7 Habits of Highly Effective People

According to Steven R. Covey, to live with security and wisdom, and to have the power to take advantages of the opportunities that change creates, we need fairness, integrity, honesty and human dignity. Quite a tall order when you consider that most of us live our lives in a permanent state of flux, questioning our ideals and values and fighting a daily battle with the lack of self-confidence that stops us from taking risks of any kind. But, in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey manages to make it sound as if changing the way we look at ourselves and the world around us so that we can become more successful both personally and professionally an absolute doddle. He defines the "habits" as "the intersection of knowledge, skill and desire" and states that the "Seven Habits" of the title are not mutually exclusive, but rather when developed together help to form a well-rounded, sensitive, confident and effective human being.

As with many self-help books, much of what you read here is based on basic common sense and can at times be irritatingly obvious. However, what Covey manages to do so successfully is to break down the barriers which prevent all of us from taking a long hard look at ourselves, and then gradually introduces new rules which allow us to move first from dependence to independence and then towards the ultimate goal of interdependence. But of course, the only real way to test the value of The Habits--be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think "win/win", seek first to understand and then to be understood, synergise, sharpen the saw-- is to work on them. This book is as good as any place to start on the road to self-awareness and self-improvement in the workplace and in the home without becoming too irritatingly smug and self-satisfied. --Susan Harrison

View other editions of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
View books by Stephen R. Covey.

Stil the most influential self improvement book I've read - Rated
This is the one book I unfailingly recommend to others who want to be more successful in work or life in general.
I've read it several times and still find its ideas central to how I go about things in life. Hence buying it for a friend just now!
Covey makes a compelling (and welcome) case for the substance of real character over the cult of projected and perceived personality as the 'secret' to sustainable success in life.

The Key - Rated
Trying not to use the phrase "paradigm shift" is almost impossible when talking about this book. If you've not heard of this, then you need to get out more.

Seven Habits is a wonderful book that will change your life if you let it. Now, the key is in the title: Habits. Not whims, but habits. You have to keep at what the book talks about and while the book is geared toward those who want success, it is not geared toward happiness. Think they're the same? No. Read the book and you'll see why.

Still, this comes highly recommended from a lot of sources. Covey basically gives you a recipe for success. Having read some of the negative reviews I can only assume those people don't want success or aren't capable of concentrating their attention on the goals at hand long enough. I would also recommend "Life Strategies" by McGraw as another excellent source of inspiration.

Covey's Four Quadrant! - Rated
This is must-read and a book that you will want to keep on your bookshelf and re-read time and time again. Its crammed full of interesting stories, reflection and guidance on life. Seven habits of highly effective people teaches so much and provides a brilliant lesson on how to achieve what you want out of life and how to get the most out of life. I found it life-changing and it had a big impact on me. I particularly liked advice on time management and how to plan your time daily. He provides some excellent templates to copy.One example - Covey talks of a four quadrant to-do list. He talks of how we spend so much of our time doing things because they are due tomorrow but not important. thus the important stuff gets left behind. He advises to plot your to-do list in a four quadrant table - (1) important and due soon, (2) important and due later (3) unimportant and due soon (4) unimportant and due later.
Plot everything you have to do in this order and ensure that you carry out tasks in numerical order. This means you'll always do what is important to you first!
Covey's advice can apply to everyone.
Read this book, it will change your life forever!

One of the best christmas gifts to any teenager - Rated
It might very well save them a lot of pain, by acting as a lighthouse

The granddaddy of them all - Rated
While there are other fantastic books on leadership, this has to be the one that had the biggest impact on my life.
The concepts that Covey talks about are life skills, not just business skills.
Starting with the End in Mind, First Things First, etc. have become an integral part of my daily life and while much of it is common sense, it is described very elegantly in the book. Highly recommended!

5 Stars