EVOC 518 WR9
Winter 2006
The 7 Habits of Highly
Effective People:
Reading this book “The 7 Habits
of Highly Effective People” was very interesting and inspiring. I have read
similar books of this nature but found this one to be the best so far. In just
reading the first few pages I became excited and motivated for I had been
living in the dark so long it was as if someone had opened the door and let in
some light. What I would like to do is address how each of the 7 habits
impacted me in my life.
The first habit “Be Proactive” is
similar to the 12 step programs for recovering alcoholic/addicts. I recall not
long ago my attitude and outlook on life was “life is not fair”. I just had a
series of bad luck and raw deals in life and felt that if things would go my
way and everyone would just shape up, life would be wonderful. Well obviously
that was not the case and totally selfish and absurd for me to think like that.
There is one line in the book that really stood out to me “it’s not what
happens to us, but our response to what happens to us that hurts us”. It took
me many years before I discovered this reality and was able to stop blaming
people, places and things for my seemingly rotten life. What I understand about
the habit of being proactive is that must get into action and live in the
solution.
Habit 2 “Begin with the end in mind” has in interesting task to give one a better understanding of what this habit means. The first thing I thought or felt was a sense of grief and feelings of sadness from remembering my father and what he would have wanted said about him at his funeral. At first it was kind of creepy to think of going to my own funeral but after realizing the inevitable I was able to accept it and move on.
I would want to be remembered as someone who was inspirational as well as caring, generous, loving, thoughtful, intelligent, responsible, dependable, reliable, and accountable. One who is able to listen without judging or criticizing, a good husband, father, son, nephew, uncle, friend, teacher, employee, and student. I would want nice things said about me and that I had a great sense of humor but also a healthy level of humility. After completing this task I am able to be more committed to my daily activities and my life’s goal.
The 3rd habit “Put first things first” is not new for me. This saying is posted on the walls of almost every Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting in the world. It does make a lot of sense despite its simplicity. This principle has benefited me in countless ways in the last 10 years of my life. I was always putting last things first or first thing last and never had any rhythm or schedule to make life easier and more effective.
Habit 4 “Win/Win” certainly opened my eyes to a whole new paradigm. I love the “Abundance Mentality” concept in that there is enough for everyone. This goes against one of my worst character defects of selfishness. Not necessarily with material possessions but with principles such as love, recognition, and attention. I have already applied this and other habits within my family and can see the results almost instantaneously.
“Seek first to understand, and then be understood” is the 5th habit. This, as with the examples from the EVOC 518 syllabus, seems to be the most challenging habit. Although I cant resist from relating this and all the other habits to the spiritual principles of the 12-step programs. As a matter of fact there is a prayer in the 11th step that states exactly what habit 7 conveys, “…it is better that one seeks to comfort than to be comforted, understand than to be understood, to love than to be loved”. It sure makes life a lot easier and for a more effective mode of communication.
Habit 6 is yet another reason why AA has been so successful with helping millions of people around the world recover from alcoholism. There are three legacies in AA; Unity, Service, and Recovery. The unity is what I relate to Habit 6. “Together we stand, divided we fall”. Conversely, I was blind to the fact that synergy, when explained in such detail, could be so beneficial in business, education, teaching, family life and much more. As I read through the chapter I was uplifted and energized to carry out this concept of synergy in my everyday activities.
And finally we come to habit 7 “Sharpen the Saw”. I can’t help but again mention the concepts of AA in relation to the concepts conveyed in this wonderful book. The second half of the 12th step states “to practice these principles in all of our affairs”. It is a maintenance step that includes love and service. To think what the 12-step program has done for me can be enhanced by applying these 7 habits is beyond my dreams and is difficult to imagine. But I know it can from the many real life examples given by Covey in the book.
The last chapter summed it all up for me when it mentioned that it is an inside job. To break out of the paradigms that caused my life to be miserable is not an easy job. It takes dedication and hard work. Covey has given me so much inspiration from the 7 Habits that I will continue to practice these, new but not so new, principles in my everyday life.
Covey, Stephen R.. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Upgrade Indicator:
This essay represents my honest perceptions and feelings
about Covey’s book. As a matter of fact I enjoyed it so much I ordered his
newest book “The 8th Habit”. I anticipate living a full and complete
useful life as a result of reading inspiration books such as this.