April 8, 2024 | Insights

The 7 habits of highly effective people

Stephen R. Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, stays popular because it doesn’t follow trends or fancy psychology. Instead, it talks about basic things like being fair, honest, and respecting others.

This book has been around for over 30 years and has helped millions of people from all walks of life. It’s known for transforming lives by teaching simple but powerful habits.

No matter how good you are at something, you won’t achieve long-term success unless you can manage yourself well, work well with others, and keep improving. These things are crucial for doing well personally, in teams, and in organizations.

Habit 1: Be proactivety Meets Compliance

The habit of personal responsibility. Being proactive means taking control of your life. Proactive people know they can choose how to act—they don’t blame others for their actions. But reactive people let outside things affect how they behave. For example, if it’s sunny, they’re happy; if it’s not, they blame the weather for their mood.

We all react to things around us, but our real power is choosing how we react. What we say shows how we see ourselves.

Proactive people use positive words like “I can” or “I will,” while reactive people use negative words like “I can’t” or “if only.” Reactors think they can’t control what they do.

Proactive folks focus on what they can change, like their health or work problems. Reactors worry about things they can’t change, like big world issues or the weather. Understanding where we put our energy helps us be more proactive.

Here are some actions you can take to develop Habit 1:

Embrace responsibility for your choices and actions. Refrain from pointing fingers at others or external circumstances for your problems. Instead, seek solutions and take proactive steps to improve your circumstances.
Foster a proactive mindset. Concentrate on what you can control and influence, rather than what you cannot. This mindset empowers you to feel more in command of your life.
Cultivate self-awareness. Stay attuned to your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Observe how you react in various situations and strive to choose proactive responses over reactive ones.
Establish goals and devise plans. Take the lead in identifying your aspirations and crafting a roadmap to achieve them. This approach keeps you focused and motivated.
Learn from setbacks. Instead of dwelling on failures or obstacles, view them as opportunities for growth. Reflect on what you can do differently next time to attain a more favorable outcome.
Practice gratitude. Direct your attention to what you have and appreciate it, rather than fixating on deficiencies or discontent. This practice fosters a positive outlook and encourages proactive engagement with life.

Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind

The Habit of personal vision. Starting with the ‘end in mind’ means using your imagination to think about what you want in the future. It’s like having a plan before you build something.

If you don’t think about who you want to be and what you want to do, others and things around you might decide for you. It’s about remembering what makes you special and setting goals for yourself.

One way to do this is by making a Personal Mission Statement. It’s like a roadmap for your life, reminding you of your goals and helping you make them real. Your mission statement helps you take charge of your life and make your dreams come true. Or you can make a mood board where your goals have been visualized.

I highly recommend the book ‘The Secret’ if you want to look more into this topic.

Here are some actions you can take to practice Habit 2:

Think about what’s important to you: Take some time to figure out what you care about and what you want to achieve in your life. Write it down as a simple statement. Use this to guide your decisions and goals.
Set goals: Decide on specific things you want to do that match your statement. Break them into smaller steps you can work on.
Visualize success: Picture yourself reaching your goals and living the life you want. Think about how to get there and what might get in the way.
Manage your time: Focus on doing things that help you reach your goals. Say no to things that don’t fit.
Start doing: Begin taking small steps every day toward your goals. It’s okay to make mistakes or face challenges. Learn from them.
Review and change: Check how you’re doing regularly. Adjust your goals and plans as needed. Celebrate your successes and learn from your mistakes.

Habit 3: Put first things first

The habit of personal management. Putting first things first means using your determination to focus on what really matters to you, based on your beliefs. It’s about putting into action what you’ve learned from habits 1 and 2. Habit 1 reminds you that you’re the boss of your life, while habit 2 is about dreaming big. Habit 3 brings these ideas together. It’s about arranging your time and tasks according to what’s most important to you. First things are what you care about the most. When you put first things first, you manage your time and activities based on what means the most to you.

Here are some actions you can take to develop this habit:

Know your priorities: Figure out what matters most in your life, like your job, relationships, or personal growth. Then, pick the most important things that help you reach those goals. These are your top priorities, so schedule them first.
Plan your time: Use a calendar to organize your day, starting with your top priorities. Leave some room for unexpected stuff.
Say “no” to extras: Don’t feel bad about turning down things that aren’t important to you. Focus on what matters most.
Stay focused: Find out what distracts you, like social media or emails, and find ways to limit them when you’re working.
Share the load: If you can, give tasks to others who can handle them or have more time. That way, you can focus on your main priorities.
Keep track: Check your schedule regularly and change it if you need to. Make sure you’re still working towards your goals and using your time well.

Habit 4: Think win-win

The habit of mutual benefit.

