7 Habits of Highly Effective People

7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Habit 1: Be Proactive
"Habit 1 is the key to unlocking all the other habits and that's why it comes first. It says, "I am the captain of my life. I can choose my attitude. I'm responsible for my own happiness or unhappiness. I am in the driver's seat of my destiny, not just a passenger."

Being proactive means to take responsibility for your own life. We can't always blame our family, friends, or others for certain things that happen in our life. Proactive people recognize that they are "responsable." They dont blame genetics, circumstances, or conditions for there behavior, because they know they choose how to behave. Opposite to reactive people who for example, might base how they are feeling off the weather. All of the external sources act as stimuli that we choose to respond to. Between the stimuli and the response is our power, the freedom to choose a response. Proactive people focus their time and energy on things they can control, instead of things they have no control over. For example, a proactive person will wake up in the morning and say "Today will be a great day." Those are things we can control, but soemtimes choose not to because of problems or obstacles that come up throughout the day. In order to become a proactive person, I need to work on recognizing that I choose my actions, attitudes, and moods. I will not blame others for my wrong actions. I will do the right thing without being asked, even when no one is looking.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

"Control your own destiny or someone else will." (Jack Welch)

I believe that Habit 2 means to envision in your mind what you cannot see present with your eyes.If you don't make a conscious effort to visualize who you are and what you want in life, then you empower other people and circumstances to shape you and your life by default. You should always begin with the End in Mind means to begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles to make things happen. One way I can incorporate Habit 2 into my life is by creating a personal mission statement.. It focuses on what I want to be and do. It is my plan for success. It reaffirms who I am, puts my goals in focus, and moves my ideas into the real world. Your mission statement makes you the leader of your own life. You create your own destiny and secure the future you envision.

Habit 3: Put First Things First

"Organize and execute around priorities." 

Habit 3 is Personal Management, the exercise of independent will to create a life congruent with your values, goals and mission. The fourth human endowment, Independent Will, is the ability to make decisions and choices and act upon them. Integrity is our ability to make and keep commitments to ourselves. Management involves developing the specific application of the ideas. We should lead from the right brain (creatively) and manage from the left brain (analytically).Time management is an essential skill for personal management. The essence of time management is to organize and execute around priorities. Methods of time management have developed in these stages: 1) notes and checklists recognizing multiple demands on our time; 2) calendars and appointment books scheduling events and activities; 3) prioritizing, clarifying values integrating our daily planning with goal setting. I plan to add this habit into my life by prioritizing important stuff that needs to be done, and not stuff that is for my own entertainment. 

Habit 4: Think Win-Win
"Think win-win or no deal."

When we think win/win we hold a belief that there is a third way that can be discovered by collaboration.We believe that there is enough for everybody, and that a creative solution exists when all parties commit to the decision and the action plan.When we think Win/Win or No Deal we commit to the idea that if we can’t find a solution that works for everyone involved, we agree to disagree."Do to others whatever you would like them to do with you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets." Mathew 7:12. I really like this quote from the bible because it is a perfect example of the new habit. If the situation isn't a win on both sides, you should not agree because you wouldnt want the same done to you. I plan to apply this habit to my life by thinking on the bright side for both people instead of just one. It is better to find a solution that benefits you and the person you are working with instead of just yourself. 

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood

"Diagnose before you prescribe."

If you attempt to come up with a solution for a person’s dilemma before you fully understand it do you honestly think they are ever going to fully trust you? Would you trust your mechanic to bill you for parts for your car that he only thinks are broken based purely on what you are telling him is wrong? Maybe unless you know for a fact that the person is an automotive psychic. You would expect him “or her” to take a look at your car and do some work on it “first” before requesting payment, “Right?” If you are the one playing mechanic when someone brings a problem to you; the only really good way to insure that they will trust you and what you prescribe as a solution for them to work with is through your practice of empathetic listening. We should also be empathetic lsiteners and putting ourselves in others people's shoes before judging the situation. We should put ourselves in someone else's shoes before judging the sitaution. We never know what one might be going through, and we can probably help them out with whatever problem they are facing. However the main key is to step back, analyze the solution, then you can take a side on the situation. I plan to apply this to my life by being more compassionate with others.

Habit 6:  Synergize

"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts (1+1=3)"

Synergy means "two heads are better than one." Synergize is the habit of creative cooperation. It is teamwork, open-mindedness, and the adventure of finding new solutions to old problems. It's a process, and through that process, people bring all their personal experience and expertise to the table. Together, they can produce far better results that they could individually. Synergy lets us discover jointly things we are much less likely to discover by ourselves. It is the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. One plus one equals three, or six, or sixty--you name it.The essence of synergy is to value and respect differences, to build on strengths and to compensate for weaknesses. The author says that many of us haven’t actually experienced synergy in our family lives or in other interactions. We’ve been shaped into defensive and protective communications or into believing that life or other people can’t be trusted. Therefore, we have a tendency to not open up to this highly effective principle which “requires enormous personal security and openness and a spirit of adventure”. I will apply this rule to my life by not being so closed minded towards others ideas.

Habit 7:  Sharpen the Saw
Four Dimensions of Self-Renewal: Physical, Mental, Spiritual, Social/Emotional

Sharpening The Saw is an ongoing process of personal change , you need to define your own balanced, four-dimensional life to be successful! If you are a leader, I believe part of your role is to help the people who report into you and/or look up to you, explore these things and establish goals for themselves.Stephen says, “It means exercising all four dimensions of our nature, regularly and consistently in a wise and balanced way. To do this we have to be proactive.” I love the words exercise and balance. Proactive means we have to plan for it — to put it in our schedule and protect the time, for all 4 of the above mentioned dimensions.Self improvement takes time — just like working out and getting fit.It is not something that you can just achieve overnight, you need to give yourself time to do it. Once you do the results will be highly beneficial to you. I plan to sharpen the saw by undergoing changes within myself to become a better person.

These 7 Habits of Highly Effective People really taught me alot on how to be an effective person towards success. It has taught me to put my needs before my wants and also to prioritze.  I will commit to these 7 Habits by trying to practice one everyday of the week.