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 Seven Ideas for Personal Growth November 13, 2008
"What you are shouts so loudly in my ears I cannot hear what you say." ~ Emerson
"The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" is a book I'd heard about so many times I actually thought I'd already reviewed it. Once I realized the book was new to me I started reading it with very high expectations. From the start Stephen Covey seems to meander through a wide variety of loosely related topics. By page 77 I went to read all the one-star reviews because I needed a break and seemed to be bored. I agreed with many of the reviews but felt I should give the book another try so I kept on reading.
The book became more interesting as Stephen Covey started to talk about being reactive vs. proactive. I did think that perhaps some people were offended by the thought of working on yourself instead of blaming others for your problems. I figured that might explain some of the negativity as some books work like a mirror to reveal your faults. The other complaint I have to agree with is that Stephen Covey has a very complex writing style. He also keeps referring to the same examples over and over again - the golden eggs and the goose is used so many times I lost count but felt irritated each time it was spoken of again. Once would have been fine and for some reason it just set me on edge each time I read about it. He also uses the word "paradigm" obsessively.
In this book you will also learn a lot about his family's strengths and weaknesses. I'm not sure I would have told some of the stories in this book because they seemed too personal. He calls his sons "honey" in the book and that would seem more appropriate if he was talking about his wife. I always feel for a writer's families as they are exposed in a light I find unattractive.
So what did I learn from this book? Here are the seven things I learned:
1. Be Proactive
2. Write a mission statement for my life
3. Prioritize
4. Seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions
5. Listen more and talk less
6. Value difference
7. Take care of body and soul - exercise, meditate, be an eternal learner, cultivate meaningful relationships
I liked the ideas of using visualization to create success. The ideas about writing a missions statement for your life and being opportunity-minded seemed like good ideas. The quotes in the book are quite good and since I collect quotes I was happy to have found some new ones that were very meaningful. For the most part I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to be more successful especially in business. I think the ideas are good but for the most part felt that the book was overrated and at times rather irritating. I didn't feel good or "seasoned with love" while reading this book so I'm only giving it three stars.
"The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." ~ Albert Einstein
~The Rebecca Review
 A Tool for a Good Life November 4, 2008
I keep this book in my special library. I bought it to get organized and learned how to both organize my days and prioritize my personal life. This book emphasizes being effective by deciding what is important and what is not. I would recommend it those that just can't seem to figure out how to fit life into 24 hour days, and puts spirituality at the forefront.
Crucial Book to Read When One is Ready to Excel! October 29, 2008
I own a signed Fireside First Edition (1989) of this book, and it is one of my prized possessions. The reader before me, someone I know must now be someone very important, had underlined the most important topics in this ever popular self-improvement text. As I read it, I can actually feel the impact these words had on so many other readers Worldwide. I see that the reader before me underlined "trust is the highest form of human motivation" and then I am amazed that years later, Covey publishes "The Speed of Trust." I take the words in text seriously, as I read that I "must get involved with training and development" and of course, the reader underlined this part as well.
I am convinced that all leaders have read and mastered the skills in this book, and I also know that my book was read by one of those leaders. Me! Andrea Samadi, author of The Secret for Teens Revealed: How Parents, Teachers, and Teenagers Can Inspire Leadership and Transform Lives
Kudos to Stephen R. Covey October 27, 2008
7 Habits of Highly Effective People is an excellent book with effective and powerful concepts to improve anyone's life. Personally I had an `Aha' moment with habit 5; seek first to understand, then to be understood. I can't tell you what a difference this has made in my life. I recommend it to anyone who seeks success professionally and personally. I found that when I applied these concepts habitually success followed quickly.
Excellent October 18, 2008
Excellent book and a great author. Everyone should read this book. The material can be applied to business or personal relationships.
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