Success as often said is not just a matter of luck or talent, but also a result of consistent and deliberate actions. Successful people usually have certain habits that help them achieve their goals. Now, although a lot of times people have some innate qualities and knack for certain things just somehow built in them, for often than not these qualities are no rocket science, and can be learned and cultivated if they’re motivated to improve their personal and professional lives.
So, written on these terms is a classic and influential book by Stephen R. Covey, which has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, and is named 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People. The book gives a framework of seven principles and practices that can help you achieve those personal and professional goals and climb that corporate leader. The premise of the book is based on the way we see the world is shaped by our perceptions, we change the situation, and we change ourselves.
To be able to bring that change, here are the 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People that you can adopt and practice
1. Be proactive
Being proactive, instead of being reactive is first of the 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People. What’s the difference? Reactive people are the ones that let the situation get the better of them and focus on things that are beyond their control while proactive people act instead of being acted upon. They focus on things that are in their control and can be influenced. The biggest separator of the two is that proactive people take full responsibility for their actions instead of cultivating a narrative of victimhood.
2. Begin with the end in mind
This successful habit out of the 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People simply means having a clear vision of what you want to achieve in your life and aligning your actions with your values and goals. And to achieve this Covey here invites us to imagine our ends, our funeral, and how we want to be remembered. Doing this would help you in creating a personal mission statement that summarizes your purpose, your principles, and your desired outcomes.
3. Put first things first
Here Covey speaks about a management matrix that helps you prioritize your tasks and activities by dividing the tasks into four quadrants based on their importance and urgency to be able to manage your time better. The four quadrants of these habits of highly effective people are:
Quadrant I: Important and urgent tasks, such as crises, deadlines, and emergencies. These are the tasks that would require your immediate attention and action, but they are often stressful and reactive hence the number of tasks in this quadrant should be planned.
Quadrant II: Important but not urgent tasks, such as planning, goal-setting, and relationship-building should come in this quadrant. These tasks are often neglected or postponed but are the ones that would contribute to your long-term success and happiness
Quadrant III: Not important but urgent tasks, such as interruptions, distractions, and busy work belong to this quadrant. These tasks usually do not add much value to your life hence should be minimized by either saying no, or delegating.
Quadrant IV: This quadrant is for not important and not urgent tasks, such as entertainment and leisure. These tasks are often enjoyable and relaxing, but they do not contribute to your goals or growth.
4. Think win-win
By adopting an abundance mentality you can attain win-win, which is a belief that there is enough for everyone and that you don’t have to step over others to succeed at your goals. This habit out of 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People means seeking solutions that will benefit both the parties mutually and instead of negotiating with your customers or partners for the best deal, you can seek a fair and balanced agreement that benefits both parties.
5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood
This successful habit means listening empathetically and attentively to others, instead of trying to interrupt, argue or give solutions. In this habit of highly effective people you can build a habit of seeking first to understand, then to be understood by using the skill of empathic listening, the ability to listen with the intent to understand, not to reply, judge, or advise. Covey also introduces a concept of an 'emotional bank account', here where valuable deposits of individuals are understanding, respect, and empathy to be able to build trust and connection.
6. Synergize
Synergize means to be able to achieve common goals while valuing diversity and integrating the strengths of others towards successfully collaborating creatively away from isolation. We can also choose to leverage the power of different perspectives and backgrounds in this daily habit of successful people since these different perspectives are the building blocks for innovative solutions and can help you achieve amazing results.
7. Sharpen the saw
The last successful habit of this list is ‘sharpen the saw’ which focuses on renewing and improving yourself in four dimensions: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. To avoid being dull and stay effective as a person, Covey here suggests investing time in self-care and personal development through activities that enhance your health, knowledge, skills, relationships, and purpose. For example, in the morning routines of successful people, you can find activities such as exercising regularly, reading books, learning new things, meditating, praying etcetera. By sharpening the saw, you can maintain balance and harmony in your life, and increase your capacity to practice the other six habits.