Resumo de The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Author ? Dr. Stephen Covey

In this book, Dr. Stephen Covey makes the statement that a life centered on principles is vital to improving yourself in every way. The first three of the seven habits deal with the private victory ? mastery of ourselves. This naturally leads to an external victory ? dealing with other people ? which the second three habits cover. The seventh completes the circle.

By basing our life on principles and not fads, techniques, or trends, we can accomplish more and feel more fulfilled. Principles are natural. Gravity makes us fall if we step off a ten-story building. We sow what we reap. No amount of positive thinking or goal setting can stop you from falling or allow us to harvest corn where we planted wheat. These attitudes help to overcome obstacles, but they cannot shortcut principles. The internal victory of living by principles precedes the external victory. We must keep promises to ourselves before we can keep promises to others.

The first Habit is ?Be Proactive?. The term ?proactive? means ?acting in anticipation of future problems?. Viktor Frankl, Nazi concentration camp survivor and psychologist, said, ?Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is the power to choose our response.? When we realize that we are not our upbringing, circumstances, or events but we are who we choose to be, we gain power. Imagine two concentric circles. The inner circle is our circle of influence. The ring between the circle of influence and the outer circle is our circle of concern. When we can discern whether particular events are in our circle of influence or within our circle of control, we gain perspective and peace. We choose to respond rather than react. We try to influence events rather than complain about them.

The second habit is ?Begin with the End in Mind?. We tend to allow events happen to us, but when we take control of our actions, we control our lives. By taking the time to define what we want our lives to mean, we shift control from external influences to internal. We should know what we?re living for. What do you want your life to be about? When your life is over, how do you want to be remembered by your coworkers, business associates, family, and friends? Are you living that way now? If we let the currents guide us through life, we end up over the falls. Then it?s too late. Look at the ending you desire so you can write a new beginning.

Habit three is ?Put First Things First?. Time management is critical. We all have 168 hours in a week. How we allocate that time defines our destiny. Define what is most important to you. Make space for the big things, then we easily have time for the smaller things. Habit three is the last habit of the private victory. Now we move to the public victory and our circle of concern.

With habit number four, ?Think Win-Win?, we look at relationships. Whether negotiating a sale or arguing with our child, we?re trying to get people to do what we want. The maturity that comes from principle-centered living allows us to look from another?s perspective. What does the other person want to accomplish? What is in the best interest for all involved? By separating ourselves from our will, we move away from the win-lose or lose-lose and move into win-win agreements.

This principle ties into habit five: ?Seek First to Understand, Then be Understood?. By genuinely caring enough to put our needs and wants aside and understand another?s needs and wants, we bridge the gap of misunderstanding and accomplish more than we would have by ?winning? a dispute. We make a connection when people realize that we don?t have ulterior motives.

Habit five gives birth to the sixth habit - ?Synergize?. Synergy is when one plus one can equal a hundred. There is no less potential in everyday events. When we achieve private victories, we find it easy to collaborate with others. Working unselfishly with a team to accomplish common objectivves, we bring our best together with they?re best. When we listen and seek to understand, ideas blossom that nobody could have conceived on their own.

Even the best vehicle needs fuel and maintenance. We deserve no less. Our very design demands it. Habit seven, ?Sharpen the Saw?, is crucial if we are to live principle-centered lives. Dr. Covey describes the logger busy sawing a giant tree. Over time, his blade becomes dull and useless. A good logger stops periodically to ?sharpen the saw?. Many of us feel we do not have time to sharpen the saw because we have too much cutting to do. When viewed this way, our excuse of having no time is flawed. When we take the time to recharge physically, spiritually, mentally, and socially, we have more capacity to accomplish our dreams.

Principle centered living starts with learning to control ourselves; the private victory. Once mastered, the external victory ? the ability to deal effectively with others? is just a matter of process. Hopefully, this abstract has given you a valuable glimpse of the habits. I encourage you to read and consume the book.

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