The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Be proactive
Begin with the end in mind
Put first things first
Think win/win
Seek first to understand, then to be understood
Synergize
Sharpen the saw (increase your capacity for productive action)


If you try to use human influence strategies and tactics of how to get other people to do what you want, while your character is fundamentally flawed, in the long run you cannot be successful. Your duplicity will breed distrust, and everything you do will be perceived as manipulative.

"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." -- Albert Einstein

Production vs. Production Capability - invest in your future, don't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs, and don't neglect the now for the later.

The determinisms: genetic, psychic, or environmental "excuses"
The stimulus-response cycle is different in humans - it's more like stimulus - perception - response


Reactive people are driven by feelings.

The three types of problems: direct control, indirect control, and no control.
Anytime we think the problem is "out there", that thought is the problem.
-- assume nothing is static about the future
-- avoid conversation in which someone won't be helped

Try the thirty-day test of proactivity
-- reminds me of the "If you can do it for a month, you can do it for the rest of your life" idea

It's easy to climb the ladder of success only to discover it's leaning against the wrong wall.
It's possible to be very busy without being very effective.
-- the Ronald McFondle philosophy: "Take more action. Take more effective action."

Plan things before you do them.
Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.

Develop a personal mission statement:

-- my mission statement:
recognize, influence, and exploit patterns and dynamics for profit

-- to fulfil this mission:
pay attention
stay transcendent
be creative
do my best
reexamine situations periodically
plan

-- these roles take priority in achieving my mission:
renaissance man: have a wide body of knowledge to draw from
observer: be aware of things as they unfold
warrior: take action, be disciplined, vanquish fears
friend: get guidance, opportunities, and assistance from other friends
commander: make plans, exercise leadership, provide oversight


-- this book contains much crowing

ingredients of a good affirmation: personal, positive, present, visual, emotional
step back and use visualization from time to time

What one thing could you do that if you did on a regular basis would make a tremendous positive difference in your personal life?
-- constantly seek to improve everything around me
What one thing in your business or professional life would bring similar results?
-- quickly earn and maintain a reputation as an expert

Successful people have the habit of doing things failures don't like to do.

The time management matrix: classify activities as Important/Not Important and Urgent/Not Urgent
Watch out for misclassifications, and spend time doing important things that aren't urgent.
People get frustrated with their schedules when the schedule won't bend around spontaneous occurences. Weekly planning towards goal accomplishment works better than daily planning.
Effectiveness is substantially more important than efficiency when dealing with people. You can't control how long it takes to bring a person to the point where you want them to be.

Delegation is an important part of both leadership and management.
-- whenever the group acquires an objective, delegate its components

You can't talk your way out of problems you behave yourself into.

The emotional bank account - make deposits exceed withdrawals

-- competition builds strength, cooperation gets results

Types of mindsets:
Win/Lose, Lose/Win, Win/Win, Lose/Lose, compromise (lesser win/win), and Win/Win or No Deal
-- the No Deal option is critically important
High on courage, high on consideration: Win/Win
High on courage, low on consideration: Win/Lose
High on consideration, low on courage: Lose/Win
-- High on unresolved issues: Lose/Lose

Dealing with Win/Lose is the real test of Win/Win.
-- you'd have to draw them out of that mentality: transcend the dynamic

"I can't understand my kid. He just won't listen to me at all."
"You don't understand your son because HE won't listen to YOU?"
-- "He looked into his own head and thought he saw the world." - a good phrase

Satisfied needs do not motivate.

Seek first to understand, then be understood.
When rephrasing what someone said, try not to unconsciously put your own spin onto it.
Recognize and value people's differences.

Force Field Analysis:
The current level of performance is determined by the driving forces that encourage upward movement and the restraining forces that discourage it.
-- this is true and I'm going to exploit the shit out of it

He advises people to read a book a week. I can easily read two or more.
Be a magic mirror - show people what's good about themselves.

"The voice of conscience is so delicate that it is easy to stifle it, but it is so clear that it is impossible to mistake it."

The upward spiral: commit, learn, do.
-- see me there.