The
7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Habit
1: Be proactive
“Habit
1 is the key to unlocking all other habits and that’s why it comes first. It says,”
I am the captain of my life. I can choose my attitude. I’m responsible for my
own happiness or unhappiness. I am in the driver’s seat of my destiny, not just
a passenger.”
No one else is going to get you where you
want to go, it’s up to you. Take ownership of your problems, and realize that
nobody else is going to solve them for you. The most effective way to handle a
problem is to focus on finding a solution. Focusing on things that are out of
your control is a waste of time, so focus on what you can control with the
final outcome. Some people’s approach to achieving goals is both simple and
effective: set your goal and then work backwards from that goal to establish
metrics to track and evaluate it. It’s important to have a clearly defined goal
that is quantifiable so you can determine if you actually reached it or not. Be
humble and take a hard look at what you are doing and how you are doing it. Be
completely honest with yourself about what is not working instead of making
excuses.
The physical creation follows the mental, just as a building
follows a blueprint. It's about connecting again with your own uniqueness and
then defining the personal, moral, and ethical guidelines within which you can
most happily express and fulfill yourself. Begin with the End in Mind means to
begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction
and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles to make
things happen. It focuses on what you want to be and do. It is your plan for
success. It reaffirms who you are, puts your goals in focus, and moves your
ideas into the real world. Your mission statement makes you the leader of your
own life. You create your own destiny and secure the future you envision.
You have to recognize that not doing everything that comes
along is okay. There's no need to overextend yourself. All it takes is
realizing that it's all right to say no when necessary and then focus on your
highest priorities. Everybody has tasks s/he does not like. Recognizing when
these tasks are so important they have become ‘the first thing’ and doing them
first is what disciplined people do. But being disciplined is also about not
doing tasks when they do not have priority. You should question yourself
regularly whether the matter you are turning your attention to is urgent or
important, or maybe both. Realize that whenever you say ‘yes’ to one thing, you
will no longer have time for something else. Time is the most valuable and
least replaceable of all resources.
“Think
win-win or no deal”
Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind
“Control your own destiny or someone else will”
The physical creation follows the mental, just as a building
follows a blueprint. It's about connecting again with your own uniqueness and
then defining the personal, moral, and ethical guidelines within which you can
most happily express and fulfill yourself. Begin with the End in Mind means to
begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction
and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles to make
things happen. It focuses on what you want to be and do. It is your plan for
success. It reaffirms who you are, puts your goals in focus, and moves your
ideas into the real world. Your mission statement makes you the leader of your
own life. You create your own destiny and secure the future you envision.
Habit 3: Put First Things First
“Organize and execute around priorities”
You have to recognize that not doing everything that comes
along is okay. There's no need to overextend yourself. All it takes is
realizing that it's all right to say no when necessary and then focus on your
highest priorities. Everybody has tasks s/he does not like. Recognizing when
these tasks are so important they have become ‘the first thing’ and doing them
first is what disciplined people do. But being disciplined is also about not
doing tasks when they do not have priority. You should question yourself
regularly whether the matter you are turning your attention to is urgent or
important, or maybe both. Realize that whenever you say ‘yes’ to one thing, you
will no longer have time for something else. Time is the most valuable and
least replaceable of all resources.
Habit
4: Think Win-Win
“Think
win-win or no deal”
Think
Win-Win isn’t about being nice, nor is it a quick-fix technique. It is a
character-based code for human interaction and collaboration. Win-win requires
that you be both. It is a balancing act between courage and consideration. To
go for win-win, you not only have to be empathic, but you also have to be
confident. You not only have to be considerate and sensitive, you also have to
be brave. To do that–to achieve that balance between courage and
consideration–is the essence of real maturity and is fundamental to win-win. The
opportunities over here are as big as all outdoors…and each hour of each day,
the task will grow easier, and more satisfying – for all of us.
Things are not
your problem and yet you immediately associate the problem with your own
experiences and before you know you blurt out an advice. Check how you react to
people during the next ten times you encounter someone. The reason for this is that
the perception others have of you changes when you listen emphatically. Your
friends, colleagues, and family will start experiencing you as an open person,
and hence will start opening up themselves to you. After you find out how you
are currently doing, it is time to decide where you will focus on. You can take
one of the four keys of empathetic listening, and every time someone uses the
word ‘problem’ or ‘issue’ or ‘can you help me’, this is your cue to implement
your new way of listening and reacting.
