7 Habits of Highly Effective People

The 7 habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey is a self-improvement book. Covey states that the way we see the world is entirely based on our own perception. He goes ahead and says, “In order to change a given situation, we must change ourselves, and in order to change ourselves, we must be able to change our perceptions.” (Stephen R. Covey, 1989).

The following are the 7 habits of highly effective people

1. Be proactive
We are in charge. We choose the script on how to live our lives. We need to use this self-awareness to be proactive and take responsibility for our own choices. We need to challenge ourselves to test the principle of proactivity by doing the following:

•  Start choosing the proactive language over-reactive language.
• Reactive: “He makes me so mad.”
• Proactive: “I control my own feelings.”
• Change reactive assignments into Proactive ones.

2. Begin with the end in Mind
Start with a clear destination in mind on where you are headed in life. Steven states that we can visualize the details on the exact things and goals we want to attain and use our conscience to decide what values will guide us. It is very important to identify our center. Whatever is the center of our life will be the source of our purpose in life.
We need to challenge ourselves to test the principle of beginning with the end in mind by doing the following:

•  Visualize in rich detail your own graduation. If you are starting/ joining university, you need to attentively visualize your graduation. Who will be there? What are you saying about your university experience? What graduation gown are you wearing? Think about how your priorities would make you pass and graduate. Start living by the priorities.

3. Put first things first
For you to manage yourself effectively, we must put first things first. We must have the control to prioritize what is important and not what is most urgent. We must implement the Pareto Principle which states that 80% of your results come from 20% of your time. We should always maintain a primary focus on relationships and results, and a secondary focus on time.

4. Think win-win
We must be able to commit to creating win-win situations that are mutually beneficial and satisfying to each party. This can be achieved through having an Abundance Mentality, where we believe that there is plenty out there for everyone.

5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood
Before suggesting a solution or offering advice, we must seek to deeply understand the other party and their perspective through listening carefully first. Stephen Covey, states that’ “Seeking to understand requires consideration; seeking to be understood takes courage.” At the point when we are ready to introduce our thoughts plainly, and with regards to a deep comprehension of the other individual’s requirements and concerns, we fundamentally increase the credibility of your thoughts.

6. Synergize
By comprehension and esteeming the distinctions in someone else’s point of view, we have the chance to make synergy, which permits us to uncover additional opportunities through transparency and imagination.
Synergy permits us to make new other options and open additional opportunities. It permits us collectively to on the whole consent to dump the old scripts and compose new ones. Synergy allows us to

• Value the differences in other people as a way to expand ur perspective
• Sidestep negative energy and look for the good in others

7. Sharpen the saw
We must put some time aside for renewing ourselves physically, spiritually, mentally, and socially. This allows us to synergistically increase our ability to practice each habit.

• To improve physically, we must eat well, get sufficient rest and relaxation, and exercise on regular basis.
• To improve spiritually, we must practice daily motivation, read the bible and read god literature books.
• To improve mentally, we need to read good literature.

Finally, in order to improve socially, we need to deeply understand other people and make contributions to meaningful projects that improve the lives of others.

George Wachiuri is a leading Entrepreneur, a Published Author, Philanthropist, Youth Empowerment Enthusiast, a Family man, and CEO of Optiven Group.

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