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At the root of your beliefs and actions are a collection of paradigms. To Stephen Covey, paradigms are lenses through which you see the world. You must start with your paradigms in order to truly implement the 7 Habits and make lasting, significant improvements to your life. But what exactly is a paradigm, and can you learn how to use it to change your behavior?
Each side of the brain is responsible for different functions: The right side of the brain is creative, abstract. The left side of the brain deals with logic and language. You need to be both creative and logical as you take a holistic approach to growth and change. This is where Affirmation and Visualization come in. Affirmation and Visualization are part of a system that works together to help you achieve your goals. Affirmations are written or verbal reminders that you create to help you remember your goals, and Visualizations can help you use both sides of your brain to
Do you want to make your life better? Are you struggling in your personal or professional life, your interactions with other people, your life balance, or your life’s purpose? Have you made attempts to fix these issues — from workshops to self-help books to counseling — with little or no success? Try the “inside out” approach. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People endorses an inside out approach to improving yourself and your life. This method starts with examining and adjusting your character, your motives, and how you see the world; only when you start from the foundation of your character and
As life constantly changes, how do you keep your focus on your values and goals? How do you make sure every small action you make is moving you closer to your destination? You can create a personal mission statement. A 7 Habits mission statement is a document you create that identifies the big picture — the life you want to lead, the character traits you want to embody, the impact you want to have on those around you. This document serves as a reminder of your ultimate goals and helps you ensure each short-term pursuit and daily action is in
In order to make lasting change in your life, you need to make changes that foster that growth while also eliminating the factors that are limiting growth. Synergy is especially effective at minimizing the negative forces that push back against positive growth. The Force Field Analysis is an analogy to explain the factors influencing social situations. It was developed by sociologist Kurt Lewin and states there’s an equilibrium between the driving forces and restraining forces of a situation. In order to achieve an effective action, you should strive to find balance. How can Kurt Lewin’s Force Field Analysis help you
There are two approaches to self-improvement: Character Ethic vs. Personality Ethic. When we think about self-improvement, we know it has to be built from the inside out. You must first know who we are, and understand our own perspectives and our character, in order to understand how we can change.
Changing your paradigm brings powerful, dramatic change because it introduces a whole new way of thinking. This inevitably leads to a change in attitudes, behaviors, and relationships. But you may ask: how to change your paradigm? What does paradigm mean? You can work on how to change your paradigm and about the types of paradigms as you practice self awareness.
In order to use your independent will to effectively achieve mission statement and ultimate goals, you need the proper tools of time management. Over time, four generations of time management techniques have emerged. Stephen Covey’s time management system discusses the four generations of time management. The Fourth Generation is what effective people typically use, and what you should aim for on your 7 Habits journey. Working toward the fourth generation will help you shift your paradigm, prioritize what’s important to you, and ultimately achieve your goals.
The 7 Habits of highly effective people works to help you shift your paradigm, and apply the habits in practical and balanced ways. In habit 7: sharpen the saw, you recognize all the work you’ve done so far and can how you translate your effective habits in real life, and how they effect others. Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw is about taking care of yourself and being socially and self-aware, so you can continue using the 7 habits.
Habit 6: Synergize is the major achievement of independent relationships: the ability to create synergy with another person. Synergy creates an outcome that’s greater than the sum of its parts, as in 1+1 = 3 or more. In other words, two people working together can create greater results than would have been possible separately. Synergize proves the 7 habits work together by furthering communication skills.