Book Title: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Author: Stephen R. Covey

Genre: Personal Development

Sub-Topics: Principles, Leadership, Morality

Rating: Life Changing

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Attempting to give this book a decent review after only the first read through seems like it will not even begin to do the material justice.  Thus I will write a subsequent review once I have read it again, so we will call this “7 Habits Book Review Version 1.0” for now.  Yes this book is that big of a deal and yes believe any hype you have heard about this book.  If you have not read this book read it now, if you have not read this book in the last year, read it now.

I understand that I am being a little extreme here, but this book will make that much of a difference in your personal and leadership development journey.  To try and sum up Covey’s thoughts almost seems like blasphemy, no wonder this book has sold over 15 million copies.  There is something magical in the text, it never seems to get old and constantly evokes self-reflection.  It took me exactly 62 days to read this book over about 10 different sessions, resulting in 12 pages of notes and a new way at looking upon this gift of life.  Just getting 1 of the 7 habits in and of itself is worth reading the entire book.

I am no doubt so convicted of the power of this book because of my own paradigms (to use Covey’s wording) and because of where I am at now on my personal development and leadership journey.  You may see the book differently and I value that difference (another Coveyism).  Regardless if you are a mother, business owner, corporate climber or recent high school grad, I promise that you will find the principles within 7 Habits worthwhile and foundational.  To refrain from ranting and raving any further, I am simply going to close up this review with some of my favorite quotes from the book.

• “We have transitioned from the Industrial Age into the Information / Knowledge Worker Age – with all of its profound consequences.”

• “The survival response of popular culture is cynicism”

• “True greatness will be achieved through the abundant mind that works selflessly with mutual respect for mutual benefit.”

• “To focus on technique is like cramming your way through school.  You sometimes get by, perhaps even get good grades, but if you don’t pay the price day in and day out, you ever achieve true mastery of the subjects you study or develop an educated mind.”

• “Principles are guidelines for human conduct that are proven to have enduring, permanent value.”

• “Listening involves patience, openness, and the desire to understand – highly developed qualities of character”

• “Borrowing strength builds weakness”

• “The way we see the problem is the problem”

• “Life is, by nature, highly interdependent.  To try to achieve maximum effectiveness through independence is like trying to play tennis with a golf club – the tool is not suited to the reality.”

• “Love is a value that is actualized through loving actions.  Proactive people subordinate feelings to values.  Love, the feeling, can be recaptured.”

• “Real success is success with self.  It’s not in having things, but in having mastery, having victory over self”

• “…if you’re proactive, you don’t have to wait for circumstances or other people to create perspective expanding experiences.  You can consciously create your own.”

• “Personal leadership is not a singular experience.  It doesn’t begin and end with the writing of a personal mission statement.  It is, rather, the ongoing process of keeping your vision and values before you and aligning your life to be congruent with those most important things.”

• “The degree to which we have developed our independent will in our everyday lives is measured by our personal integrity.”

• “The challenge is not to manage time, but to manage ourselves.”

• “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”

• “When a boss becomes the first assistant to each of his subordinates, he can greatly increase his span of control.”

• “Unless you’re influenced by my uniqueness, I’m not going to be influenced by your advice.”

• “Seeking to understand requires consideration; seeking to be understood takes courage.”

• “Is it logical that two people can disagree and that both can be right?  It’s not logical: it’s psychological.  And it’s very real.”

• “We can choose to reflect back to others a clear, undistorted vision of themselves.  We can affirm their proactive nature and treat them as responsible people.  We can help script them as principle-centered, value-based, independent, worthwhile individuals.”

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