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Summary: In-Depth Exploration of Yourself
Review: I think this is a good book to read. Not everything in this book works for me but I can use some of the things mentioned in this book. The book teaches me how to have a good relationship with my friends, family, and co-workers. As you know, habit, according to psychology, is a conditioned response to stimuli. This means that it can be learned through repetition or reinforcement. Unlike Pavlov's dogs, people are highly complex and dynamic and each reacting differently to the same or different situations. According to Stephen Covey the 7 habits are:
1) be proactive,
2) begin with the end in mind,
3) put first thing first,
4) think win/win,
5) seek to understand, then to be understand,
6) synergize,
7) sharpen the saw. It has a high level of abstraction. Also, part of this book sounds more like philosophy or even religion, which will not sit well with everyone. It is also important to reread this book because it will talk to you in different ways at different stages in your life.
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Summary: Mindblowing book Do get it !
Review: Purpose in life is very essential. I have always believed that short cut approaches are no solution to leading ones life effectively. Covey's approach is bang on target. It makes you think deeply and change your paradigm first. His ideas on the circle of influence and circle of concern are really superb. We spend a lot of time worrying about factors over, which we have absolutely no control. This books brings a whole different perspective to Life. Its a must buy !!
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Summary: rhetoric combats rhetoric
Review: We live in a society that teaches us to be passive and rely on experts for our decision making. All our media is based on noninteractive mediums often supplemented by laugh tracks to tell us when we are happy and creepy music to tell us when we are scared. Fear and confusion are the tools by which people are turned into sheep with a checkbook. It begins in compulsory education systems where we are given a question and the answer and then asked the question (how many of those answers have you later found to be lies). Your thoughts are not required but your complacency is demanded. We have our issues framed in such a way that we debate only a list of sanctioned and approved alternatives with no discussion of that which has been deemed counter-revolutionary by the powers that be, and dissent will not be tolerated. Once we were told what to think, now we are simply told not to. The news comes complete with analysis of how it will impact your life so all you need to do is sit back offer blind faith in the mega-corporations that bring you the 5-oclock news and the Seven Habits of Highly Deceptive People.
The motive behind this learned helplessness is to homogenize us into targetable markets and prepare us for the sales pitch offering what we have just been told we need in order to bring fulfillment to our unsatisfying and tame lifestyles of servitude to others. The media has told us what is attractive, what is just and what the good-life is, which avails a new market of telling us how to cope with the frustration of having our thoughts dictated by external profit seekers...Enter the Oprah-Covey-Dr. Phill solution. Tell me I have problems, tell me what they are, tell me how to fix them and I will pretend I believe you care about me more than another ivory back-scratcher you can spend my 3 easy payments on.
We spend millions on infomercial products telling us how to increase our IQ 30 points, reduce cellulite, and make a fortune in real-estate, all by devoting ten minutes a week and sending our check or money order to address on the screen without ever leaving the sofa.
As we watch talk shows bring in the so called 'specialists', we remove ourselves from real problems that cause us real stress and focus on masters of rhetoric peddling easy answers to indirect questions. Do we need to follow the 'correct map', or do we need involve ourselves in direct action and reaction to events and circumstances of our life as is best judged by our own undiluted thoughts. As any good marketing class will teach you, repetition creates truth. The incessant references to ambiguous entities of inner power and paradigm maps along with blurred calls to action involving centering one's self and shifting paradigms offer little certainty when action is called for in our lives.
Eventually a person gets tired of hearing all the ways we are told how to cope and that it's gonna be alright and, only then, real change can happen. It does not require shifting a paradigm map but it might require unleashing the harness we are bound by and going down to city hall. It may require you to develop distrust of the mainstream mass media and question the motives behind those trying to influence you. You might need to make tangible changes to your lifestyle and remove yourself from situations where you are powerless, you might need to question your involvement in systems of exploitation, and you may need to be much less tame.
The most important thing is to believe change in your life will come from yourself and not the expert. The painful truth is that the expert doesn't care about you or your unsatisfying life. They have no idea how to solve your problems and no motivation to do so, particularly when they have a new self help cook-book coming out next spring and have already added your name to their marketing list.
