessing) "The 8th Habit" and will read that shortly.

Every single page I found something that made me put the book down for a couple of minutes and think about it. I already know that I'm going to have to re-read this at some point in the near future. I would say this is required reading for humanity, but my father would have been the exception to that rule.

Basically, this book will teach you about effective ways to be a compassionate, kind, enjoyable human being. It will teach you about personal responsibility (personal as in to your self, and to others). It will teach you how to be a better parent, employee, spouse, daughter, or boss.

I can't give it enough praise. It is a truly outstanding book. ...more

1

Oct 25, 2007

I think the sign of a great book is when, right inside the cover there is a pull out brochure that encourages you to order more of the authors products - that's some quality shit when you see that.

But the book itself, well it has charts: flow charts, boxed charts, circle charts, up and down charts, sideways charts, charts with arrows, charts with triangles and charts with dotted lines.
This book uses words like "synergy" and "proactive"....repeatedly
This book has "application suggestions".
This I think the sign of a great book is when, right inside the cover there is a pull out brochure that encourages you to order more of the authors products - that's some quality shit when you see that.

But the book itself, well it has charts: flow charts, boxed charts, circle charts, up and down charts, sideways charts, charts with arrows, charts with triangles and charts with dotted lines.
This book uses words like "synergy" and "proactive"....repeatedly
This book has "application suggestions".
This book is shiny and it has 6 pages of recommendations before the title page.

This book makes me want to barf - A LOT! so much so, that I could even stop watching what I eat because I'd be barfing up all the calories anyway. I could eat and eat and eat and barf and barf and barf and it wouldn't be a disorder because it would all happen naturally - no effort on my part, just read and barf, read and barf - like that.

This book is my assigned reading for tonight, this review received more of my attention than the assigned reading will.
...more

3

Aug 11, 2011

- Hon, did you sleep okay? You look kinda weird.

- Well, I don't know how to say this...

- Yes?

- I had this dream where I talked with God.

- Was She black?

- No, I'm serious! I did! It was, like, utterly real. It was the most real thing that's ever happened to me.

The rest of this review is available elsewhere (the location cannot be given for Goodreads policy reasons)

0

Jul 29, 2011

This was recommended reading following on from a course and I found it to be an odd mix of the homely and the disturbing.

On the whole it's probably the dogmatic air of absolute certainty that I find disturbing, that and the way he describes how he reduced his son to tears over keeping the garden in good order. Reading this book is rather like having a very one-sided conversation with a particularly earnest and opinionated drunk who isn't shy to jab you in the chest with a fore-finger to This was recommended reading following on from a course and I found it to be an odd mix of the homely and the disturbing.

On the whole it's probably the dogmatic air of absolute certainty that I find disturbing, that and the way he describes how he reduced his son to tears over keeping the garden in good order. Reading this book is rather like having a very one-sided conversation with a particularly earnest and opinionated drunk who isn't shy to jab you in the chest with a fore-finger to underline a point.

That's not to say that the seven habits are bad, far from it. They are a quite reasonable and potentially useful set of habits. Whether effective people tend to have these habits or if having these habits will make you more effective is presumed but not proven by this book which is heavily anecdotal, but that is neither here nor there. The power of the argument and the vast number of sales lies in how the seven habits tap into our moral beliefs about the kind of habits we want to be able to have to make us successful, and more to the point the kind of habits that we want to believe make people successful, and in the great tradition of self help books it asserts the primacy of the individual will over any and all other circumstances. No war, want, injustice, disease, political, economic or social structure can hinder the truly just man girt by the seven habits. Business in this account is a battlefield in the moral universe, the victor, a sage at least if not a saint.

Be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win/win, seek first to understand and then to be understood, synergise and sharpen the saw are the seven habits. That's the meat of the book in one sentence.

I wonder if all of Covey's seven habits could be cribbed out of Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism? But equally perhaps we should remember that seven is a magic number, this really isn't a business book, it is a spiritual book. The seven habits are to stand firm against the seven deadly sins. Life on Earth for Covey is a probationary period for the life ever after, since Covey was a Mormon being true to his faith was due to be rewarded with stewardship of an entire planet. Clearly one needs to demonstrate effective stewardship over the smaller business of mortal life to be judged ready for such a substantial reward.

