Dr. Covey has done something in this first part of the book, in the way he categorizes the body of work used for years to yield successful individuals since the birth of our nation, which I have failed to pick up in my other reading. Up until this book, many other volumes of success driven literature has focused on two things, Personality and Character ethics. Both these, Covey suggests, focuses on how a person sees himself, his environment, his behavior and interaction with others (this is the short and skinny). Covey suggests that the main thing that should be developed is the paradigms that we use to make our decisions. He suggests that our view of the world usually needs to be redeveloped before we can become more effective individuals with good constructive habits. He calls this change a “paradigm shift”.
Selected Quotes:
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“Habits can be learned and unlearned. But I also know it isn’t a quick fix. It involves a process and a tremendous commitment.”
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“Happiness can be defined, in part at least, as the fruit of the desire and ability to sacrifice what we want now for what we want eventually”
“Needs arise only when you deprive yourself”- A Course in Miracles
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“In our quest for short-term returns, or results, we often ruin a prized physical asset- our body or our environment. Have you ever invaded principle to increase your standard of living, to get more golden eggs? The decreasing principle has decreasing power to produce interest or income. And the dwindling capital becomes smaller and smaller until it no longer supplies even basic needs. Our most important financial asset is our own capacity to earn. If we don’t continually invest in improving our PC, we severely limit our options.
“Be Patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it is holy ground. There is no greater investment.”
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Today I started reading the first ten pages of chapter 3’s 7 Habits of highly effective People. The book is heavy and deep. The author requires you to think beyond the words. To capture and understand, in some cases, the words behind the meaning. I had to stop, think and take notes. Much of what I read is common sense, but as humans, how often do we practice good common sense.
A theme of the chapter was effective self-management or managing yourself effectively. What does managing yourself effectively entail? In the last paragraph on p.147, the author gives his definition of management (to long and unnecessary to restate). But the words he used are:
breaking down, analysis, sequencing, application and self-government.
What is the key ingredient to self management?
The power of independent-will people is motivating yourself? Agree?
Who are independent-will people? The author uses Helen Keller as an example. Can you think of others.
Independent-will people have personal integrity (a high value on themselves)
Independent-will people are discipline? Agree?
To be an effective manager and an independent-will person you have to manage your time? This requires efficient scheduling. Agree?
What do you think of the author’s Time Management Matrix on page 151? Do you agree with his theory that we should strive (seize the opportunity) to do things important that are not urgent.
As Peter Drucker stated, effective people are not problem-minded but opportunity-minded. Do you agree?
Are you a proactive, independent-will, opportunity seizing person?
Do you agree with the author, the way you spend your time is a result of the way you see your time and the way you really see your priorities?
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