How Effective are Your Habits Making You?

 

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Stephen Covey wrote a bestseller titled the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Powerful Lessons in Personal Change -in which he gives 7 proven principles for success.

 

 

 

[bctt tweet=”We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit” – Aristotle ” username=”SallyCanning”]

 

 

1 – Be Proactive.

Well, this one is pretty easy.  It’s about you taking the initiative.  Living proactively rather than reactively.

 

2 – Begin with the End in Mind.

How do you dream / intend you’ll end up?  Where will you be?  Who will you be?  What will you be doing?  Effectiveness isn’t just about reaching a goal it’s also about doing the right thing, doing it your way.  it’s about ending up in a place that’s perfect for you and others.  How you want to be remembered?  Does your life path make your heart sing?  Do you feel like you touch the lives of others in a positive way?

 

3 – Do first things first.

This is about focusing on your most important priorities, which doesn’t necessarily mean urgent. When you are speaking to your loved ones are you giving them your full attention or is your mind elsewhere.? Responding to a message or a phone ringing may feel urgent but it may turn out to be something inconsequential and you lost the opportunity to stay connected in the moment.  Focus on your top priorities.

 

4 – Think Win Win

Whatever the relationship – personal or business exercise “interpersonal leadership” to make both parties winners.
Think win/win so everyone benefits. Is being ‘right’ such a big deal?  For someone to ‘win’ means that someone else is left feeling hurt and injured which creates anger and resentment.

 

5 – “Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood”

Communication works both ways. To develop win/win relationships, you have to find out what is important to the other person. As  the old story goes – You have to walk a mile in another person’s shoes before making judgements or casting aspersions.

 

6 – “Synergize”

Cooperation enhances the power of one. In fact, “creative cooperation” creates synergy – a force greater than the sum of its parts – where each complements and strengths the other.

 

7 – “Sharpen the Saw”

There’s an old story about a man who is exhausted by sawing a log.  The more he saws, the less he cuts.  Someone suggests that he take a break to sharpen the saw.  But the man says he couldn’t stop to sharpen the saw because he is too busy getting the job done!

He couldn’t see that a blunt saw was making his task so much harder and tiresome. Highly effective people take care of themselves they look after their tools – their bodies, their souls, their mind and their hearts. It’s a metaphor for “self-renewal.”

 

Tell us about your habits – what makes you effective?