In turn this was another disturbing element to the book for me because this means that everything becomes functional. Having a picnic with your sweetheart isn't about enjoying life it is an important Quadrant II activity! This is a mechanistic view of the human experience and, sadder yet, a harsh one. The path to life everlasting is a narrow one, beset with dangers while storms around do rage. Fear not, lonely pilgrim, for Covey illuminates the way with quadrants and diagrams.

Yet there is optimism in his approach. Understanding triumphs eternally. Despite what he repeats about paradigm shifts he believes that everybody can come to see both alternative paradigms and appreciate their validity. Personally I suspect that every reader will be able to think of occasions when opposite points of view are not reconcilable. Honesty and realism has to temper any reading of this book.

Maybe my problem with this book is that everything is spelt out. It's a Sunday sermon and the pastor is going to read out every word and isn't going to be hurried on to his inevitable conclusions. Worth reading for a taste of the horror and the glory of late twentieth- early twenty-first century corporate life - but keep some salt handy. ...more

0

Apr 14, 2013

One of the most-highlighted books on Kindle, proving that human beings thrive on snappy buzz-quotes written by middle managers like David Brent who partake of the music of M People and Steely Dan Kool & The Gang, and whose souls were long ago vacuumed out in a boardroom somewhere during a PowerPoint presentation. Regard:

What you are shouts so loudly in my ears I cannot hear what you say.

This incoherent drivel has the most highlights. Regard the faux-profound self-importance of the “cannot” One of the most-highlighted books on Kindle, proving that human beings thrive on snappy buzz-quotes written by middle managers like David Brent who partake of the music of M People and Steely Dan Kool & The Gang, and whose souls were long ago vacuumed out in a boardroom somewhere during a PowerPoint presentation. Regard:

What you are shouts so loudly in my ears I cannot hear what you say.

This incoherent drivel has the most highlights. Regard the faux-profound self-importance of the “cannot” in this sentence, as though securing the attention of Jim Phelps CEO of E-Z-Clix Online Supplies is the pinnacle of human achievement.

Between stimulus and response, man has the freedom to choose.

You can say this imbecilic utterance in any accent, or at any speed you like, and it still would be a piece of drivelling cack. It would still linger on the brain for a second as a semi-intelligent observation, before pooling slowly to the floor like the incoherent dog-drool it really is when given two seconds thought.

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.

Die now. Die now, you patronising ill-bred country-club smug-face slab of nothing. See how that semicolon WINKS at you, as if to say: “Just listen to my me and everything will be all right. Just quote this vacuous frog-plop at the next AGM and sit back as the room erupts into spontaneous applause. Told you so!”

The ability to subordinate an impulse to a value is the essence of the proactive person. Reactive people are driven by feelings, by circumstances, by conditions, by their environment. Proactive people are driven by values—carefully thought about, selected and internalized values.

Translation: proactive people are greedy loveless cash-licking pus-heads.

It’s not what happens to us, but our response to what happens to us that hurts us.

Are you sure it’s not our response to our response to what happens to us that hurts us? Or our response to our response to our response to what happens to us that hurts us is what hurts us and us and us and them?

Effectiveness lies in the balance—what I call the P/PC Balance. P stands for production of desired results, the golden eggs. PC stands for production capability, the ability or asset that produces the golden eggs.

P = how many eggs stakeholders want chickens to shit out, vs. PC = how many eggs the chickens are capable of shitting out if kept in airless cages and fed reheated bull droppings. “Squeeze ‘em harder, Mr Pancks!”

The PC principle is to always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers.

Condescending fake-friendliness masking resentment and loathing.

For our purposes, we will define a habit as the intersection of knowledge, skill, and desire. Knowledge is the theoretical paradigm, the what to do and the why. Skill is the how to do. And desire is the motivation, the want to do. In order to make something a habit in our lives, we have to have all three.

