The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" is a book written by Stephen R. Covey. It was published in 15 August 1989. Stephen R. Covey's this book has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide since its first publication in 1989. The audio version of this book became the first non-fiction audio-book in U.S. publishing history to seldd more than one million copies.
This book tells us about the seven habits that only successful people have. Let's know what those seven habits are:-

Be Proactive

Being proactive means to be responsible for your life. You can not blame your parents or grandparents for everything. Proactive people understand that they are "response-able". They do not blame genetics, situations, or conditions for their behavior. They know they choose their behavior. On the other hand, those who are reactive are mostly affected by their physical environment. They blame external sources for their behavior. If the weather is good, then they like it. And if not, it affects their attitude and performance and they blame the weather. All external forces work like a stimulus, on which we react. Your greatest power is hidden between this stimulus and the reaction you give to him and that power is, you have the freedom to choose your response. One very important thing is that you can choose what you say. The language you use indicates how you see yourself. A proactive person uses proactive language - I can, I will, etc. A reactive person uses reactive language - I can not do it, if it happens, etc. Reactive people think that they are not responsible for what they say and do - they have no choice. 

Begin with the end in mind

So what do you want to be when you grow up? Perhaps this question may sound a little strange, but think about it for a moment. Are you just what you wanted to be, whose dream you had seen ? Are you doing what you always wanted to do ? Think honestly. Many times it happens that people see themselves winning such a win which is actually hollow - successes that have come at the expense of things that were far more valuable to them. If your ladder is not on the right wall then whatever steps you take takes you to the wrong place.

This habit is based on your imagination - That ability to show you things in your mind that you can not see with your eyes. It is based on the principle that everything is created twice. First mental creation, and second physical creation. Just as a house is built after the blue-print is created, physical creation is done only after mental creation. If you do not visualize yourself what you are and what you want to be, then how will you live your life? And leave this decision on others and circumstances. 

This habit is about how you recognize your character, and then keep yourself happy within your personal, moral and ethical guidelines. To start with the end in mind, it means, starting every day, work or project with a clear vision that our direction and what should be the destination, and then proactively be done in fulfilling that work.

Put first things first

To live a balanced life, you have to understand that you can not do everything in this life. There's no need to overextend yourself. Do not hesitate to say "no" when necessary and then focus on your important priorities. 

This habit is where Habits 1 and 2 come together. It happens day in and day out, moment-by-moment. It deals with many of the questions addressed in the field of time management. But this is not all that. Habit 3 is also about life management - Your purpose, values, roles, and priorities What are "Primary Things"? The primary things are those, which you personally consider the most valuable. If you put first things first, you are organizing and managing time and events according to the personal priorities you established in Habit 2. 

Think Win-Win

Think Win-Win is not about being nice, nor is it short-cut. This is a code based on character that you have to interact and collaborate with others. Most of us learn to base our self-worth on comparisons and competition. We see our success in the failure of others - That is, if I win, you lose or If you win then I lose. In this way life becomes a zero-sum game. As if it were one pie, and if the big part is taken by someone, then I will get less; It's not fair, and I'm going to make sure you don't get anymore. We all play the game, but how much fun is it really?

Win-Win sees life as a co-operation, not like competition. Win-win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. Win-win means such agreements and solutions that are beneficial and satisfactory to everyone. We both get to eat the pie, and it tastes pretty good.

There are three main things within an individual or organization who tries to solve problems with a win-win attitude:

1. Integrity: sticking with your true feelings, values, and commitments.
2. Maturity: expressing your ideas and feelings with courage and consideration for the ideas and feelings of others.
3. Abundance Mentality: believing there is plenty for everyone.

Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

Communication is the most important skill of life. You spend years learning to read and write. But what about learning? What kind of training have you got which teaches you to listen to others, so that you can understand the person in the right way? Maybe no one? right?

If you are like most people, maybe you too would like to explain yourself first and in doing so, you will completely ignore the other person, pretend that you're listening, selectively hear only certain parts of the conversation or attentively focus on only the words being said, but miss the meaning entirely.

Think why this happens? Because most people listen with the intention that they have to answer, not to understand. You listen to yourself inside and prepare what you have to say next, ask questions, etc. Whatever you listen to, it touches you through your life-experiences. You check what you hear against your autobiography and see how it measures up. And consequently, you decide prematurely what the other person means before he/she finishes communicating. 

Because you listen to others according to the experiences of your life. You answer in one of four ways:

Evaluating: You judge and then either agree or disagree. Probing: You ask questions from your own frame of reference. Advising: You give counsel, advice, and solutions to problems. Interpreting: You analyze others' motives and behaviors based on your own experiences. Perhaps you are thinking that what is wrong in relating to someone according to your experience? It may be appropriate to do this in some situations, like when someone asks you to tell something based on your experience, when you have a trust relationship between each other. But it is not always appropriate to do so. Synergize Understanding in simple words, "two brains are better than one. Synergize means creative support. It is teamwork, open-mindedness, and the adventure of finding new solutions to old problems. But this does not just happen by itself. This is a process, and through this process, people can use their experience and expertise. Together, they can produce far better results that they could individually.  From Synergize, we find so many things together that rarely find when we search for them alone. 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. When people start interacting with each other honestly, and are open to being influenced by each other, then they start getting new information.The capability of inventing new approaches is increased exponentially because of differences. Valuing differences is what really drives synergy.  Do you truly value the mental, emotional, and psychological differences among people? Or do you wish everyone would just agree with you so you could all get along? Many people understand unity as unity. Many people mistake uniformity for unity; sameness for oneness. One word--boring! Differences should be seen as strengths, not weaknesses. They add zest to life. Sharpen the Saw Sharpen the Saw means to keep your own property safe. It means designing a program for yourself that will renew your four areas of life in physical, social / emotional, mental, and spiritual. Below are examples of some such activities: Physical: Beneficial eating, exercising, and resting. Social/Emotional: Making social and meaningful connections with others. Mental: Learning, reading, writing, and teaching. Spiritual: Spending time in nature, expanding spiritual self through meditation, music, art, prayer, or service. As you improve yourself in every area, you will bring progress and change in your life. Sharpen the Saw keeps you fresh so that you can practice the remaining six habits. By doing this you increases your ability to face challenges. Without this renewal, the body becomes weak, the mind mechanical, the emotions raw, the spirit insensitive, and the person selfish. Not a pretty picture, right?