The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, written by Stephen R.Covey, is really an insightful book. I have learnt a lot from reading it and would like to share with you a summary of it.
Habit 1: Be Proactive
Proactive people believe they have control and do not blame other people or circumstances.
Proactive People take action in the areas they can do something about.
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Understand your destination so that you can take steps in the right direction. For example, before a person constructs a house, he tries to be clear of the type of house he wants. By keeping the end clearly in mind, you can be sure that whatever you do each day contributes meaningfully to your vision and manage yourself to do what matters most.
Habit 3: Put First Things First
Clarify your values and set goals. Plan and prioritize activities. Something that is important contributes to your mission and values. Effective people focus on opportunities, not problems.
What is the one thing you can do in your personal and professional life that can create a great positive difference in your life (for example, build relationships, recognize new opportunities etc)?
Habit 4: Think Win-Win
Win-Win is thinking that there is enough for everyone and seek to cooperate with others rather than compete, Thinking win-win can create a strong positive impact on your effectiveness.
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
The four basic types of communication are reading, writing, speaking and listening. Listen to understand not to reply. By listening deeply to others, you can notice the vast difference in perceptions. By deeply understanding others, you get accurate information and can work with others effectively.
Habit 6: Synergize
Synergy bring about the greatest powers among people. Synergy means working as a whole rather than as separate individuals. All parties gain insight and the momentum for more learning and growth is created. Synergies help expand minds and promote greater improvement.
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
This is the habit that make all the other habits possible. Sharpening the saw means preserving and enhancing ourselves, renewing our four dimensions: Physical, Spiritual, Mental and Social/Emotional.
Physical: Exercise, Nutrition and Stress Management
Spiritual: Value Clarification and Commitment, Study and Meditation
Mental: Reading, Visualizing, Planning and Writing
Social/ Emotional: Service, Empathy, Synergy and Intrinsic Security
Do not neglect any of the four areas or else the rest will be negatively affected. To be effective, we need to sharpen the saw in all four ways.
I highly recommend you to read the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R.Covey and understand the habits in detail. The book has sold more than 20 million copies. There are many examples in the book. Hope these habits help you in some way :)
To Your Prosperity,
