Do your actions align with your words?

Title: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Author: Stephen R. Covey

Reviewer: Richard Sesek (educator, wantrepreneur)

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Topic/Intent of book: This book provides sound advice for both personal and professional effectiveness. Covey’s principles emphasize timeless values such as responsibility, integrity, and working with others towards mutually beneficial, win-win outcomes. His principles are rooted in ethics and he stresses long-term growth over short-term gains.

I selected this book because: I first read this book many years ago when I used a Franklin planner. Several of my students were reading this book and I decided to come back to it.

Recommendation: Definitely. This book is a classic. While some of the “old timey” phrasing is funny (e.g., “gee dad, this is really for the birds”), the messages and advice are sound. There is plenty of real‑world advice that is directly applicable. This book provides an opportunity to reflect on which behaviors and habits are serving you vs. those that are hindering progress towards your goals. This book is nice compliment to other books on habits such as “Atomic Habits” by James Clear which speaks to “identity” as a means to motivate and reinforce positive habits (e.g., persons who identify as “exercisers” are more likely to maintain consistent exercise habits). The principles/habits are universal and apply across cultures and work domains.

Major lessons from this book: Be proactive and take responsibility for your choices. He refers to responsibility as being “response” “able”, in that you are able to respond to situations. Your response is what is most important, including your emotional response to situations and events. Begin with the end in mind and clarify your long-term desired outcomes to help guide your daily decisions and behaviors. He suggests “putting first things first” and focusing on important, not urgent tasks (not easy to do!). Covey advocates for true win-win outcomes and argues that mutual benefit and collaboration will ultimately best serve all interested parties.

Previously, I had interpreted his “sharpening the saw” habit as simply a call for continuous improvement. But, upon revisiting this book, I realize that is more about maintaining your optimum physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual status and taking the time to “stay sharp” rather than seeking some mythical “perfect sharpness.”

Book Inspirations: I really enjoyed coming back to this book. As with any good book, you will find that the lessons “change” based on what the reader needs or is seeking (like the proverb “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear”). This book provided incentive to periodically reevaluate my own habits and reactions to life events in more systematic way. My favorite quote from this book is “Honesty is telling the truth – in other words, conforming our words to reality. Integrity is conforming reality to our words – in other words, keeping promises and fulfilling expectations.” Your actions should align with your words.