OH MOMMY MAKE IT STOP! ...more

1

Sep 14, 2012

I read only the first twenty pages of this book, and that was enough to make me want to gouge out my own eyeballs. It is so repetitive and the author just gives all these ridiculous, impossible analogies that you're supposed to relate to or learn something from. He goes on for pages about himself and his job and his wife and kids. Totally unnecessary. It really is all just common sense stuff that you already know, but preached at you over the course of pages and pages of utter nonsense. For I read only the first twenty pages of this book, and that was enough to make me want to gouge out my own eyeballs. It is so repetitive and the author just gives all these ridiculous, impossible analogies that you're supposed to relate to or learn something from. He goes on for pages about himself and his job and his wife and kids. Totally unnecessary. It really is all just common sense stuff that you already know, but preached at you over the course of pages and pages of utter nonsense. For example, Covey writes that if you're not nice to your coworkers, you won't get far in your career.
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I know. Groundbreaking stuff, right? If you want to learn more, Mr. Covey has written you about 70 pages on the subject, so you're good to go. Believe me when I tell you that this book will most certainly NOT change your life in any way, shape, or form. I liken this author to that one uncle that will tell you his entire life story at every reunion, regardless of whether or not you're interested in hearing it. I should probably stop myself before steam starts coming out of my ears. I only have one thing to say to you, book.

...more

3

Jan 03, 2017

An okay book if you don't know how to manage your life it's probably really helpful but if you've thought about how to make yourself more productive or effective a lot of it's intuitive. Also like a lot of these books can only tell you things you have to make the changes yourself which is always the hard part so. This one was better written than most which I appreciate.

5

Dec 03, 2018

Holy cow, this is a book people either hate or they think it's great. There were so many one's. I didn't read the book so I didn't see all the charts. I listened to this in my car and so it was just the writing bits.

What I really enjoy about this book is these habits he describes are based on universal principles. Every religion uses these underlying ideas. They feel universal to me. I really appreciate how he describes win-win. I have not been living in win-win and it made so much sense. I Holy cow, this is a book people either hate or they think it's great. There were so many one's. I didn't read the book so I didn't see all the charts. I listened to this in my car and so it was just the writing bits.

What I really enjoy about this book is these habits he describes are based on universal principles. Every religion uses these underlying ideas. They feel universal to me. I really appreciate how he describes win-win. I have not been living in win-win and it made so much sense. I want to begin living life in a win-win mindset. It makes most sense, but will also take the most work. I must confess that I usually avoid conflict and then take the least conflicting way out, usually lose-win for me. I avoid situations I feel I might have conflict so much of the time.

I like the way he talks about paradigm shifts. How you see or perceive a situation will make a huge difference in the way you react to that situation and feel about it. This rings true with everything we study in my school and ways we learn to helps people in clinic. So much of our own misery comes from out we hold a situation. Sometimes, we simply need a new paradigm and he described this way of thinking so well I thought.

I also was drawn to the way he describes deep listening. Deep listening really is powerful. It is one of the biggest tools we have in the treatment to really connect to a person and really hear what they are asking for. I have actually been taught to deeply listen and it is truly a powerful tool to have. You can draw a person out with deep listening like nothing else really.

I felt Stephen gave very practical and useful tools to use and work with to change. They were feel good pie in the sky things. He had real tools. Not a whole lot of advice books do that. I have read many self-help books and I feel like this is one amazing book. I see why it was so popular and has sold so many copies. I had 2 people tell me how good this book was in the last month and that's why I finally picked this up. It's been on my too read list for decades.

For me, what Stephen is talking about here is a way to live at a deep level and work with people intradependently. This is the best way to accomplish great things in this world. I enjoyed how he spoke about dependent and intradependent. I like the word synergy.

This came at the perfect time when I'm trying to get a business started. I need to really work with these principles. I found this super helpful for me personally. IT does sound like a lot of work. ...more

2

Oct 05, 2018

If you're into stuff like this, you can read the full review.



Own Rituals: “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey


(original review, 2004)


"To learn and not to do is really not to learn. To know and not to do is really not to know."

"Love is a verb. Love – the feeling – is the fruit of love the verb or our loving actions. So love her. Sacrifice. Listen to her. Empathize. Appreciate. Affirm her."

"At some time in your life, you probably had someone believe in you when you didn't If you're into stuff like this, you can read the full review.



Own Rituals: “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey


(original review, 2004)


"To learn and not to do is really not to learn. To know and not to do is really not to know."

"Love is a verb. Love – the feeling – is the fruit of love the verb or our loving actions. So love her. Sacrifice. Listen to her. Empathize. Appreciate. Affirm her."

"At some time in your life, you probably had someone believe in you when you didn't believe in yourself."

In “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey


The above-mentioned quotes are some of the pearls of wisdom we can find in the book.


