Habits by Covey

Stephen Covey’s book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is a great source for inspiration. Here are his 7 Habits of Highly Effective People:


Habit 1: Be proactive – By choosing to be proactive you are deciding to take control and responsibility for your actions and not succumbing to being a victim. When you are reactive you become a victim of circumstances and rely on excuses for not accomplishing tasks or goals.

Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind – Anyone who is setting out to accomplish new goals should always take the time to visualize what that goal looks like when it is achieved. By taking this step and working backwards (back-casting) you can clearly identify the steps that are required to get there. If you do not have a clear mental picture, you run the risk of easily being distracted by lower priority tasks or unrelated unproductive opportunities.

Habit 3: Putting first things first – This habit is about preparing and executing your strategy. Without a set game plan you find yourself reacting to situations and forces that may lead you away from achieving your stated goal. Prioritizing what needs to be done and distinguishing between needs and wants is critical.

Habit 4 – Think win-win – From an early age we are taught how to compete. Friendly competition has a tendency of manifesting into a “dog eat dog” mentality of doing business. Another approach which is very effective is to adopt an abundance mentality. This essentially means that there is enough wealth out there for everyone to succeed. There is no need to be envious of others who succeed, because this in no way affects your ability to succeed as well. In actual fact the reverse is most often the case. People who can celebrate other success tend to be more successful themselves.

Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood – Try and be aware of how many times when you are listening to someone that you automatically start working on your response, even before the person has finished what they have to say. Try taking a few minutes after someone has finished talking to think about what was said before you respond. For many, we are so busy trying to defend our own position that we can’t hear what is being said. Learning to become a better listener takes a lot of practise, but it’s a great time to start.

Habit 6: Synergize – Synergy is the art of celebrating differences. Looking at situations and opportunities in such a way where the result is greater than the sum of its parts. Instead of looking at other businesses as competition, try and see how you can work in collaboration rather than competition.

Habit 7: Sharpen the saw – One of the best ways to re-energize yourself is to learn new things. Continually seeking more understanding and knowledge is vital, not only to stay current, but to maintain enthusiasm for what it is you do. Attending seminars, taking classes, upgrading qualifications, registering for conferences are all great ways to maintain momentum. Keeping the saw sharp also means keeping other areas of ourselves rejuvenated such as getting in shape, taking care of our emotional and spiritual selves.