Stephen R Covey

The Seven Habits and Achieving Goals

It is one of the best books I know for anyone who wants more success at setting and achieving personal goals.

However, it restructures and presents principles of goal setting success in a simple straightforward way.

Stephen R Covey also provides very interesting advice on effective time management and self management.

The 7 Habits presented by Covey are divided into three sections: Private Victory, Public Victory and Renewal.

PRIVATE VICTORY

• BE PROACTIVE - this is about taking action on matters over which we have control. From a goal setting viewpoint, it's about making sure we commit to goals that we set outselves. Small victories build confidence and allow us to build towards larger goals.
• BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND - the idea is to look at what you want in your life and set goals in that context. This helps you set goals that you really do want to achieve with a burning desire.
• PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST - this is the key section on time management and the principles are put into practical form in the various Franklin Covey planners you can buy.

PUBLIC VICTORY

• THINK WIN/WIN - Stephen R Covey suggests that we live in an interdependent world. Everyone will gain if we aim for win win solutions rather than win lose.
• SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND, THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD - in any dispute or negotiation, a great strategy is to listen to what the other person is saying before we put our view.
• SYNERGIZE - the idea is that the two of us working together are more powerful than each of us fighting our own corner.

RENEWAL

SHARPEN THE SAW - We need to take regular breaks and holidays, and also to spend time recharging our batteries. This may include resting, but Covey also suggests we need to boost our physical, social/emotional, spiritual and mental reserves with relevant activities.

The principle of BE-DO-GET is key to goal setting. We only get the results we want when we do what it takes.

We only do what it takes when we see ourselves as the sort of person that does those things.

Covey talks about building our character. Maxwell Maltz speaks about positive self image.

You can read about all sorts of techniques and strategies, but achieving personal goals depends very much on how we build our inner strength to become the sort of person who achieves the goals we set.

You may like to read my other articles on Stephen Covey and The Seven Habits

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