There's a story, probably apocryphal, about an Amazonian tribe's reaction to a group of Westerners (possibly miners or farmers or similar) who had created a settlement close to their village some time in the 1960s. ...more

2

Jul 18, 2016

I found this book a bit condescending and with too much of a religious feel to it. It also felt a little insincere and manipulative. I remember that everyone was reading it and swearing by it and that the author must have made millions on seminars and the like, but I found it too close to a cultish mentality and was unsurprised when several adepts of the book later tried dragging me in to pyramid schemes like Amway. Empty platitudes are not really incredibly useful. Read GTD instead!

5

Jul 02, 2008

Inspirational, developmental, and practical -- what a combination! The principles of behavior covered in this groundbreaking and long-respected book are of great worth to anyone seeking success in career, family, or any other aspect of their life. Covey discusses first the actions we must take (or habits we must develop) internally first - getting our heads and hearts right first. These include being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, and putting first things first. These constitute the Inspirational, developmental, and practical -- what a combination! The principles of behavior covered in this groundbreaking and long-respected book are of great worth to anyone seeking success in career, family, or any other aspect of their life. Covey discusses first the actions we must take (or habits we must develop) internally first - getting our heads and hearts right first. These include being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, and putting first things first. These constitute the "private victory." He then moves on to the "public victory," that is, the things that we can do that involve other people, and not just our own internal battles and development. These include, thinking win/win, seeking first to understand and then to be understood, and achieving synergy with others. Finally, he addresses the truth that we won't always be energetic and at our best in his discussion of personal renewal. Key to that is the idea of sharpening the saw...that is, we can only be at the top of our game for so long before we need to re-energize. Any serious athlete understands that principle.

Outstanding book, especially when linked with his expanded discussion of Habit 3, putting first things first, in the book by the same title. Another excellent complement to this book is "Crucial Conversations." ...more

1

Aug 20, 2007

Oh my Gawd, how much did I hate this one. We had to read this the summer before a freshman college Intro to Business Class - perhaps I read it at the wrong age? When Steven Covey starts talking about his kid mowing the lawn and the motivation behind it...ugh!

Needless to say, I only got through about 2 of the 7 habits - I guess I'm not a highly effective person. And I will not be purchasing any of Mr Covey's time management calendar systems either, thank you very much.

1

Jul 03, 2012

This is my husband's favorite book. Obviously he is more effective than I am.

Dividing my life into squares, writing in those squares the things I have to do, then doing the "most important" may make me effective, but is that my best life?

Choosing to do the things that I want to do rather than the things I need to do, adds interest to my existence. If I take the scenic route, and run out of gas doing it, I find adventure, and often meet AAA wrecker drivers who could write books on their This is my husband's favorite book. Obviously he is more effective than I am.

Dividing my life into squares, writing in those squares the things I have to do, then doing the "most important" may make me effective, but is that my best life?

Choosing to do the things that I want to do rather than the things I need to do, adds interest to my existence. If I take the scenic route, and run out of gas doing it, I find adventure, and often meet AAA wrecker drivers who could write books on their experiences. By forgetting birthdays and anniversaries, I find out who really loves me for myself. By forgetting about the time and shimming the door knob that has been bothering me for weeks, and then remembering that it is time to pick up my child from school, he learns independence and I can cross the darn rattling doorknob off my to do list. It's been driving me nuts.

I am tempted to write the 7 habits of highly haphazard people.

1. Be creative with your to-do list. Add color and doodles. If you can read it, you are not trying hard enough. Lose it.
2. Buy something you will never use, but if you can use it in a unique way (for which it was not intended) do that. (Colanders make great Halloween alien helmets. Add pipe cleaners for antennae.)
3. Set some clocks in your home ahead by a few minutes and some behind for a few minutes. You will learn a great deal about yourself and others.
4. Get a cat. Dogs make you feel important. Cats teach you humility.
5. Relish the wonder of soap bubbles blown in the sun.
6. Take the road that you've always been curious about. See where it goes. Learn how to turn around quickly in tight places.
7. Really listen to a small child as often as possible.

