Stephen R. Covey (1932–2012)

The seven habits of highly effective people.

The seven habits are be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things, first, think, win-win, seek first to understand, then to be understood, synergize, and sharpen the saw.

To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you’re going, so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.

Proactivity is based on the unique endowment of self-awareness.

The more we were able to draw upon our right brain capacity, the more fully, we will be able to visualize, to synthesize, to transcend time in present circumstances, to protect a holistic picture of what we want to do, and to be in life. We live in a primarily left brain dominant world.

Research shows that almost all of the world class athletes and other peak performers are visualizers. They see it, they feel it, they experience it before they actually do it.

The author recommends writing a personal mission statement

Four quadrants of time management include quadrant one through four with quadrant, one being emergencies in crisis in quadrant two being effective activities with quadrants three and four being effective less

The best way to organize your life is on a weekly basis.

The author encourages you to make deposits into peoples emotional bank account as a metaphor that describes the amount of trust has been build up in a relationship. These types of deposits include understanding the individual attending to little things keeping commitments, clarifying expectations, showing personal integrity and apologizing sincerely, when needed. The key is to make deposits, constant deposits of unconditional love.

Who’s winning in your marriage is a ridiculous question. If both people aren’t winning both are losing.

Always pursue the win-win approach as all other options are ineffective.

When you can present your own ideas, clearly, specifically, visually and most important contextually in the context of a deep understanding of other peoples paradigms and concerns you significantly increase the credibility of your ideas.

When you exercise your patients be on your pass limits, emotional fiber is broken, nature overcompensate in the next time the fiber is stronger, similar to working out muscles in the body.… (mere)