I had to read this book for a professional development seminar. Then, I re-read it again, for personal reasons. It’s a book that is rich and dense, but worth the time and energy.

The first notion that struck me was ‘the fundamental shift of perception’, which changes our perspective on things in matter of seconds. When I rose above myself and did this, all of a sudden I was not the same person. Quite a few things that I’ve been trying very hard to change for a long time, changed almost immediately.

The second was the statement ‘listen, not to respond, but to comprehend’. I realized I’ve been doing just the opposite, ever since I learnt to speak. All those other advices I’ve received on effective communication boiled down to nothing, because they all focus on how to make the other person listen! If there is one technique that has improved my relation with people, both personal and professional, it’s this: now I listen to understand, see things from the perspective of the other. The book is worth just for this.

I love his notion of synergy in creating values, but this is also the notion that pains me the most, because this is the least I see around me. May be it’s the human nature not to seek synergy, but, in any case, I’ve applied this in my personal relations, and that has changed my life.

His chapter on renewal convinced me to have a role and goal. It’s so basic, yet I had never taken the time to do it. It gave me a meaning to my life, for the first time.

Αποφάσισα κι εγώ κάποια στιγμή να διαβάσω ένα από αυτά τα βιβλία αυτοβελτίωσης - ψυχολογικής ανάτασης κλπ που κυκλοφορούν κατά κόρον από τους διάφορους γκουρού του είδους και προσφέρουν τα πάντα μέσα σε λίγες σελίδες.
Διάλεξα αυτό ως το πιο διάσημο μάλλον.
Εντάξει, δε λέω, ορισμένα πράγματα έχουν ενδιαφέρον, αλλά πολύ Αμερικανιά ρε παιδιά η όλη φάση.
Πολύ θεωρία, πολύ μπλα-μπλα, πολύ ακατάληπτα πράγματα γενικώς, που δεν βλέπω να έχουν ιδιαίτερη σχέση με την πραγματικότητα της καθημερινότητας.
Και έπειτα, αν κανείς είχε την αυτοπειθαρχία να ακολουθήσει όλα αυτά τα γραφόμενα, δεν θα είχε ανάγκη κανενός είδους βελτίωσης, γιατί θεωρητικά, μόνο και μόνο λόγω του χαρακτήρα του, θα ήταν ήδη υπερεπιτυχημένος.
Τέλος πάντων, αν θέλετε - έστω και από περιέργεια - να δείτε ένα βιβλίο του είδους, νομίζω ότι το συγκεκριμένο είναι μία καλή επιλογή.

"العادات السبع" أحد أشهر كتابين في إدارة الأعمال، وثانيهما هو "دع القلق وأبدأ الحياة" لدايل كارنيجي.

يبدأ كوفي حديثه بالتأكيد على أنه لا يخترع العجلة من البداية؛ كما أنه لم يخترع العادات السبع التي يذكرها في كتابه، لكنه فقط يضعها في منظومة وبترتيب حتى يسهل استخدامها.

يؤكد كوفي على أهمية التغيير الداخلي للفرد، لأن الإنسان لن يتغير إلا إذا أراد هو ذلك، كما يؤكد على المفاهيم الدينية والأخلاقية للإنسان في العمل والحياة. أصبت بالاستغراب نوعا ما نظرا لاهتمامه بالعنصر الديني المسيحي اليهودي، إذ يشتهر معظم أساطين العلم في الخارج بميلهم للإلحاد.

يذكر كوفي كثيرا ما كتبه فرانكل، وهو من أهم الأطباء النفسيين اليهود، عن محارق النازية وكيف تغلب على تأثيراتها بالإيحاء حتى تحولت إلى نظرية في أهمية نظريات فرويد نفسه – اليهودي أيضا – ويُحكى أن هتلر كان يمنع مزاولة الطب النفسي حيث أن مؤسسي نظرياته من اليهود. يتحدث كوفي أيضا عن الرئيس السادات في أكثر من موقع في كتابه؛ وخاصة فيما يتعلق بتغيير نظرته للأمور كما حدث في معاهدة السلام بين مصر وإسرائيل، كما يدعو القراء للإطلاع على مذكراته "البحث عن الذات".