I am enjoying writing this, especially since I have company coming in a few moments and scads of things to do before they get here. ...more

5

Dec 29, 2016

Principles
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is one of those seminal pieces of work that everyone should read. It is not a business book, it is not a marriage help book, it is not a parenting book and it is not a friendship book. It is a book about YOU, in a holistic context. It is about provoking you to examine your core defining traits; personality, character, principles and ethics. In other words, it is NOT a quick self-help book it is about instilling fundamental habits, 7 to be exact. Principles
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is one of those seminal pieces of work that everyone should read. It is not a business book, it is not a marriage help book, it is not a parenting book and it is not a friendship book. It is a book about YOU, in a holistic context. It is about provoking you to examine your core defining traits; personality, character, principles and ethics. In other words, it is NOT a quick self-help book it is about instilling fundamental habits, 7 to be exact. These habits take us from our base level of being a dependent person, as in childhood, through Independence, as in adulthood, to Interdependence, as a contributing member of society and family. They are defined as:

1. Be Proactive
2. Begin with the End in Mind
3. Put First Things First
4. Think Win-Win
5. Seek First to Understand Then to be Understood
6. Synergise
7. Sharpen the Saw – Continuous Improvement

The principles are as sound today, as they were when Stephen Covey initially wrote them thirty years ago. They have always been core to personal attainment and effectiveness, and the world would be a better place if we all lived by these habits. The language is getting dated and some of it has been so widely used, and misused, that it’s a bit awkward in today’s vocabulary. Nevertheless to contemplate these values and commit to them, is literally life-changing.

I would say 5 stars for the impact this book has had, and 4 stars for the language being a bit aged. 4.5 stars would be about right. ...more

5

Feb 29, 2016

I bought The Seven Habits at a yard sale for $1 with little knowledge of its contents. Years later, when my life dipped to a low ebb of meaning and motivation, I picked it off the shelf in hopes of finding a spark. Inside I found wisdom, compassion, a direct approach and a love of humanity.

The result wasn't immediately transformative. The methods and techniques Covey espouses didn't fall into place and turn me into a whirlwind of positive productivity. Reading The Seven Habits was just one of I bought The Seven Habits at a yard sale for $1 with little knowledge of its contents. Years later, when my life dipped to a low ebb of meaning and motivation, I picked it off the shelf in hopes of finding a spark. Inside I found wisdom, compassion, a direct approach and a love of humanity.

The result wasn't immediately transformative. The methods and techniques Covey espouses didn't fall into place and turn me into a whirlwind of positive productivity. Reading The Seven Habits was just one of many moderate steps on a journey that, years on, still stretches endlessly into the horizon.

But the part that had the greatest effect on me, looking back, is the notion of the Personal Mission Statement; a written representation of who you are and who you want to be. It's a credo or philosophy, written to reflect your values and edited over time to refine the edges of your philosophy. It demonstrates the power of organizing what you feel and writing it down or speaking it out loud.

And with that I share my Personal Mission Statement; consulted often, edited occasionally, some points followed more consistently than others.

-When something seems wrong about how I pattern my life, I will analyze that pattern and change if it makes sense.

-I matter to others and they matter to me.

-I will look before I leap, but sometimes I will leap.

-I will write down my ideas.

-When I lose myself in reverie, I will turn to my to-do list rather than internet engagement.

-I will continue to write even if my content is receiving diminishing attention.

-I will carve out time each week to be around other people.

-I will favor truth over cleverness in my articulation.

-I will maintain my health through strong nutrition and consistent activity.

I will leave room for flights of fancy.

-I will leave the house with the intention of being early.

-I will act when I know there is something to do.

-I will write events on the calendar as they come up.

-I will minimize my multitasking.

-Not everything I say has to sound clever; I will make an effort to giving encouragement and obeying social graces.

-I shall ask for help and I shall offer it.

-When I wake up I will engage my legs or mind promptly.

-The names of others matter and I will learn them.

-When life gets stressful, I will harness that stress.

-I will speak well of people behind their backs.

-There are stories everywhere and I shall find them.

-I will respond to people online promptly; say within an hour or when I know what to say.

-I will go to bed when I feel tired.

-Not every big step will take me far.

-My Checklists serve me, not the other way around. ...more

4

Aug 21, 2015

I had to read this book for a professional development seminar. Then, I re-read it again, for personal reasons. It’s a book that is rich and dense, but worth the time and energy.

