The contemporary world is changing at an extraordinary pace. And in today’s competitive landscape, there are survivals skills that young people need to do so that a measure of success can be assured. Success does not come easy and there is no shortcut to it. Indubitably, it requires effort, hard work and patience. It would be right to say that success is often different for everyone; everybody defines it in their own way. For some success is to get a job and get rich, for other it is to have a good repute in society. Keeping this definition in mind here are seven habits suggested by Stephan Covey that everyone should master in order to become successful in their life.
HABIT 1: BE PROACTIVE
Proactive means to take responsibility for your life. You make decisions on various occasions and these decisions impact your life in a long run. Proactive people take decisions and do not blame others for their life. They do not blame circumstances and conditions for their behavior. Contrary to this notion, reactive people are often affected by environment. They blame other for their behavior. The important thing you choose is what you say. Proactive people focus on their Circle of Influence. They work something about: health, children, and problems at work. On the other hand, reactive people put their efforts on the Circle of Concern–things over which they have little or no control: the terrorism, the national debt, and the weather. So, to become successful you need to master this habit.
HABIT 2: BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND
Begin with the End in Mind means to start everything with a clear vision. One of the best ways to master this habit into your life is to build a Mission Statement. It should focus on what you want in your life. You should be clear in why you do what you do. It helps you to puts your goals in focus, and moves your ideas into the real world. You create your own destiny and secure the future you envisage.
HABIT 3: PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST
This habit is about the physical creation. This habit is where your 1st and 2nd habits come together. This habit tells you how to manage the time quadrant. It not only tells you about time management but also life management. Avoid procrastination and do things that are most important to you.
HABIT 4: THINK WIN-WIN
A person with this habit sees life as a cooperative arena, not a competitive one. They seek win-win strategy. Win-win means agreements or solutions that are mutually beneficial and satisfying. There are two types of people, one with the scarce mentality and other with an abundance mentality. Scarce mentality people get jealous with others achievement and they are of opinion that there are fewer things to do in life. On the other hand abundance mentality, people do not pay heeds to other and they focus on their own goals. They believe in win-win approach.
HABIT 5: SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND, THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD
Most people probably seek first to be understood and doing so may ignore another person completely. Always seek first to understand then to be understood. For doing this you need to listen to them properly and you should be able to extract the exact meaning out of their message. You interpret the message of others with your own frame of references. The reality is not what you perceive; reality is what you create in your mind. You interpret things by your own experiences because these experiences have shaped your mind and it creates the pattern.
HABIT 6: SYNERGIZE
It is the plan that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Two heads are better than one; Synergize is the habit of creative cooperation. They value differences and do not degrade others. They believe in teamwork.
HABIT 7: SHARPEN THE SAW
Sharpen the Saw means to enhance the greatest asset you have. It means having a balanced program in the four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual. at this time there are some examples of activities:
Physical:Healthy diet, exercising, and proper resting.
Social/Emotional:Making social and meaningful connections with others
Mental:Learning new things, reading different books, writing regularly, and teaching.
Spiritual:Spend time in nature, expanding spiritual self through meditation, music, art, prayer, or service.