7 Habits of Highly Effective People

I've read the book before... it currently resides on my bookshelf.  My high school health class actually used 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens as a textbook, which I thought was awesome!  But I recently ordered from Amazon a lecture given by Stephen R. Covey on his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and it came today.  I had to work from home this evening (after already working 10 hours at work) and figured it would be nice to listen to something uplifting while I was plugging away.  It took me 2 times through the CD to finish what I had to complete.  When I logged out of work and closed out my company's network I felt an urgency to listen again, this time taking notes.  I am one of those people who need to write things down to solidify information, even if I never look at that piece of paper again.  For some reason the simple act of writing it down helps.  So I did.

He says it over and over again: these are basic principles that most of us already know but few of us practice.  They're simple to understand because they make sense, but applying them to our lives is something completely different.  It's not a quick fix.  It requires a change in us to occur and lets face it... how many of us ACTUALLY like change?  I may like to change the pattern of my bed sheets or the color of my hair, but how open am I to a real and lasting change of character?  It sounds great!  If someone could create a pill that would change my character for the better I'd take it right now, this instant.  Oh, but wait.  I actually have to work for this?  It might take a couple years?  I have to do something different than I currently am doing?  Never mind.

For those of you who are not familiar with this book, it's a holistic, principle-based approach to solving personal and professional problems.  Meaning, the principles learned in it can be applied to almost any aspect of your life, from work, to family, to that guy driving behind you so close you're sure you can smell his breath!  It gives you step-by-step habits to cultivate to bring you back on track, both personally and professionally.

It all starts with a paradigm shift, the way you view your world.  By reshaping your perception of your role you can actually change that world, YOUR world.  Our interpretation of our surroundings and our attitude shape our behavior.  If this is true, then our attitude and outlook shape our habits.  And habits shape who we are are, produce our contribution to this world.  Change your attitude, change your world. 

I won't go into the whole thing because A) I would be long-winded, even more so than usual, and B) I think you should read it yourself if you haven't already.  Or at least order the audiobook off Amazon or something.  Simply going online and reading each habit and maybe a quick summation of each will not give you the tools necessary to do the job.  You may find a jumping-off point, but I really think in order to get something out of it you need the explanations, examples, and exercises he gives in the book.

In conclusion, I'm going to recommit myself to these principles, starting with Habit #1: BE PROACTIVE.  I'm going to focus on taking responsibility (the ability to choose my response) for my behaviors.  To act, not be acted upon.  To acknowledge that while there may be factors that make my life more difficult like genetics, conditioning, or my environment, I can still choose to not allow them to control me.  I will not REact, I will take control.  I have the ability to choose my own happiness and effectiveness.  I can choose joy or misery.  I hold all the cards to mold my own character and change my world.  

Whenever I find myself getting upset I think of this illustration.  If there is a part of the problem that is within my control than it is my duty to take that control.  Whatever portion of it is not within my control, I need to let it go.  I empower myself by taking control where I can, and generally this new found power makes letting go of the rest much easier.