“7 HABITS TO BE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE.

″The more people are into quick fixes and focus on the acute problems and pain, the more that
very approach contributes to the underlying chronic condition. ″ - Beautifully quoted by Stephen
R. Covey.

Stephen talks about the 7 habits that can make a person highly effective, and at the same time
more productive in his life.

These habits need to be developed in the correct order. Habits 1, 2, and 3 are focused on self-
mastery and moving from dependence to independence.

Habits 4, 5, and 6 are focused on developing teamwork, collaboration, and communication skills,
and moving from independence to interdependence.

Habit 7 is focused on continuous growth and improvement and embodies all the other habits.

Now let’s discuss these 7 habits in detail.

Habit number one be proactive. The number one thing you need to focus on is to take action
and be responsible for your own life. You need to stop blaming circumstances, for any
difficulties or failures that come along. If it rains the day you had planned a picnic, don't let that
get you down. You simply buy a big umbrella and head out in the rain you have the power to
control your thoughts to learn from your mistakes and to choose your path.

Habit number two begins with the end in mind. To begin with, the end in mind requires a
clear vision of where you want to go. You need to think about your goals, values, and priorities
to do so.

Start with writing your mission statement. The suggested way to do this is to imagine that you
are attending your funeral and all your friends, family, and old colleagues are there, what would
you like them to say about you. Now that you are gone and how do you need to live your life to
make that happen it seems simple, but writing a mission statement is not something you do
overnight. 

So take your time, put first things first. 

Habit number three this habit is all about priorities, you need to realize that it's all right to
say No, when necessary and spend your time focusing on your highest priorities. And remember
not to confuse most urgent with most important. Focus on the most important tasks first, and
keep going until you reach the finish line, or put another way never be so busy driving that you
forget to put fuel in the car.

Habit number four thinks win-win. Two wins make everyone better off, this is true in all
aspects of life in friendships, marriages, business, and all other relationships. Where you interact
with another person if one party loses they walk away with bad feelings, like defeat or anger and
in the long run this will hurt the relationship. Highly effective people become highly effective by
multiplying their allies, not their enemies.

Habit number five seek first to understand, then to be understood. Many people don't listen
with the intent to understand, but with a desire to respond. They are either already speaking or
preparing to speak. This will often lead to misunderstandings and miscommunication. So seek
first to understand, then to be understood yourself, and remember to understand someone you
need to listen for more than words. If you truly want to understand you have to also listen for
feelings and deeper meaning.

Habit number six synergize. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Synergy is the result
of applying all the previous habits. It is about teamwork, open-mindedness, and the adventure of
finding new solutions to old problems. 

Habit number seven sharpen the saw. Sharpen the saw means preserving and enhancing the
greatest asset you have.

It means having a balanced program for self-renewal in the four areas of your life:

1. Physical – diet, exercise, and rest

2. Social/emotional – meaningful connections with others

3. Mental – learning, reading, writing, and teaching

4. Spiritual – spending time in nature, meditation, music, art

This habit is best explained by this anecdote imagine you were to meet a man in the woods,
working to saw down a tree. You ask the man, what he is doing? The man replies that can't you,
see I'm sawing down the tree. You look exhausted, how long have you been working it is over
five hours. Well, why don't you take a break, for a few minutes and sharpen the saw? I am sure it
would go a lot faster. I don't have time to sharpen the saw the man says em-pathetically. I'm too
busy sawing. The man is too busy sawing down the tree, that he doesn’t realize that he has to
sharpen his saw so that he can complete his work more effectively.

These are the seven habits that can help you become a more effective person but remember
habits don't form overnight it takes time, practice, and self-discipline to develop new ways so
start slowly and set in manageable goals.