If your life needs change, you need to change it yourself. You are not helpless, and you have everything you need to do it already. If it is self-help you seek, Covey-help will get you nowhere. Everyone has an agenda and most of them need your credit card number. It can be dangerous to believe that this rhetoric will bring you more than the temporary illusion that you have taken control of your life when all you have done is tightened the shackles that bind you the source of dissatisfaction you sought to free yourself from.
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Summary: If you still haven't read, buy now
Review: I read this book after reading "Living 7 habits "presented to me by my colleagues. The book offers a complete course in self development. It begins with inside out approach that one needs to develop the inner qualities and than go for influencing other. The paradigm of circle of concern and circle of influence is enough to make you sit up and change your behaviour. Most of the time we spend our efforts on things which we have no control. The good thing is if we continue to do things which are under our control we lead a more content and fulfilling life. Also we give up sharpenning our skills once we get into a comfortable job. Here again Mr. Covey awakens you and tells about sharpenning the sword. A definite buy. Read it and live a more fulfilling life.
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Summary: The best piece of literature I've ever read !
Review: I'm a 21 year old guy and I was introduced to "The 7 Habits" back in February 2001 when I read the teen version of this book. I loved it so much that I had to check out the original version by Stephen Covey. This one is even better. The 7 Habits are basic principles presented in a very useful way that is applicable to all areas of life. From my own observation and experience with these habits, I've learned that you have to be patient in your growth with these habits. You're not going to become a highly proactive person overnight. Give yourself at least a year before you make any actual judgements regarding these habits. Remember that these are just common sense laws of life, so they will bring positive results in the long run. Stick with it and be patient and don't give up. I hope this book helps you as much as it did me and millions of other people worldwide. If you ever get a chance to see Stephen Covey live, go see him. I was able to and it's great! Good luck and God Bless!
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Summary: it's a little small
Review: Ok, great book, read it twice already and I'm ready to start implementing these ideas into my everyday life. I do, however, have a complaint, and it's not about the book, but about the way it's presented. I had no idea when I placed my order that this book measured 2 inches by 2 inches. It was described as a hardback, and, well, i guess it is, but it's an awfully tiny hardback. Some clarification needs to be made on the site here.
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Summary: How Did He Get So Smart?!?
Review: I was lucky enough to take a three day seminar on 7 Habits. I think everyone should read this book...high school, college, employed or unemployed. You can learn so much about yourself, the people around you and how to interact with them. I can't even begin to tell you how great this book is! Buy it, read it and you'll understand what I mean.
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Summary: Sage Wisdom
Review: Covey's work has been a major influence at my current and prior employer. His ideas on prioritization, management and even business development have guided the principles behind planning and personnel management in both places. Understanding the meaning behind the Covey-jargon has been a key to succeeding in both places. Applying his lessons to non-work activities is the key to personal balance. The first three habits are called private victories - controling one's own destiny. (Be Proactive, Begin with the end in Mind and Put First Things First) Seems obvious, but how often do we only look one step ahead? When you hear someone ask, "What are we really trying to accomplish here?" you know you're on the way to beginning with the end in mind. The next three are about public victories, increasing the performance of the group as a whole. (Think Win/Win, Seek first to understand, then to be understood and Synergize) This is about approaching life from a point of view of abundance - we are not trying to split a pie amongst ourselves, we are trying to understand each other and grow the pie. Synergize, like re-engineering, has been bastardized in modern management vocabulary. It has a very specific meaning here that does apply. Sharpen the saw is the last habit, which is about continuous improvement and renewal. This is especially vital in today's hyperspeed downsized environment. Two other concepts included in the book are worth discussing:
1 - Covey talks about building an emotional bank account with people. Thinking about investing in relationships is a great way to move beyond treating interactions like transactions.
2 - Covey divides the world into four quadrants of time management, encouraging us to focus our efforts on the high valued "Important but not urgent" quadrant 2 activities. If you can introduce this lexicon into your workplace, it will add to your team's mutual time management. I highly recommend this book to people looking to improve the organization, balance and effectivess of their work and personal lives.
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Summary: Life Altering - Highly Recommended Book!
Review: Without a doubt - this was THE best book I have ever read in the category of self exploration. Even if you only remember and apply 1/4 of what is read in this book you will become a better person. Dr. Coveys writing style is enjoyable and easy to follow including analagies that hit home and help you to understand the message.
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Summary: Hidden Agenda
Review: Mr. Covey's words bear a striking similarity to Mormon thought and practices.
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