Thoughts on the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

In class this week we reviewed Covey’s 7 Habits of Effective People. Our journal prompt is twofold – one to describe which habit has the most meaning for me, and two, “Why will the 7 habits help to fill my life with passion and purpose as I seek to achieve both a public and private victory?”

When there are multiple good answers, it is always hard to narrow it down to one. For now, I will select Habit number 2, “Begin with the end in mind”. This is one of the private victories. By beginning with the end in mind, we can cultivate a “vision of victory.” We are encouraged to know where we want to go and how it will feel when we get there.

I liken this to a road trip. I’ve taken a couple in the past two weeks by myself. I get nervous on the interstate in my little red Nissan Versa, when I am right next to a giant tractor-trailer that is riding the white line on his left side, to my right, it’s almost always super-windy on I-70, there is a curve in the road ahead and it feels like that guy is going to swerve and squash me like a bug. He is so close to me. But if I cast my glance a half mile down the road instead of right in front of me, I smoothly get away from that big truck, everything is fine, I stay in my lane with no problems. I feel safe once again.

I have an entrepreneur friend that keeps encouraging me to create a vision board, which I really want to do. I think this will help me with my “keeping the end in mind” goals.

For the next question, “Why will the 7 habits help to fill my life with passion and purpose as I seek to achieve both a public and private victory?”

In church we are always hearing “Truth is circumscribed into one great whole.” I feel like there is a common thread in much of what I have learned in my Entrepreneurship class this semester. Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits dovetails with other schools of thought in that we are not in business solely for our own benefit. Heavenly Father has commanded us all to work. He gives us talents not just for our own benefit, but to bless others. It makes sense that service is a component of what we do, whether we add value to our offerings, whether we “seek first to understand,” whether we practice a “win-win” philosophy or “create synergy.” By doing these things, we work at making the world a better place, making life better for others. By seeking to make life better for others, we make it better for ourselves. If I love what I do and seek to bless others with what I’m passionate about this is definitely a win-win proposition. By being focused on adding value and encouraging and supporting others, this will draw others to us – we will be noticed and able to influence for good.