The first notion that struck me was ‘the fundamental shift of perception’, which changes our perspective on things in matter of seconds. When I rose above myself and did this, all of a sudden I was not the same person. Quite a few things that I’ve been trying very hard to change for a long time, changed almost I had to read this book for a professional development seminar. Then, I re-read it again, for personal reasons. It’s a book that is rich and dense, but worth the time and energy.

The first notion that struck me was ‘the fundamental shift of perception’, which changes our perspective on things in matter of seconds. When I rose above myself and did this, all of a sudden I was not the same person. Quite a few things that I’ve been trying very hard to change for a long time, changed almost immediately.

The second was the statement ‘listen, not to respond, but to comprehend’. I realized I’ve been doing just the opposite, ever since I learnt to speak. All those other advices I’ve received on effective communication boiled down to nothing, because they all focus on how to make the other person listen! If there is one technique that has improved my relation with people, both personal and professional, it’s this: now I listen to understand, see things from the perspective of the other. The book is worth just for this.

I love his notion of synergy in creating values, but this is also the notion that pains me the most, because this is the least I see around me. May be it’s the human nature not to seek synergy, but, in any case, I’ve applied this in my personal relations, and that has changed my life.

His chapter on renewal convinced me to have a role and goal. It’s so basic, yet I had never taken the time to do it. It gave me a meaning to my life, for the first time.
...more

5

Apr 09, 2019

An outstanding book that leads you to the different dimensions of positivity. The author has suggested some fundamental psychological facts about our life. All seven habits suggest in the book is really awesome. If you will follow all these minutely then surely you will end up your life with a big name and fame.

5

Mar 03, 2015

One of the most disappointing experiences of my life was going to Columbia University in hopes of an education -- by which I mean being taught how to deal with people, and my own emotional needs, and make plans for my future. This was in the mid-eighties. Well, the books I had to read at Columbia had nothing to do with anything as mundane as making a living or liking yourself or understanding how to work constructively with other people.

I really, really wish I had read this book as a Columbia One of the most disappointing experiences of my life was going to Columbia University in hopes of an education -- by which I mean being taught how to deal with people, and my own emotional needs, and make plans for my future. This was in the mid-eighties. Well, the books I had to read at Columbia had nothing to do with anything as mundane as making a living or liking yourself or understanding how to work constructively with other people.

I really, really wish I had read this book as a Columbia freshman in 1981. Of course it wasn't written till 1989. Still, I'm convinced that reading the 7 Habits would have taught me more than reading Homer's ILIAD or Plato's REPUBLIC.

What Stephen R. Covey does is so much more than just telling sales types how to win friends and influence people. He teaches you how to think about what you really want from life, and how to express those goals, frame them in a workable context, and make them possible by connecting with other people. Those are all skills I didn't have when I entered Carman Hall in the fall of 1981, and I didn't have them when I left Furnald Hall for the last time in 1985.

It seems to me that these fancy Ivy League colleges do nothing but rip people off, especially in the Humanities divisions. They don't teach practical job skills, or self-development, or leadership, or anything else. They don't encourage skepticism or independent thought. Nobody even pretends that reading Homer's ILIAD will help students find a job, or even know how to look for a job. Jobs aren't important, because, hey, only rich kids go to Columbia! And if you're not rich, you don't really belong, so who are you to question the curriculum?

Of course no one expressed it in quite that way. When I was at Columbia in the Reagan Eighties, a lot of the more left wing professors took pleasure in sneering at kids my age as being materialistic and lacking ideals. They kind of made you feel that you had no business hoping for any kind of practical benefits from your education. And they were really, really clear on the fact that undergraduates had no business asking for help. They weren't there to help. They were there to lecture. And they weren't thinking win-win!

If I could have my college education to do over again I wouldn't go to Columbia. I wouldn't read Homer's Iliad or Plato's Republic. But I would definitely read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People! ...more

2

Jan 15, 2017

I'm not able to rate this fairly as a reader coming to it in 2017. This was one of the first "personal development" books, and the other 4 thousand books I've read on the topic all borrow from it heavily. The thing is, they borrow from it, and then make it better in every way: more interesting, more relevant, better writing, more concise writing, better anecdotes and examples.

This is a classic, but I don't recommend reading it.

