This article is an excerpt from the Shortform summary of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey. Shortform has the world's best summaries of books you should be reading.
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Are you looking for The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People quotes by Stephen Covey? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting?
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People distills common knowledge and oft-repeated wisdom—from classic philosophy to religious teachings—into seven lifelong practices that help build a successful and fulfilling life. In this self-help classic, author Stephen R. Covey draws on his expertise in business management, his Mormon faith, and his interest in living a life that is not only productive but also aligned with principles such as integrity, honesty, and fairness.
Below is a selection of quotes with explanations.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey provides an inside-out approach to improving yourself and your life. Covey’s seven-habit method entails examining and adjusting your character, your motives, and how you see the world in order to change how you behave and how you interact with others.
The following The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People quotes highlight some of the key ideas from the book.
“But until a person can say deeply and honestly, “I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday,” that person cannot say, “I choose otherwise.”
In every situation, you have the choice of being reactive or proactive. If you’re reactive, you let your habits and conditioning dictate how you respond to the people and circumstances around you; if you’re proactive, you decide how you’ll respond to create the results you want. Being proactive requires you to take responsibility for your actions and their consequences, but it also empowers you to take hold of your life and make significant changes to your mindset and behavior.
“Start with the end in mind.”
“Start with the end in mind” is Covey’s second habit. Never losing sight of your long-term goals and values. To achieve the life you want, create a personal mission statement to identify the big picture—the life you want to lead, the character traits you want to embody, the impact you want to have on those around you. This document serves as a reminder of your ultimate goals and helps you ensure each short-term pursuit and daily action is in line with what’s most important to you.
“Two people can see the same thing, disagree, and yet both be right. It’s not logical; it’s psychological.”
Here, Covey is discussing synergy (Habit 6) Synergy means that two people working together can create greater results than would have been possible separately. When you have an understanding of your own paradigms and values, an appreciation of the other person’s perspective, and a genuine desire for Win/Win solutions, you can create synergy to achieve incredible, positive changes in your life that get you closer to reaching your personal mission.
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