“Stephen Covey has written a remarkable book about the human condition, so elegantly written, so understanding of our embedded concerns, so useful for our organizational and personal lives, that it’s going to be my gift to everyone I know.”
- WARREN BENNIS
(Author of on Becoming a Leader )
“Stephen Covey is an American Socrates, opening your mind to the ‘permanent things’ – values, family, relationships, communicating. “
- BRIAN TRACY
(Author of Psychology of Achievement )
“I have learned so much from Stephen Covey over the years that every time I sit down to write, I’m worried about subconscious plagiarism! Seven Habits is not pop psychology or trendy self-help. It is solid wisdom and sound principles.”
- RICHARD M. EYRE
(Author of Life Balance and Teaching Children Values )
These are few praises given for the book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” of Stephen R. Covey.
When I started reading this book, the very first statement I read was “Interdependence has higher value than Independence”, which Mr. Covey has used as the starter of his acknowledgement. I found this first statement as a key for various problems. If everyone applies this principle in their life, they will be able to solve major parts of their problem.
The first chapter is started with DAVID STARR Jordan’s statement
“There is no real excellence in all this world, which can be separated from right living.”
Further Mr. Covey has started his experiences – “I have come in contact with many individuals who have achieved an incredible degree of outward success, but have found themselves struggling with an inner hunger, a deep need for personal congruency and growing relationships with other people.”
Then he has given some CASE STUDIES and their would be or probable solutions, which gives the feel of right living.
The next chapter comes with Aristotle’s statement
“We are, what we repeatedly do, Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
Then the Habit is defined as the “Intersection of Knowledge, Skill, and Desire.”
After giving the definition of Habit, the seven habits are identified to become an effective person. Further these seven habits are categorized in three broad categories.
1. PRIVATE VICTORY
- Which will lead you from Dependence to Independence
2. PUBLIC VICTORY
- Which will lead you from Independence to Interdependence.
3. RENEWAL
- Which will help you for a balanced self-renewal.
Now, if you are really interested and want to be an effective personality and have patience and approach towards reading, go for this book. It’s really worth reading.