The highly effective 7 Habits, as laid out by the legendary writer Stephen R. Covey in his book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” have transformed countless lives. These habits are not just a checklist for success but a lifestyle that every individual must cater to both in personal and professional terms.
The author also speaks about how an individual always focuses on complaining and how it disrupts his entire life. Complaining keeps you still and stuck, it doesn’t let you go ahead, it doesn’t let you act, and when you don’t act, looking for healthy results would only be the dumbest expectation.
The book speaks about the highly effective 7 habits and we are here to summarize them all for you to give you a gist. Remember, you can’t let go of the book as a whole, this article can provide you with a trailer, but to understand the whole picture, you must read it entirely, the book has so many stories and practical examples to ensure its implementation in your life.
1. Be Proactive:
This one’s a game-changer. One of the habits from the list of the highly effective 7 habits is all about taking charge, and becoming the captain of your ship. Instead of being a passive observer of life’s twists and turns, proactive individuals grab the wheel and navigate their course themselves. It’s about taking initiative and being responsible for one’s actions.
The author also suggests that one should visualize his/her grave and ask real practical questions. This practice of self-questioning leads to clarity and hence, readjustments in life become easier and inevitable.
2. Begin with the End in Mind:
Living unconsciously is what people do all the time. Being proactive about life is a conscious choice one needs to make according to this second rule or habit. How will you be proactive about yourself and your life if you don’t have a final goal or a summary of your life?
We humans operate in an automated way and that’s where the problem of the world begins. Humans can become the master of the world only if they take life in their control, rather than leaving everything to God. Remember, God helps those who help themselves.
Give the universe your life’s final aim, and then start working backward from the goal point. When you know what you want from your life, it becomes easier to navigate yourself towards it using the reverse method. It becomes far easier to make plans and adjust your life accordingly.
3. Put First Things First:
One of the highly effective 7 habits is putting first things first. It encourages individuals to prioritize activities based on importance rather than urgency and less important. By focusing on high-priority tasks, highly effective people ensure that their time and energy are invested in activities that align with their goals and values, or in simplest words, as he said,
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
While making plans, you must understand what is crucial for you and your life and then acting on those plans is more beneficial than making random urgent plans that have no potential to contribute to your future. Learn to differentiate the gap and make plans accordingly.
To inculcate the highly effective 7 habits, we also must learn to say ‘NO’ to activities that only seem urgent but only influenced by our fear and limitations of our mind.
Do not neglect the most important tasks of your life, they are the key to your happiness.
4. Think Win-Win:
Habit number four is a mindset shift from ‘either I win or you win’ to ‘we both win.’ Imagine a world where everyone collaborates for mutual benefit – that’s the essence of this habit. It’s about fostering relationships and partnerships that create a win-win scenario for all involved.
+1 -1 = 0
+1 +1 = 2
Hence, even mathematically proven, for you to win, the other person doesn’t have to lose. It’s the ego game that we indulge in that ends up messing up things for everyone.
Hence, support others’ work as well and it will benefit you in ways you can’t imagine.
5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood:
Communication is the glue that holds relationships together, and habit number five, is “Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood”. This habit underscores the importance of empathetic listening.
Become open-minded and non-judgemental first if you want to inculcate this habit. Understanding that the perspectives can be various and yours is only the result of your experience also gives you a gateway to enter a realm of the real Universe. The universe operates on so many stories, and not just one. How can you be completely perfect based on the story that only you lived?
Respect everyone’s story and get your options widened. By truly understanding others, you pave the way for genuine connections, collaborations, and a healthy social life.
6. Synergize:
Synergize or you can say, combine strengths!
This one’s all about the magic that happens when diverse talents and perspectives come together. It’s like a symphony where each instrument, unique in its sound, contributes to creating a masterpiece.
One of those highly effective 7 habits is to embrace diverse opinions and perspectives, which leads to solutions you can’t reach alone. Remember, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Embracing diversity, encouraging creativity, and working collaboratively – that’s the heart of synergizing,
7. Sharpen the Saw:
Last but certainly not least, we’ve got habit number seven – “Sharpen the Saw.” Imagine you’re chopping the wood, and your axe gets dull. Do you let it go, or do you get it sharpened? Similarly, this habit is your reminder to take care of yourself – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It’s the fuel that keeps your engine running smoothly.
Find out time to do important things like,
- Working out ( Here we have mentioned WHY!).
- Read (We have talked about that too here).
- Eat healthy
If you can’t bring these simple and important things into your routine, how can you think of surviving with tears, sadness, and depression?
In a nutshell, the highly effective 7 habits are not just principles; they’re a roadmap to a more fulfilling and successful life. Remember, it’s not about perfection but progress.
Incorporating the highly effective 7 habits into your daily routine is like giving yourself a personal recharge. So go ahead, and start today!
