A classic in the self-help genre, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey offers straight-forward advice for life. The comprehensive strategies shared by the author are both simple and insightful and can be applied to all areas of life, personal and professional. Readers of all ages and backgrounds will likely find the lessons in this book powerful for many years to come.
Powerful Life Lessons From Stephen Covey
The author is perhaps one of the most well-known self-help authors in the world. He is a highly respected authority in the field of leadership development and has written several other bestselling books on similar topics including Principle-Centered Leadership and First Things First. He is also the co-chairman of Franklin Covey Company, which offers many popular products including day planners and various workshops for boosting personal productivity and developing successful life habits.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was voted the #1 Most Influential Business Book of the Twentieth Century by Chief Executive Magazine. It has sold more than ten million copies in 28 languages and in seven countries. Simply put, this book has influenced the lives of millions both personally and professionally.
How Does Stephen Covey Define a Highly Effective Person?
The book outlines seven essential habits or personal behaviors that are common in effective people. Covey defines “effective” as a formula: the P/PC Balance. P stands for production while PC stands for production capability. Essentially, an effective individual must learn to balance his mindset, focusing on the goal (the benefit of productivity) while simultaneously staying committed to the process necessary for achieving the goal (the continuous development of capability). This represents a balance of short-term and long-term thinking.
Covey suggests that the reader, by embracing the 7 habits, can develop a stronger character, along with the ability to effectively solve problems and maximize opportunities in life. The author empowers the reader to commit to a life of continuous development and upward spiritual growth. Effectiveness, by all measures, appears to be Covey’s definition of the ultimate state of being—a state in which one is at peak performance mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually.
What are the 7 Habits Defined by Stephen Covey?
The habits as defined by Covey are as follows:
Habit 1: Be Proactive
Effective people know that they must act or be acted upon. By being proactive, not reactive, they have the ability to expand their circle of influence.
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Effective people know what is truly important. They understand their core principles and have developed a personal mission statement to guide them in their decision-making.
Habit 3: Put First Things First
Effective people understand priorities and act appropriately on them.
Habit 4: Think Win/Win
Effective people have a frame of mind for mutual benefit. They possess maturity, integrity and an abundance mentality.
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand Then to be Understood
Effective people practice empathic communication. They listen with the intent to understand —receiving information, not projecting judgment.
Habit 6: Synergize
Effective people respect both sides of their nature—the analytical and the creative—and have the ability to create synergy, which is defined as the “highest activity in life—the true test and manifestation of all the other habits put together.”
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Effective people are continuously renewing the various dimensions of self—physical, mental, social/emotional and spiritual. They care for themselves in all areas, constantly enhancing their capabilities and progressing forward.
Stephen Covey’s book is a classic because the lessons are timeless—they will remain relevant for decades to come. The 7 habits defined are profoundly powerful and readers from all walks of life will consider this book an essential element in their self-help library.
Source:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. Free Press, 1989.
ISBN: 0-671-70863-5
Christine Scivicque - Chrissy has been a passionate student of personal development for over 15 years. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration ...
