Then they get on this ladder of success and they arrive at the top rung,
only then to realize the ladder is leaning
against the wrong wall. They come to realize
that no one on their deathbed ever wish they spent more time at the office.
Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.
Habit one, be proactive. Basically means
that your life is a product of your values, not your feelings.
The opposite of being proactive is to be reactive, which basically means
that your life is a function of your feelings, your moods, your impulses,
other people's treatment. The concept is you and I
have the capacity to choose our response. Habit two, begin with the end in mind.
Basically means that all things are created twice. And habit two is the first creation.
Habit two, begin with the end in mind means that you get a mental image, a picture
of where you want to end up in this meeting, in this relationship,
this year, in your life. Habit two is based on the principle of vision,
a purpose of meaning of mission. Habit three, to put first things
first is the second creation. To put first things first means
you decided what the first things were in habit two,
now you have the discipline and the commitment to keep them first.
The opposite of putting first things first is to put second or third or fourth things first.
That's why many people really deeply value,
their family relationships, their health,
their personal integrity, but they get caught up in the
powerful social value systems, timetables and agendas of their culture.
Never question it so that the first creation has already been done for them,
done to them in the form of programs, scripts that they never question.
Then they get on this ladder of success and they arrive at the top rung,
only then to realize the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall.
They come to realize that no one on their deathbed ever wish they spent more time at the office.
Things which matter most
must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.
Habit four, think win win, is the habit of mutual benefit.
The underlying paradigm or principle is abundance. There is plenty out there and to spare,
so you don't have to be threatened by the strengths of other people.
You can nurture competency around you higher than your own,
doesn't threaten you. You can share knowledge,
you can share recognition, gain profit. The opposite is scarcity, not abundance.
Habit five, seek first to understand, then to be understood is the
habit of empathic communication, meaning you always seek to understand first.
The teacher diagnosis processes before teaching, the doctor diagnosis, before prescribing,
the attorney does discovery before developing his or her own case or brief.
Understand first before you seek to be understood, before you seek to contribute,
before you take action, before you have the basis for judgment.
Habit six, synergise is the habit of creative
cooperation, seeking to understand. We create something that was not there before,
that takes high levels of cooperation. The principle behind habit six,
is the principle that one plus one can equal three, four, ten, twenty, a thousand.
It's the principle of valuing differences, not tolerating differences,
not accepting differences, celebrating differences.
Habit seven is called sharpen the saw. Is the principle of renewal,
the principle of continuous learning, continuous improvement,
getting better constantly. It's based on the principle
that we have the capability of charging our own battery.
The opposite of habit seven, sharpen the saw is tojust let the blade get dull,
to let the mind atrophy, to let the body lose its tone and its vitality
through junk food and no exercise and trying to live a life of
hedonism, pleasure seeking, rather than one of contribution and service.