As a tribute to the legend and to remind ourselves, I thought to share the seven principles, followed by a few quotes Stephen Covey made about each.. If you have never read this book (though I doubt), be sure to pick up a copy. It is full of insights that can help you become more organized, productive, and life a better life. Even though it was first published in 1989, it is still relevant today. Here are 14 quotes from Stephen Covey listed by relevance to each of the Seven Habits.

1. One of my greatest
personal development
mentors, Stephen
Covey, died earlier this
week of complications
from a bicycle accident.
His book, “The Seven
Habits of Highly
Effective People”, has
changed the lives of
thousands of people
around the world and
surely I am one of them.

2. As a tribute to the legend and to remind
ourselves, I thought to share the seven
principles, followed by a few quotes
Stephen Covey made about each..
If you have never read this book (though I
doubt), be sure to pick up a copy. It is full
of insights that can help you become more
organized, productive, and life a better life.
Even though it was first published in 1989,
it is still relevant today. Here are 14 quotes
from Stephen Covey listed by relevance to
each of the Seven Habits.

3. Habit 1: Be Proactive
“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a
product of my decisions.”
“If you haven’t been exercising, your body will
undoubtedly protest this change in its
comfortable downhill direction. You won’t like it
at first. You may even hate it. But be proactive.
Do it anyway. Even if it’s raining on the morning
you’ve scheduled your jog, do it anyway. ‘Oh
good! it’s raining! I get to develop my willpower
as well as my body!’

4. Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
“The main thing is to keep the main thing the
main thing.”
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your
schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”

5. Habit 3: Put First Things First
“Most of us spend too much time on what is
urgent and not enough time on what is
important.”
“Keep in mind that you are always saying ‘no’ to
something. If it isn’t to the apparent, urgent
things in your life, it is probably to the most
fundamental, highly important things. Even when
the urgent is good, the good can keep you from
your best, keep you from your unique
contribution, if you let it.”

6. Habit 4: Think Win-Win
“Win/Win is a frame of mind and heart that
constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human
interactions. Win/Win means that agreements
or solutions are mutually beneficial, mutually
satisfying. With a Win/Win solution, all parties
feel good about the decision and feel
committed to the action plan. Win/Win sees
life as a cooperative, not a competitive arena.”
“The way we see the problem is the problem.”

7. Habit 5: Seek First to Understand,
Then To Be Understood
“Empathic listening is so powerful because it
gives you accurate data to work with. Instead of
projecting your own autobiography and assuming
thoughts, feelings, motives and interpretation,
you’re dealing with the reality inside another
person’s head and heart. You’re listening to
understand. You’re focused on receiving the deep
communication of another human soul.”
“Don’t push; be patient; be respectful.”

8. Habit 6: Synergize
“When you communicate synergistically, you are
simply opening your mind and heart and
expressions to new possibilities, new
alternatives, new options.”
“Once people have experienced real synergy,
they are never quite the same again. They know
the possibility of having other such mind-
expanding adventures in the future.”

9. Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
“Peace of mind comes when your life is in
harmony with true principles and values and in
no other way.”
“This is the single most powerful investment we
can ever make in life—investment in ourselves,
in the only instrument we have with which to
deal with life and to contribute.”

10. Rajesh Goyal’s Compilation..
www.iacm-india.com