7 Habits of Highly Effective People: A Book Review

                Change starts from within.

                Stephen Covey’s Book entitled “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” has divulged and articulated the epistemology of Personal Development. He has even said that highly successful people seem to have naturally developed them.

                7 Habits move us through the paradigm of inter-related and synergistic principles of effectiveness, each one powerful and worthy of adopting and following in its own right.

                First paradigm directs us from Dependence, the era in our life when we need to rely on others to care for us, to Independence, the period when we are already capable to make our own decisions and take care of ourselves. Dependence to Independence Paradigm contains the first three habits namely, Be Proactive, Begin With the End in Mind and Put First Things First, respectively.

                Through our imagination we could understand the first habit, “Be Proactive”, with the use of one small circle surrounded by a bigger circle. The small circle is our circle of influence. The bigger circle is our circle of concerns. We have myriad concerns in life but only a few of them do we have control. This is the explanation behind why the circle of concern is bigger than the circle of our influence. Proactive people focus their efforts on the things over which they have influence, and in the process often expand their area of influence up to the time of seizing the area of concern. Proactive people master the principle of personal choice and take responsibility of their life. They have the habit of focusing effort to areas in life where they have means of control and influence. Worries that disrupt their activities of daily living and stresses in life is lessened thus, providing them the momentum to go forward into the challenges of the race called successful life.  Meanwhile, reactive people often focus their efforts on areas of concern over which they have no control. Their complaining and negative energy tend to shrink their circle of influence. In easy words, being proactive is the ability to control the environment, rather than have it control you. Being able to control the environment through the use of one’s self awareness, imagination, conscience and independent will gives one the power to produce the result he desires, the principle we call effectiveness. We cannot move into the next habit without working first on our basic character by becoming proactive.

                “Begin with the end in mind” is the second habit. The end represents the vision of our life. Until we can say what that vision is, with assurance, then we just cannot direct our life in the manner that would bring us the greatest satisfaction. Knowing what our vision in life provides us a clear definition of our destination. This supports the statement that mental creation precedes physical creation as how a building follows a blueprint. We cannot materialize the deepest desire of our hearts in life as long as we do not know what they are. We need to have a dream, define our vision and get into the practice of setting goals which will allow us to make measurable progress toward the dream.

                “Put First Things First” as the third habit tells us that a well-balanced existence is not a life lived in exhaustion. Moreover, it says that we need not to intoxicate ourselves by the stresses of this complex life to say that we live completely to the fullest. It points to realizing that it’s all right to say no when necessary and then focus on our highest priorities, the first things of our life. Being proactive is about making responsible personal choice. Begin with the end in mind is all about personal vision. Putting first things first is making responsible personal choices to be able to materialize our personal vision. It is all about life management. If we put first things first, we are organizing and managing time and events according to our personal priorities.

                The first three habits help develop a deep base of character and personal security. Embedding these first three habits enable us to achieve our personal victory. Once these three habits become part of who we are, we are then ready to begin building rich enduring highly productive relationships with other people and that’s where the second paradigm where habits four, five and six come in.

                The second paradigm leads us from Independence to Interdependence under which we cooperate to achieve something that cannot be achieved independently. It represents the habits of Think Win/Win, Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood, and Synergize respectively.

                “Think win-win” as a habit enables us to see life as a cooperative arena, not a competitive one. Win-win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. It is based on the assumption that success follows a co-operative approach more naturally than the confrontation of win-or-lose.  Win-win means agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial and satisfying.  Moreover, persons or organizations that approaches conflicts with a win-win attitude possesses three vital character traits namely; integrity which is sticking with our true feelings, values, and commitments; maturity which enable us to express our ideas and feelings with courage and consideration for the ideas and feelings of others and; lastly, the abundance mentality in which we believe that there is plenty for everyone. In cases where a “win/win” deal cannot be achieved, accept the fact that agreeing to make “no deal” may be the best alternative. The effort in thinking win-win is spent on trying to understand where habit 5 comes in.

                “Seek first to understand, then to be understood” as the fifth habit is the most important principle of interpersonal relationships. It is magical in its ability to transform the course of discussions. By making the investment of time and effort required to understand the other party, the dynamics of the interchange are subtly affected. Covey explained this in his simple analogy ‘diagnose before we prescribe’. Effective listening to understand others is not simply echoing what the other person has said through the lens of our own experience. Rather, it is putting us in the perspective of the other person, listening empathically for both feeling and meaning. The concern of this habit is actually making the effort to understand what is being said by investing time and effort to really understand the other person’s position. Then, when it is felt by the other person that we do indeed understand, the dynamic changes.  Indeed, this habit is simple, effective, and essential for developing and maintaining positive relationships in all aspects of life. People become more open, more teachable, more interested in what we may have to say and with the mutual understanding that flows from this habit, we are now ready to practice habit 6; which concerns finding creative solutions.

                “Synergize” as the sixth habit states the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, which implicitly lays down the challenge to see the good and potential in the other person’s contribution. It supports that through mutual trust and understanding, we often can solve conflicts and find a better solution than would have been obtained through either person’s own solution. This habit can only be done successfully if we have first practiced habit 4, “Think win-win” and habit 5, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood”.

A perfect model for human interaction will be obtained if we put habits 4, 5 and 6 together. First, be mentally committed to the idea that a solution which will benefit all parties may be constructed. Second, invest the necessary time and effort to really understand the other party. And third, creatively brainstorm a synergistic solution - a natural product of mutual understanding and respect. Through the interconnections of these three habits under the second paradigm, we can then achieve public victory.

“Sharpen the Saw” as the seventh habit means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset we have, that is ourselves. Sharpen the saw is the habit of self-renewal. This habit surrounds all the other habits, enabling and encouraging them to happen and grow. Highly effective people always take time to sharpen the saw. That is, they regularly engage in the exercise of the four parts that make up the human condition: the spiritual, mental, physical and the social/emotional, which all need feeding and developing. Spiritual renewal means spending time in nature or, expanding spiritual self through meditation, music, art, prayer, or service. Mental renewal is done through learning, reading, writing, or teaching. Physical renewal is done by beneficial eating, exercising, and resting. And lastly, social/emotional renewal is materialized through making social and meaningful connections with others. Sharpen the Saw or self-renewal keeps us fresh so we can continue to practice the other six habits. We increase our capacity to produce and handle the challenges around us. Without this renewal, the body becomes weak, the mind mechanical, the emotions raw, the spirit insensitive, and the person selfish. Just remember that every day provides a new opportunity for renewal–a new opportunity to recharge ourselves. All it takes is the desire, knowledge, and skill.

Through this book entitled “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, Covey has shared to the world that effectiveness is achieved by aligning oneself to what he calls “true north” principles of a character ethic that he believes to be universal and timeless.