Don’t feel you have to get a better deal than other people. In your interactions with others, focus on getting agreements or solutions that are mutually beneficial to all parties. To incorporate this habit into your life, you need to create a frame of mind that has you seeking mutual benefit in your interactions with others. The win-win philosophy sees life as a cooperative arena, not a competitive one. So, to develop this habit, find out what is important to you prioritize your activities so the important ones are on the top of the list. Unfortunately, they often find they do not have time to complete the things they believe are important because they have spent too much time on the urgent less important items. Often times people put the things they are believe are urgent at the top of their “to do” list. You have to determine what you truly value and put those first on your list of things to do. The first step in developing this habit is to find out what is important to you. This habit is about organizing and prioritizing your activities. To practice this habit, begin each day, activity, or endeavor with a clear vision of your desired destination. So before you start something new, take the time to think about your ultimate goal, then plan how you will reach that goal. It is about looking ahead and seeing where you want to ultimately get to.
This habit is about visualizing where you want to end up. When faced with a problem or a difficult situation, take the initiative to find solutions rather than just recognizing the problem and waiting for others to solve it. Think about what needs to be done and do it.
You create this habit by taking initiative. The final habit focuses to your overall continuous growth and improvement.īeing proactive means controlling your environment, rather than having it control you. These 3 habits move you from independence to interdependence. Habits 4 to 6 center on teamwork, cooperation, and communication. These 3 habits deal with self-mastery required for character growth to move from dependence to independence stage. The first three habits in the book take you from dependence to independence. Since we are born into the dependence stage (having others do things for us), the Seven Habits begin by focusing on getting you first to independence and then moving you to interdependence.
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Rather than being dependent upon other people, or trying to be totally independent, you learn how to be more effective by working with others to accomplish your goals.Īs noted above, the habits are set up in a specific order to help you move through the stages of personal development. Covey uses the Seven Habits to gradually move you through theses stages of maturity. Interdependence is the stage were you embrace the idea of working and collaborating with others to achieve the best results possible.Ĭovey’s approach is to move you progressively on a maturity continuum from dependence to independence then ultimately to interdependence. Through personal development, you become more independent and take responsibility upon yourself. You would be stuck at this stage without any personal development. It is the stage where you are dependent on other people. The Seven Habits are designed to help you move sequentially through the following stages of personal development:ĭependence is where everyone starts in life. His Seven Habits are not just a random list of habits that will make you more effective if you start implementing them into your life. He believes if the Seven Habits are integrated into your life, they will help you move through the stages of personal development. Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits – Stage of Personal DevelopmentĬ ovey’s approach is to have you focus on developing yourself as well as your relationships with others. But it is worthwhile and will have a lasting effect on your personal effectiveness and on your life. It takes time and effort to develop the Seven Habits. You have to consciously work at them for a while before they become part of who you are and how you interact with other people. Changing or creating habits can be hard, but can be done if you are committed to change. Good habits can be defined as the intersection of knowledge, skill, and desire. Incorporating the Seven Habits into your Life