7 Habits Of Highly Successful People

That headline is not my original idea! It was coined directly from a book written by Steven R. Covey. The ideas revealed in the book would form the template for this lecture.

How can you validate durable truths you can apply to your life, family, business and society in general. These ideas will surely guarantee you a place among great leaders if you follow the principles freely shared as we progress.

Steven Covey says ‘If you want to achieve your highest aspirations and overcome your greatest challenges, identify and apply the principles or natural law that governs the results you seek.’ For the farmer, the principle of sowing and reaping govern what they do. Any farmer who fail to sow should forget any harvest! That principle is universal and cannot be broken. The point is that, you’ll need to change your thinking to finding out prinicples that govern each action you take from now on. Another principle you’ll want to know at this point is that of giving and receiving. What about the principles of wealth multiplication? If you can’t invest, forget about getting wealthy.

Steven found out after many years of research that successful people have certain habits common to all of them. Here is the checklist for these life-changing habits:

1)      They Are Proactive: Being proactive means thinking ahead about what you want to do and where you want to be in the future. This is the way to take charge and be in control. Proactive people have freedom of choice and they make maximum use of it. It shows they are responsible. They make conscious choice based on values rather than feelings. Being proactive promotes initiative, self awareness, imagination, independent will and stimulate prepared response to any situation that one come across in life.

2)      They Begin With The End In Mind: Even Jesus Christ when He was in the world, said ‘who among you want to build a house without first taking stock whether he will be able to finish it’. This habit is based on the principle that all things are created twice, first in the mental realm and second, in the physical realm. Apart from the example Christ gave earlier about building a house, you can think about applying it in business. You must determine what kind of products you want to sell and the kind of people you want to sell to and where to locate your business. You also think about how to find money to do the business. All these point to one thing, the need to begin with the end in mind. That’s what successful people do and you must do same if you want to be successful.

3)      They Put First Things First:  Goethe says ‘things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least’.  Just as you must put spiritual things before the physical, so also must you order your priorities right. Mary decided to listen to Jesus first but marther prefered to stay at the kitchen cooking. At the end of the day, Mary received commendation for putting first things first. This habit is common among successful people. It is the secret of effective time management.

4)      They Understand The Paradigm Of Interdependence: Self ego must be done away with if you want to succeed. Successful people try to understand others so that they too could be understood. Take time to invest time in others to know them better so as to build life time relationship that is mutually beneficial. It is the skills that is deposited  in the emotional bank account of others. Think about what others will benefit before what you will benefit. Think win/win.

5)      They Master The Art Of Empathic Communication: The highly successful are very good in listening to others. They do it to give others chance to express themselves. This skill makes it possible for others to feel important and by so doing willing to cooperate. You need the cooperation of others. Listen to them.

6)      They Synergize. This is gaining the trust of others. You need others to trust  you and your ability in other to succeed. Remember that when trust is missing in any relationship, such relationship or union cannot last.

7)      They Sharpen The Saw:  Successful people work on their weaknesses and improve on it with time. Don’t neglect the need for improvement in any area you are found lacking. Make corrections, read good books, attend seminars and workshop to hone your skills or acquire new skills that’ll lead you to the top of the ladder of success.