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Summary: Mary H. Siudy
Review: This book is a life changing source of information. It belongs on the self where you continue to read from. Each and every time a person opens this book they will walk away with more added to their lives. This first time through was about dicovering a personal mission statement, Yet I know as many times as I read this book I will be able to grow and have my life enhanced by the wealth of knowledge it contains.
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Summary: Start Now
Review: This book is even better than Stephen's previous book "Seven Habits". It describes in an easy reading style how to focus on the more important things in life. I also found very useful the exercises that assist with identifying various concepts covered in each of the chapters. This is not just a theory book. It provides real life examples that the reader can easily identify with. Highly enjoyable. I'll read it again and again.
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Summary: "Law of the Farm" Reading
Review: This book is the antithesis of the "quick fix." You must learn the practices slowly, and you must be prepared to be challenged. Most people aren't doing what Covey encourages us to do here, (I certain wasn't, and am still learning) so if you don't feel a little twinge when you consume it, chances you're not really getting it. Like Covey's metaphor for farming, this has to be planted and you have to grow with it. Farming isn't about cramming. Great guidance for placing importance over urgency, and integrating your life's activities in a way that makes sense, and flows together. If you stick with the ideas here, you will reap big rewards, both personally and professionally.
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Summary: Very Enlighting
Review: This book is very fascinating. It has taught me to become aware of what my goals are and what steps I will take to achieve them. It has also taught me how to monitor and document my progress. I am not a good planner, but when I read this book I was so amazed at how you can actually institute a planning schedule to help you through your short or long term goals. I think everyone should read this book because it will tell you so much that you "either, didn't know or never thought of".
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Summary: Put first things first - it's a matter of priorities.
Review: This book makes a great companion to Covey's highly acclaimed "7 Habits", unquestionably, one of the very best self devlopment books of all time. First Things First may be getting a bad rap by some negative reviewers because it sounds too simple. Some folks like to check out all sorts of fancy charts with million dollar words so they can impress people at parties on how smart thay think they are. Simple and to the point. First Things First. Read it along with 7 Habits and ignore the 1 star reviewers.
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Summary: Most Thought Provoking Book of the Year
Review: This book provides the reader with the most thought provoking approach to managing lifes affairs of all the current 'self help' books. The practical questions that the book asks keep the reader challenged and focused. This is not a book for the 'skimmer.' It's a book for the person who seriously wants to answer the question, 'What's next for my life.' It's a must read and do.
Hal Palmer(hpalmer@pacifier.com
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Summary: Great Follow-up to the 7 Habits!
Review: This book provides useful, profound, and much-needed advice to people who are over-worked, stressed, fatigued, have poor relationships, and feel helpless and hopeless in general. Most people think that to be more effective they have to give up sleep, exercise, friends, and work more and faster. This book provides a revolutionary solution to problems that so many people suffer from. By putting First Things First, you can be more effective while working less and feeling better. First Things First has its roots from The Seven Habits, which I would recommend reading first. The 7 Habits is more general and fundamental, while First Things is more dynamic, practical, detailed, and specific. Read them both!
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Summary: 7 Habits by Four Quadrants
Review: This is a good book, yet it over reaches a little bit and could be a bit shorter to make the point. Yet, Covey and Merrill go a long way to help people sort out the priorities in thier lives. There are four boxes of our time and the tasks that we need to accomplish. Do we have the time to do the busy work to be effective, or do we do the important things first so that other things get done in priority. This book is an excellent primer for the Franklin/Covey time management program. By focusing on our time the right way, we may be on to greatness. Yet, it may be a better book for managers. Some positions in the world we work in are just busy work. Maybe Mr. Covey can cover that at a future time.
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Summary: Priorities Divided By Four
Review: This is a good book, yet it over reaches a little bit and could be a bit shorter to make the point. Yet, Covey and Merrill go a long way to help people sort out the priorities in thier lives. There are four boxes of our time and the tasks that we need to accomplish. Do we have the time to do the busy work to be effective, or do we do the important things first so that other things get done in priority. This book is an excellent primer for the Franklin/Covey time management program. By focusing on our time the right way, we may be on to greatness. Yet, it may be a better book for managers. Some positions in the world we work in are just busy work. Maybe Mr. Covey can cover that at a future time.
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Summary: First Things First - A Philosophy for Living Life
Review: This is a must read for professionals in any walk of life. Covey and the Merrill's (the coauthors) promote a principle centered leadership style focusing on personal leadership. Their philosophy is that you can't lead others unless you can lead your own life first. The authors promote that when a person aligns his or her life with internal principles, then that person is able to focus on what's important, not what's urgent. Why? Because many times things become urgent due to a lack of prioritization in our lives. The authors title the initial chapter "How Many People on Their Deathbed Wish They'd Spent More Time at the Office?" Aptly describing the urgency addiction that many people face in today's hectic lifestyle, Covey and the Merrills walk through a methodology that shows how to reconnect with our core beliefs and then to live accordingly. Not that there aren't days when you should be working long hours, but those hours should be spent on important issues that yield quality of life results. People should not be mired in frivolous paperwork and detail that doesn't impact their life and those around them in a positive way. Covey and the Merrills write an inspirational book that should be used as a resource to refer to time and time again. The insight embodied in their work transcends much of the consumerism and materialistic values of modern life and reconnects us with the wisdom literature of the ages. Anybody preparing for, or currently in, a leadership position should read this book.
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