5

Jun 29, 2013

It took me months to finish the book, as I kept practicing and re-read the habits from time to time. Besides, the book's contents is very compact that requires full focus to absorb all the ideas. But it's worth. Remind me of principles in life, giving practical guides on how to change ourselves, how important human interaction is. Praises are not enough for this powerful book. It's a must read book for a man in his quest for excellence.

5

Oct 19, 2012

Paradigm shift

We must look at the lens through which we see the world

We first have to change ourselves, have to change our perceptions

We see the world, not as it is, but as we are

The United States today is the fruit of paradigm shift

Paradigm is the source from which attitudes and behaviors flow

Listening

Listening involves patience, openness, and the desire to understand

Problem

The way we see the problem is the problem

Habit

The intersection of knowledge, skill and desire

Happiness

What we want now and Paradigm shift

We must look at the lens through which we see the world

We first have to change ourselves, have to change our perceptions

We see the world, not as it is, but as we are

The United States today is the fruit of paradigm shift

Paradigm is the source from which attitudes and behaviors flow

Listening

Listening involves patience, openness, and the desire to understand

Problem

The way we see the problem is the problem

Habit

The intersection of knowledge, skill and desire

Happiness

What we want now and what we want eventually

Dependence to independence to interdependence

Life is, by nature, highly interdependent

Effectiveness

(1) What is produced (2) capacity to produce - (P/PC)

Effective people are not problem-minded but opportunity-minded

Effectiveness lies in the balance

Social paradigm

More projections than reflections

Freedom to choose

Can you look at yourself almost as though you were someone else?

We are not our feelings. We are not our moods. We are not even our moods

Between stimulus and response, man has the freedom to choose

We are free to choose the action, not to choose their consequences

Reactive people

Reactive people build their emotional lives around the behavior of others

Driven by feelings, conditions and environment

Proactive people

Proactive people are driven by values -- carefully thought about

Their response to the stimuli is a value based choice or response

What hurts us

It's not what happens to us, but our response to what happens what hurts us

Victor Frankl

Three central values in life:

(1) Experimental: what happens to us

(2) Creative: what we bring into existence

(3) Attitudinal: our response in difficult circumstances

Meaning comes from within

Love

Reactive people make it a feeling

Proactive people make it a verb

Circle of concern / circle of influence

Where we focus our time and energy

Reactive people focus on circle of concern

Proactive people focus on circle of influence

Areas of problems

(1) Direct control

(2) Indirect control

(3) No control

Proactive approach

Change the formula, change the result

Change from inside-out

Acknowledge a mistake, correct and learn from it

Begin with the end in mind

All things are created twice. First in mind, then physically

Accept the responsibility for both

Habit 1 says "you are the creator". Habit 2 is the first creation

Habit 1 says "you are the program". Habit 2 says "write the program"

Management / Leadership

Management is the bottom line

Leadership is the top line

Management is the efficiency in climbing the ladder of success

Leadership determines whether ladder is leaning against the right wall

Leadership: constantly monitor environmental change. Organize resource in right direction

We are trapped in management paradigm, thinking of control, efficiency and rules instead of direction, purpose and family feeling

Rescripting

Through imagination we can visualize the uncreated worlds

Through conscious we come into contact with universal laws

Combined with self-awareness, these two help us to rescript our own script

Mission

People can't live with change if there's not a changeless core inside them

Sense of who you are, what you are about and what you value

Fankl: We detect rather than invent our missions

Goals

Goals give structure and organized direction to your personal mission

Center of life

Whatever is at the center of our life will be the source of our security, guidance, wisdom and power

Security represents your sense worth

Guidance means your source of direction

Wisdom is your perspective on life

Power is the faculty or capacity to act

Principles

Principles are deep, fundamental truths, classic truths, generic common denominators. They are tightly interwoven threads running with exactness, consistency, beauty, and strength through the fabric of life

Brain

Left hemisphere: logical, verbal, parts and specifics, analysis, sequential thinking, time bound, manage

Right hemisphere: intuitive, creative, wholes and relationship, synthesis, holistic thinking, time free, lead

Expand your mind. Visualize in rich detail. Involve as many emotions and feelings as possible. Involve as many of the sense as you can