أهم ما يميز الكتاب ذكره لأمثلة في الحياة الأسرية والعمل لتطبيق كل عادة، وهو ما يبسط بشكل عملي العادات. وجدت الكتاب في بعض المواضع ممل إلى حد ما لكنه في المجمل مفيد ويتميز بالترتيب والأشكال والرسومات التوضيحية الجيدة.

كانت أكثر العادات التي أثارت اهتمامي: العادة الثالثة "أبدأ بالأهم ثم المهم" حيث يوضح الكتاب أهمية القيام بالمهام الهامة أكثر من الضرورية، ويضع جدولا أسبوعيا يساعد في تنظيم الأعمال مع الاحتفاظ بهامش للمرونة. والعادة الخامسة "اسع من أجل الفهم أولا ثم أسع من أجل أن يفهمك الآخرون"، وهي إحدى المشاكل التي تواجهني شخصيا حيث أهتم خلال الحديث مع أي شخص آخر بتحضير الرد مسبقا مما يسبب بعض المشكلات في فهم مقصده، وهنا أيضا يوضح لنا أهمية تلك المهارة في الحديث بين الأهل والأبناء حيث يهتم الأهل بسرد تجاربهم الشخصية دون الالتفات لحاجات الأبناء والاستماع لحديثهم وفهم رغباتهم أولا.

تشمل العادات السبع النقاط التالية:
النصر الشخصي:
1.tكن مبادرا.
2.tأبدأ والغاية في ذهنك
3.tابدأ بالأهم قبل المهم
النصر العام
4.tتفكير المكسب/ المكسب
5.tاسع من أجل الفهم أولا ثم أسع من أجل أن يفهمك الآخرون
6.tالتكاتف
التجديد
7.tاشحذ المنشار.

الكتاب في مجمله قيم ومهم، وهو في حوالي 400 صفحة من القطع المتوسط، صادر عن مكتبة جرير.

This masterpiece of Stephen R. Covey is one of the best books I've read in my entire life. Once you've read it, this book will transform your life in many ways you never imagined possible.

This book emphasizes the importance of Character Ethic, instead of the Personality Ethic that we are so used to, and how we should center our lives around the correct principles or 'centers'.

The habits start with three habits which will help you achieve move from being dependent to independent, or the 'Private Victory'. The first three habits are; Be Proactive, Begin with End in Mind and Put First Things First. The second part focuses on the public victory, which makes the journey from being independent to interdependent while focusing on the habits of Think Win/Win, Seek First to Understand Then to be Understood and Synergize. The seventh habit is essentially the renewal of these six habit.

This book, in my opinion is, one the books that one must at least once in his or hers lifetime, preferably as early as possible.

The Seven Habits is a million dollar worth book which sow the seeds of effectiveness in the reader’s mind. The seeds grow large as the reader proceeds reading. The main message of the book is the 7 habits which every highly effective people possessed.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then is not an act, but a habit.”


Habit 1- Be Proactive

Being proactive means recognizing our responsibilities to make things happen. This habit tells us to do whatever is necessary and consistent with correct principles. Work on the things which are in our influence to extend the circle of influence and spend less energy on the center of concern.

Habit 2- Begin with the End in Mind


Begin with the end in mind means to know where we are going so as to understand where we are now, and take our next step in the right direction. The best way to start is to develop a personal statement which describes what we want to be(character) and to do(achievement). Everybody wants to center his life on correct principles because principles don’t change. We can depend on them.

Habit 3- Put First Things First


This habit involves self-leadership and self-management: putting first things first. Leadership decides what the ‘first things’ are, and management is the discipline of carrying out your program.

