1. Favourite Quote
1.1. "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing" -Stephen R. Covey
2. The Original 7 Habits
2.1. Be Proactive
2.2. Begin with the End in Mind
2.3. Put First Things First
2.4. Think Win-Win
2.5. Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood
2.6. Synergize
2.7. Sharpen the Saw
3. Let's Look at These 3
3.1. Do the funeral test
3.1.1. This is the habit that Covey calls "Begin with the End in Mind".
3.1.2. Plowing away and getting a massive amount of tasks done in a preferably short time (i.e. being efficient) is only useful when you're plowing in the right direction.
3.1.2.1. The classic analogy here is the ladder you're climbing furiously, only to find out it's leaned against the wrong wall when reaching the top
3.1.3. Only if you're clear about your major, long-term goals can you align each and every single one of your decisions with them.
3.1.4. Ask Youself
3.1.4.1. What do I want people to say about me at my funeral?
3.1.4.2. As what sort of person do I want to be remembered
3.1.4.3. For what do I want to be remembered?
3.1.4.4. Depending on you number of relationships (family, friends, clients, partners, clients etc.), you can also ask yourself how many people will be there to be mourn your death
3.1.5. As Steve Jobs said: "All external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure——there things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important."
3.1.6. Truthfully answering those questions will make you realize you might not want that out-of-the-suitcase, business class lifestyle, or that really all you ever wanted to do was dance. So be bold and ask them.
3.2. Learn how to say no
3.2.1. Knowing exactly where you want to go makes it easy to find out what's important to you, and what not. when you know your final goal, you'll finish at least have an inclination for each to-do on how important it actually is.
3.2.2. You'll often find that the important things aren't urgent and vice versa. That means some things don't deserve to be done at all. To all those things, you'll eventually have to say no. It's not easy, especially if money's involved.
3.2.3. Sometimes, temping rewards will be dangled right in front of you, which is when it's time to pull out the funeral test again to see whether those rewards deserve to be chased.
3.3. Practice active listening
3.3.1. The 3-pronged approach to communication:
3.3.1.1. You're listening to understand the person you're listening to, not primarily to give advice or respond.
3.3.1.2. You make sure you understand by respeating back to them what they said and mirroring their emotions.
3.3.1.3. You help them structure their own thought process.
3.3.2. A good coach is determined much more by the quality of his questions, than by the quality of his answers. Convey calls this "Seek first to understand, then to be understood". It is a call to practice active listening and empathy.
3.3.3. Make an effort to listen to understand, instead of listening to respond. A good way to start this practice is by simply talking less.