I believe that none of the habits have really become easier. Once people feel truly understood, they are far more open to being influenced. The test of understanding is not when you tell the other person, “Hey, I understand.” It’s when they tell you, “I feel understood.” That is a gift. Habit 5 teaches us why it is so critical that we seek to understand other people first before we try to influence them.

We’re living in a world that has become polarized in almost every way. People have been able to apply these habits, and that application has created such enduring and sustaining power.Ĭaprino: Is there any one original habit that you feel is even more difficult to master or incorporate in this modern day than it was when this book was originally published? Conversely, are there any that you feel are easier to master today?Ĭovey: I think they are all difficult! I could argue all seven individually, but I’ll highlight just one, that I think is particularly important today and that is “Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.” He framed and organized the equivalent of an operating system for human effectiveness that is so usable. My father had a gift for making all of this accessible, practical and actionable to people. If you want to succeed with others, succeed first with yourself. Private victories precede public victories. You move from dependence to independence to interdependence. It takes an inside-out approach, which is the only way to sustain personal, team, and organizational development. Covey: The 7 Habits are built on enduring and timeless principles that apply everywhere, and in all circumstances. What do you believe sets the original 7 habits apart from all of the other content out there now, during a time so full of advice telling us how to hack our thinking and actions? * Source: Stephen R.Kathy Caprino: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People obviously inspired a new wave of thinking about personal and professional growth. Habit #5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood All it takes is the desire, knowledge, and skill. Just remember that every day provides a new opportunity for renewal–a new opportunity to recharge yourself instead of hitting the wall. Living a life in balance means taking the necessary time to renew yourself. You increase your capacity to produce and handle the challenges around you.įeeling good doesn’t just happen. Sharpen the Saw keeps you fresh so you can continue to practice the other six habits. It means having a balanced program for self-renewal in the four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual.Īs you renew yourself in each of the four areas, you create growth and change in your life. Sharpen the Saw means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have–you.

Stephen covey 7 habits summary