“We don’t manage time. We can only manage ourselves.”

According to quadrant rule, do things first which are urgent and important, then the things which are important but not urgent. After that things which are urgent but not important, and then all other things which are neither urgent nor important.



Habit 4- Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

Listen is the most important tool for this habit. Listen but not with intent to reply or to convince. Listen to simply understand, to see how the other party sees things. Empathy is the skill need to develop for this habit.

“Empathic listening is with the ears, eyes and heart- for feeling, for measuring.”



Habit 5- Think Win/Win


Think win/win habit entrails making an important deposit in another person’s Emotional Bank Account: finding a way both of us can benefit by our interaction. All the other possibilities- win/lose, lose/win, lose/lose- are ineffective either in short term or long term.

Habit 6- Synergize

The exercise for all other habits prepares us for the habit of synergy. Properly understood, it is the highest activity of life. Through it, we create new, untapped alternatives- things that didn’t yet exist. We unleash people’s greatest powers. We make a whole greater than sum of its parts. The basis of synergy is that two people can disagree, and both can be right. It’s not logical. It’s psychological.

Habit 7- Sharpen the Saw


To sharpen the saw means renewing ourselves, in all the four dimensions of our nature:

·tPhysical- exercise, nutrition, stress management;

·tMental- reading, visualizing, planning, writing;

·tSocial/Emotional- service, empathy, synergy, security;

·tSpiritual- spiritual reading, study, meditation;

To exercise in all these necessary dimensions, we must be proactive. No one can do it for us. It’s a quadrant IV activity.

“To become strong, renew the spirit.”


Conclusion

The first three habits take us towards “private victory” - the journey from dependence to independence by taking responsibility for our lives. Next three habits lead us towards “public victory”   to the path of interdependent to succeed with other people. The seventh habit allows us renewing ourselves in mind, body and spirit.

I would like to recommend this book to all those people who want to live their life fully, amazing and joyful.

یکی از مزخرف ترین ها که کاش نمیخریدم

The 2 habits that got me through this book: rolling my eyes and gritting my teeth

I bought The Seven Habits at a yard sale for $1 with little knowledge of its contents. Years later, when my life dipped to a low ebb of meaning and motivation, I picked it off the shelf in hopes of finding a spark. Inside I found wisdom, compassion, a direct approach and a love of humanity.
t
The result wasn't immediately transformative. The methods and techniques Covey espouses didn't fall into place and turn me into a whirlwind of positive productivity. Reading The Seven Habits was just one of many moderate steps on a journey that, years on, still stretches endlessly into the horizon.
t
But the part that had the greatest effect on me, looking back, is the notion of the Personal Mission Statement; a written representation of who you are and who you want to be. It's a credo or philosophy, written to reflect your values and edited over time to refine the edges of your philosophy. It demonstrates the power of organizing what you feel and writing it down or speaking it out loud.
t
And with that I share my Personal Mission Statement; consulted often, edited occasionally, some points followed more consistently than others.

-When something seems wrong about how I pattern my life, I will analyze that pattern and change if it makes sense.

-I matter to others and they matter to me.

-I will look before I leap, but sometimes I will leap.

-I will write down my ideas.

-When I lose myself in reverie, I will turn to my to-do list rather than internet engagement.

-I will continue to write even if my content is receiving diminishing attention.

-I will carve out time each week to be around other people.

-I will favor truth over cleverness in my articulation.

-I will maintain my health through strong nutrition and consistent activity.

I will leave room for flights of fancy.

-I will leave the house with the intention of being early.

-I will act when I know there is something to do.

-I will write events on the calendar as they come up.

-I will minimize my multitasking.

-Not everything I say has to sound clever; I will make an effort to giving encouragement and obeying social graces.

-I shall ask for help and I shall offer it.

-When I wake up I will engage my legs or mind promptly.

-The names of others matter and I will learn them.

-When life gets stressful, I will harness that stress.

