The Seven Habits
- richardmartinbarto
- May 8
- 3 min read
When I read The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People by Stephen Covey, it blue my mind about how purposeful a lifestyle it was possible to achieve.
This book is a cornerstone of self-help, and since first published in 1989, has literally inspired millions of people to lead more effective lives. It’s changed my life too.
I first read the book a couple of years ago. I was so engrossed that I even took notes - which I occasionally refer back to. I try to live my life by the rules laid out in the book - and I certainly feel more productive and fulfilled for it. If you’ve not read it, I strongly recommend to - it might just be the most important book you ever read.
Essentially, it explores the seven different habits or rules which the majority of successful people broadly live by - following years of research by the author. In many people, these rules are self-taught and discovered independently, but the individuals discovering them all share common knowledge. The book is an eye-opening exploration into how successful individuals operate, and provides a framework on how you can integrate the habits into your life too.
Speaking from my own experience, I can confidently say that the Seven Habits actually work, and have enabled me to lead a more productive and meaningful life over the last couple of years, since I discovered them. Let’s lay down the law:
Be Proactive – Take responsibility for your actions and behaviour by focusing on what you can control rather than reacting to external circumstances.
Begin with the End in Mind – Define a clear vision of your life goals and values to guide your daily decisions and actions.
Put First Things First – Prioritise important tasks that align with your values and long-term objectives over urgent but less meaningful activities.
Think Win-Win – Seek mutually beneficial solutions in relationships and interactions, fostering a mindset of abundance and respect.
Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood – Listen with empathy to genuinely understand others before expressing your own perspective.
Synergise – Collaborate creatively with others by valuing differences and combining strengths to achieve better outcomes together.
Sharpen the Saw – Regularly renew and improve yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to maintain effectiveness.
The habit Begin with the End in Mind advocates creating a Personal Mission Statement to live your life by. These are a set of personal life goals which are timeless and provide a solid foundation to live the remaining habits by.
Although you may grow older and change physically and even mentally, the Personal Mission Statement is unchanging and everlasting. It never falters and the goals are always relevant - first build upon a strong core of principles that are not open for continuous change, then be relentless in the quest for improvement and continuous self-renewal.
By creating such a solid foundation, the Personal Mission Statement enables consistent personal growth throughout life. Consistency is key here - for many successful people, the primary reasons for their success include consistently (but not necessarily perfectly) applying the Seven Habits (or the majority of the habits) over a lifetime.
The Seven Habits emphasises the idea that personal and professional effectiveness begins with cultivating a proactive mindset, clarifying your values, and developing habits that lead to positive change. I really do hope as many people as possible get to read this book, or at least understand the habits themselves - for the world would be a much better place.
As the book puts so eloquently: “Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.”
Find out more about The Seven Habits:
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