Habit 1: Be proactive

“Habit 1 is the key to unlocking all the other habits and that’s why it came first. It says, “I am the captain of my life. I can choose my attitude. I’m responsible for my own happiness or unhappiness. I am in the driver’s seat of my destiny, not just a passenger.”

To be proactive means not blaming anyone for your doing. It was your choice and you’re the one who makes your own choices in life. Recognize that you can control everything that happens to you, but you can control what you do about it. You are calm, cool, and in control. I someone tries to sake you up (make you angry) nothing will happen.   

Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind

“Create your own destiny or someone else will” (Jack Welch)

The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. Once you choose, you have to work for it, just like your health. Wealth without health is not worth its weight in gold. If you are truly to achieve your destiny, you need to focus as equally on your health goals as your wealth goals. Also your job, sooner or later, all jobs come to an end. Therefore, keep your day job while you simultaneously build your business. Your day job becomes the seed money to support your business. When you are employed working for “the Man,” you help someone else to create his or her destiny, not yours. The only way to earn your true worth is by becoming an entrepreneur. Then transform your passion into your career.  Write out a list of your top five passions in life. What do you most like to do during your evenings, weekends, and vacations? Study this list to determine which one passion solves a need in the marketplace. Then transform that specific passion into your own business and you will have discovered the key to creating your own destiny.

Habit 3: Put First Things First

“Organize and execute around priorities”

Putting first things first means doing to the most important things in life. It means being clear about your priorities and acting on them. You have decided that you are ready to take control of your life and do it right. You are going to do the most important and urgent thing first before you focus on doing anything else. This habit is where we prioritize instead of slack off or procrastinate. Prioritizing includes clarifying your values and then setting goals based on the values. What can help you along the way is a planner of some sort to help you remember and organize your assignment, goals, and to-do list. Goals setting based on those values.

Habit 4: Think Win-Win

“Think win-win or no deal”

To think win-win isn’t about being nice, nor is it a quick fic technique. It is a human based code for human interaction and collaboration.   Most of us learn to base our self-worth on comparisons and competition. We think about succeeding in terms of someone else failing–that Win-win sees life as a cooperative arena, not a competitive one. Win-win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. Win-win means agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial and satisfying. Is, if I win, you lose; or if you win, I lose. We all play the game, but how much fun is it really?  

Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood

“Diagnose before you prescribe”

See things from another’s point of view before sharing your own. This habit is the key to communication, because the deepest need of the human heart is to be understood. Everyone wants to be respected and valued for who they are – a unique, on-of-a-kind, never-to be-cloned individual. People won’t share their deepest feelings unless they feel genuine love and understanding. Once they feel it, they will probably give you more than you want to hear. Try to understand instead of judging.

Habit 6: Synergize

“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts (1+1=3) “

When people begin to interact together genuinely, and they’re open to each other’s influence, they begin to gain new insight. The capability of inventing new approaches is increased exponentially because of differences. The essence of synergy is to value and respect differences, to build on strengths and to compensate for weaknesses. The author says that many of us haven’t actually experienced synergy in our family lives or in other interactions. We’ve been shaped into defensive and protective communications or into believing that life or other people can’t be trusted. Therefore, we have a tendency to not open up to this highly effective principle which requires enormous personal security and openness and a spirit of adventure.

Habit 7: Sharpen the saw

Four dimensions of self-renewal: Physical, Mental, Spiritual, Social/Emotional

Sharpen The Saw discusses self-renewal, self-care, self-respect and self-improvement. You take care of my body by eating right, exercising and getting sleep. You spend time with family and friends. I learn in lots of ways and lots of places, not just at school. You find meaningful ways to help others. You learn how to become a better person each day.