-I will speak well of people behind their backs.

-There are stories everywhere and I shall find them.

-I will respond to people online promptly; say within an hour or when I know what to say.

-I will go to bed when I feel tired.

-Not every big step will take me far.

-My Checklists serve me, not the other way around.

Sorry, I can't review this book because I'm going to reread and apply it. I think I'll be busy changing my life and seeing if it actually works. T'll then: I hope the best for every single one of you in your life and I would highly recommend reading it.

n  n
n  I would like to make clear that David Hasselhoff's appearance in this review should in no way be deemed to imply that I endorse or support his career in any way whatsoever.Thank you for your understanding.n

FIVE "PRACTICAL" HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE

First, a few comments on the seven so-called “habits” identified in the book, namely:

1.Be proactive,
2.Begin with the End in Mind,
3. Put First Things First,
4. Think Win-Win,
5. Seek First to Understand, then to be understood,
6. Synergize, and
7. Sharpen the Saw

In a word…..crap!!
In several words, what a giant, steaming pile of new-age, masturbatory, corp-lingo, platitude spewing bullshit.

Think Win-Win…are you kidding me with this Jim Jones Kool-aid party chant?

Synergize….just hearing that word makes me throw up in my mouth.

Sharpen the saw….exactly…reading that phrase makes me literally want to sharpen the saw and slice a hate filled path through the contents of this book.

This book is like a giant fortune cookie full of sounds good but says nothing. My advice: rather than read this book, go get a six pack or a bottle of wine, grab some China Mieville or Dan Simmons and find a nice comfy tree to sit under while you read something that might actually expand your mind.

Now I certainly don't have any foolproof answers or magic exercises that will help you bring out the "inner-winner" inside you. However, I did come up five pracical (and hopefully a little humorous) habits that have proven to be pretty effective at making people successful in their chosen field (tongue planted firmly in cheek).

1. EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICAL SCIENCE TO BECOME THE BEST YOU CAN BE

n  n

2. BE BOLD, BE DARING AND DELIVER TO THE MARKETPLACE THE NEXT BIG THING

n  n

3. DON’T BE AFRAID TO USE THE FORCE TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOAL

n  n

4. GET IN GOOD WITH THE GERMANS

n  n

5. BE RUTHLESS PROACTIVE IN DEALING WITH THE COMPETITION

n  n

THE END.....n  n

Ever since I worked at the bookstore at Virginia Tech, I would watch the douchebag* business major undergrads buy this book for their classes and look down upon them, and the book by association, as, well, douchebags.

*This is not to say that all undergrad business majors are douchebags. I've met one really really awesome one. Additionally, after working at a major university bookstore, a majority of all undergrad students can be fairly classified as douchebags. Jebus.

Consequently, I never picked up this book. I hated the people who were reading it for class. I hated the people who were assigning it for their classes. I hated my job and I hated the area that I was living in. (I was, yes indeedy, a hater)

Obviously it wasn't the right time for me to read it.

My current boss (who is only occasionally a douchebag) is doing this huge self-help/life plan program, and from it, there is a major reading list. As I am a wee bit addicted to books, I immediately agreed, and when I started searching on Amazon for the reading list, "7 Habits" appeared on pretty much every single page. So I picked that one up too.

Excellent decision. I chose to read it first. It has taken me, probably three weeks to read it. I have ordered (with my boss' blessing) "The 8th Habit" and will read that shortly.

Every single page I found something that made me put the book down for a couple of minutes and think about it. I already know that I'm going to have to re-read this at some point in the near future. I would say this is required reading for humanity, but my father would have been the exception to that rule.

Basically, this book will teach you about effective ways to be a compassionate, kind, enjoyable human being. It will teach you about personal responsibility (personal as in to your self, and to others). It will teach you how to be a better parent, employee, spouse, daughter, or boss.

I can't give it enough praise. It is a truly outstanding book.