Synergize is the habit of creative cooperation. It is
teamwork, open-mindedness, and the adventure of finding new solutions to old
problems. But it doesn't just happen on its own. It's a process, and through
that process, people bring all their personal experience and expertise to the
table. When people begin to interact together genuinely, and they’re open to
each other’s influence, they begin to gain new insight. The capability of
inventing new approaches is increased exponentially because of differences. We
could enlarge the conversation. Draw others in from different professions and
cultures. The very tangible set of benefits that would emerge would grow.
Sharpen The Saw discusses self-renewal, self-care,
self-respect and self-improvement. Sharpening The Saw must be balanced across
these four 'dimensions'... otherwise an imbalance will be created. We can
offset an imbalance for a while, but not long-term. When organizations ignore
four-dimensional balance, inefficiencies, defensiveness and lack of synergy ensues
creating a loss in productively, customer satisfaction and ultimately
profitability. Sharpening The Saw is an ongoing process of personal change --
not something you can binge -- like your favorite TV show. You need to define
your own balanced, four-dimensional life to be successful! If you are a leader,
I believe part of your role is to help the people who report into you and/or
look up to you, explore these dimensions and establish goals for themselves.
Be proactive
when you are outside with others to show your good personality and make your
body more energetic into the athletic activities. Begin with the End in Mind
means to begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired
direction and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles
to make things happen. All it takes is realizing that it's all right to say no
when necessary and then focus on your highest priorities. Think Win-Win isn’t
about being nice, nor is it a quick-fix technique. Things are not your problem
and yet you immediately associate the problem with your own experiences and
before you know you blurt out an advice. Synergize is the habit of creative
cooperation. Sharpening The Saw must be balanced across these four 'dimensions'...
otherwise an imbalance will be created.
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, then to be understood
“Diagnose before you prescribe.”
Things are not
your problem and yet you immediately associate the problem with your own
experiences and before you know you blurt out an advice. Check how you react to
people during the next ten times you encounter someone. The reason for this is that
the perception others have of you changes when you listen emphatically. Your
friends, colleagues, and family will start experiencing you as an open person,
and hence will start opening up themselves to you. After you find out how you
are currently doing, it is time to decide where you will focus on. You can take
one of the four keys of empathetic listening, and every time someone uses the
word ‘problem’ or ‘issue’ or ‘can you help me’, this is your cue to implement
your new way of listening and reacting.
Habit 6: Synergize
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts (1+1=3)”
Synergize is the habit of creative cooperation. It is
teamwork, open-mindedness, and the adventure of finding new solutions to old
problems. But it doesn't just happen on its own. It's a process, and through
that process, people bring all their personal experience and expertise to the
table. When people begin to interact together genuinely, and they’re open to
each other’s influence, they begin to gain new insight. The capability of
inventing new approaches is increased exponentially because of differences. We
could enlarge the conversation. Draw others in from different professions and
cultures. The very tangible set of benefits that would emerge would grow.
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Four Dimensions of Self-Renewal: Physical, Mental,
Spiritual, Social/Environmental
Sharpen The Saw discusses self-renewal, self-care,
self-respect and self-improvement. Sharpening The Saw must be balanced across
these four 'dimensions'... otherwise an imbalance will be created. We can
offset an imbalance for a while, but not long-term. When organizations ignore
four-dimensional balance, inefficiencies, defensiveness and lack of synergy ensues
creating a loss in productively, customer satisfaction and ultimately
profitability. Sharpening The Saw is an ongoing process of personal change --
not something you can binge -- like your favorite TV show. You need to define
your own balanced, four-dimensional life to be successful! If you are a leader,
I believe part of your role is to help the people who report into you and/or
look up to you, explore these dimensions and establish goals for themselves.
Reflection: 7 habits of Highly Effective People
Be proactive
when you are outside with others to show your good personality and make your
body more energetic into the athletic activities. Begin with the End in Mind
means to begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired
direction and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles
to make things happen. All it takes is realizing that it's all right to say no
when necessary and then focus on your highest priorities. Think Win-Win isn’t
about being nice, nor is it a quick-fix technique. Things are not your problem
and yet you immediately associate the problem with your own experiences and
before you know you blurt out an advice. Synergize is the habit of creative
cooperation. Sharpening The Saw must be balanced across these four 'dimensions'...
otherwise an imbalance will be created.