Affirmation

Five basic ingredients: personal, positive, present, visual, emotional

Put first thing first

Habit 3 is the second (physical) creation

Time management

First generation: notes and checklists

Second generation: calendar and appointment books

Third generation: prioritization, setting goals

Fourth generation: challenge is not manage time but to manage ourselves

Urgent

Urgent means it requires immediate attention

Its visible

Important

What contributes to your mission

Four quadrants

(1) Urgent / important

(2) Important / not urgent

(3) Urgent / not important

(4) not urgent / not important

As long as you focus on quadrant one, it keeps getting better

Samuel Johnson

There could be no friendship without confidence, and no confidence without integrity

Golden Rule

Do unto other as you would have others do unto you

Relationships

In relationships, the little things are the big things

In relationship, fear replaces cooperation

People are very tender, very sensitive inside

Keeping a commitment or a promise is major deposit

Breaking one is a major withdrawal

The cause of almost all relationship difficulties is rooted in conflicting or ambiguous expectations around roles and goals

Integrity

Integrity is conforming reality to our words

Leo Roskin

It is the weak who are cruel. Gentleness can be expected from the strong

Rebellion

Rebellion is the knot of heart, not of mind

Think win-win

It means that agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial, mutually satisfying

Win-win sees life as a cooperative, not a competitive arena

There is plenty for everybody

Belief in third alternative

Win-lose

Authoritarian approach. Prone to use position

We are deeply scripted in the win-lose mentality since birth

The academic world reinforces it

Lose-win

No standards, no demands, no expectations, no vision

Seek strength from popularity or acceptance

Intimidated by the ego strength of others

Win-lose people love lose-win people

Character

Your example flows naturally out of your character

Your character is constantly radiating, communicating

Listening

Most people do not listen with the intent to understand, they listen with intent to reply

They're either speaking or preparing to speak

Filtering everything through their own paradigms

Reading their autobiography into other people's lives

The opposite is empathetic listening

Ethos

Personal credibility. Integrity

Pathos

Empathic side. You are in alignment with other's trust

Logos

Logic. Reasoning part

Synergy

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts

Synergy is everywhere in nature

Everything is related to everything

It is creative cooperation

To value and respect the differences

There is psychic synergy taking place in our own head

Manage from the left, lead from the right

Sharpen the saw

Renewal of four dimensions in balance

Quadrant II activity

Build your body in three areas: endurance, flexibility, and strength

Writing is a powerful way to sharpen the mental say

Be a positive scripter, an affirmer

See unseen potential in people

See them in fresh way

The upward spiral

Keep progressing, we must learn, commit and do (repeat)

The lord work from the inside out

The world work from outside in

The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change the human character - Ezra Taft

And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we began - T. S. Eliot ...more

3

Nov 25, 2011

This book was just alright. I was slightly disappointed as I have had this book recommended to me by countless people so I did expect better. I felt it could have been condensed to a quarter of its size easily.The book was also written in the 80s and I could easily tell (personally, I feel it's in need of a 21st Century update). I did give it 3-stars though because there were parts I found useful and interesting, especially the section about writing a mission statement for oneself. I guess this This book was just alright. I was slightly disappointed as I have had this book recommended to me by countless people so I did expect better. I felt it could have been condensed to a quarter of its size easily.The book was also written in the 80s and I could easily tell (personally, I feel it's in need of a 21st Century update). I did give it 3-stars though because there were parts I found useful and interesting, especially the section about writing a mission statement for oneself. I guess this book may be more suited to people in the business world. ...more

5

Jan 18, 2009

This book changed how I worked and how I set goals. It isn't the feel-good self-help book it appears.

Read again before going back to work in January 2014. I think it's fitting that the first time I read this, I was in grad school and planning for the future, and that I would read it again as I leave behind the career I was planning for back then. Well, somewhat. I'm letting music librarianship go and focusing on being an assistant director in the library, and also to figuring out what the next This book changed how I worked and how I set goals. It isn't the feel-good self-help book it appears.

Read again before going back to work in January 2014. I think it's fitting that the first time I read this, I was in grad school and planning for the future, and that I would read it again as I leave behind the career I was planning for back then. Well, somewhat. I'm letting music librarianship go and focusing on being an assistant director in the library, and also to figuring out what the next move will be in a few years.

A couple of things I'm mulling over after the second read:
-Moving beyond to-do lists, which can be a false sense of achievement
-Not letting work be the only place where goals are set
-Valuing difference
-Becoming a person who helps others achieve their goals
-Quadrant II (again) ...more