Thinking Win-Win isn’t just about being nice, and it’s not a quick fix. It’s about having a good attitude when working with others. Some people think that if one person wins, another has to lose. But that’s not how it has to be. It’s like sharing a pie—there’s enough for everyone to have a piece. Win-win means working together instead of against each other. It’s about finding solutions that make everyone happy. We all get to enjoy the pie, and it’s delicious! To think win-win, you need to care about others and be confident. You need to be kind but also brave. Finding a balance between being brave and being considerate is what makes win-win work.

Here are some actions you can take to develop this habit:

Understand others: Try to see things from other people’s perspectives and think about what they need.
Find creative solutions: Look for ways that everyone can benefit, not just one person.
Work together: Instead of competing, try to team up with others to reach common goals.
Talk it out: Make sure you communicate clearly and listen to what others have to say.
Use fair language: Instead of thinking about winning or losing, focus on finding solutions that make everyone happy.
Celebrate success: When everyone benefits, take a moment to celebrate and thank everyone involved.

Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood

The habit of empathic communication. Talking with others is really important. You spend a lot of time learning how to read, write, and speak. But what about listening? Have you ever been taught how to really understand what someone else is saying? Probably not. Most people want to make sure they’re heard first; they want to get their point across. But sometimes, they don’t really listen to the other person. They might pretend to listen or only pay attention to certain parts of the conversation. Why does this happen? Because often, people listen just to respond, not to really understand. They’re already thinking about what they want to say next. They see everything they hear through their own experiences, and they decide what the other person means before they even finish talking. You might think, “But isn’t it okay to share my own experiences to relate to the person?” Sometimes it is, like when someone asks for your opinion. But it’s important to remember to truly listen and understand the other person too.

Here are some actions you can take to practice Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood:

Listen carefully: When someone talks to you, focus on them. Look at them, nod, and show you’re interested.
Understand others: Try to see things from their point of view. Ask questions to make sure you get what they’re saying.
Wait your turn: Let people finish before you speak. Interrupting can make them feel ignored.
Repeat to be clear: After they speak, say back what you understood. This helps them know you were listening.
Share your thoughts: Once you understand, share your own ideas. This way, you can find solutions that work for both.
Listen well always: Whether it’s with a coworker, friend, or family, practice good listening. It helps build better relationships.

Habit 6: Synergize

The habit of creative cooperation. In simple words, synergy means that working together is better than working alone. Synergizing is about teamwork, being open to new ideas, and solving problems in new ways. But it doesn’t happen by itself; it’s a process where everyone brings their own experiences and skills.

When people work together, they can achieve more than they could alone. Synergy helps us find solutions together that we might not find on our own. It’s like the idea that the whole group is stronger than each person alone. One plus one equals more than two—it could be three, six, or even more!

When people talk honestly and are open to each other’s ideas, they learn new things. Having different ideas makes us more creative and helps us find new solutions.

Appreciating differences is really important for synergy. Do you like the unique things that each person brings? Or do you prefer everyone to be the same? Some people think that everyone being the same is good, but it’s actually boring! Differences should be seen as good things, not bad ones. They make life more fun.

To take action on this habit, you can try the following:

Include different viewpoints: When you’re working on something, ask people from different backgrounds to share their ideas. This helps come up with new and creative solutions.
Listen well: Be open to what others think. Pay attention and ask questions to understand them better.
Work together: Team up with others to reach a goal. Be ready to compromise for a solution that works for everyone.
Build trust: Being reliable and honest helps others trust you. It’s important for working well together.
Respect differences: Appreciate what makes each person unique. Learn from each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Keep things positive: Create a friendly environment where everyone feels welcome and valued. This makes working together easier and more fun.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

The habit of daily self-renewal.

Sharpen the Saw means taking care of yourself—your most important asset. It’s about having a balanced plan to renew yourself in four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual. When you spend time on these areas, you bring growth and positive change into your life. Sharpen the Saw helps you stay fresh so you can keep practicing the other six habits. It boosts your ability to handle challenges and be productive. Without this self-renewal, you might feel weak physically, robotic mentally, overwhelmed emotionally, disconnected spiritually, and self-centered. You can choose to nurture your mind and spirit or ignore your well-being. Also, you can enjoy vibrant energy or miss out on the benefits of good health and exercise. You can start each day feeling peaceful and ready or wake up feeling indifferent because your motivation has faded. Each day is a chance to renew yourself instead of hitting a roadblock. All it takes is the desire to improve, some knowledge, and the skill to make it happen.

Sharpening the saw involves four dimensions of renewal:

Physical: Taking care of your body through exercise, healthy eating, and rest.
Mental: Engaging in activities that stimulate the mind. Such as reading, learning new skills, and solving puzzles.
Emotional: Building strong relationships, healthily expressing emotions, and managing stress.
Spiritual: Connecting with one’s values, beliefs, and sense of purpose. You can practice this through meditation or nature walks.

At Headroom, we find it extremely important to be there for you, not only for the company. Therefore, our EAs also help you in becoming the best version of yourself.

Source: FranklinCovey.com