Shortform Books

Private Victories: Covey’s First 3 Habits

What are “Private Victories”? What is the purpose of Stephen Covey’s first three habits? Covey’s first three habits of highly effective people are collectively called “Private Victories.” These habits lay the foundation for “Public Victories” (habits four to six, which improve interactions with others) by strengthening your personal character and developing independence. Read on to learn about Covey’s three Private Victory habits: 1) be proactive, 2) start with the end in mind, and 3) prioritize the important over the urgent.

7 Habits: Dependence, Independence, Interdependence

Which does your culture value more—independence or interdependence? What paradigm do you think is more effective? According to Stephen Covey, the author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, modern culture overvalues independence and devalues interdependence. His sequence of the seven habits is meant to guide practitioners from dependence through independence to interdependence. Read on to learn about the journey from dependence through independence to interdependence through the lens of The 7 Habits.

Visualize Your Future: 4 Tips to Realizing Your Dream

Do you know what your ideal life looks like? How does visualizing your dream future help you make it a reality? According to Brian Tracy, a motivational speaker and the author of Goals!, visualization is a powerful tool for realizing your dream life. The more vivid your visualizations, the more irresistible the goal. Here are four tips for visualizing your future and thereby activating your mind’s power.

The Evolution of the Presidential Nomination Process

How do political parties choose their candidates for president? How has the presidential nomination process changed over the years? Before the 1970s, a candidate had to win over party insiders in the so-called “smoke-filled rooms” of party conventions and caucuses to even have a chance of winning a major-party nomination. This old party system began to change during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago when party delegates entered the convention with no clear consensus on who the nominee should be. In this article, we’ll explore the evolution of the presidential nomination process in the United States.

Stephen Covey: How Interdependence Is Built

What is Stephen Covey’s interdependence paradigm? How does Covey’s interdependence paradigm relate to the seven habits? According to Stephen Covey, American society overvalues independence and the ability to fend for yourself. But Covey says that it is interdependence that is the key to being effective in all aspects of life—from marriage to family to the workplace. Read more to learn Stephen Covey’s interdependence paradigm and how it relates to the seven habits.

Want to Be Financially Secure? Quit Your Job!

What does it mean to be financially secure? Why is having a job no longer a safe bet for financial security? According to Robert Kiyosaki, the traditional path to financial security (Education → Good Job → Great Benefits and Pension → Secure Retirement) no longer works. In the 21st century, this path leads to hard work in exchange for job dependency, inadequate retirement, a pernicious debt cycle, tax disadvantages, and diluted savings—not financial security, and almost certainly not financial freedom. In this article, we’ll discuss five problems with the traditional path to financial security.

Why Imposed Free-Market Reforms Aren’t the Answer

Why shouldn’t the West try to impose free-market reforms on developing countries? What problems can this inflict upon the locals? Free-market capitalism can lead to economic growth, but that doesn’t mean that it should be forced upon developing nations that aren’t ready for such reform. When more developed countries try to impose their will upon other nations, it usually does more harm than good. Keep reading to learn what economist William Easterly has to say about this topic of controversy.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Review

Is Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People worth reading? How can implementing Covey’s seven habits help you become more effective and generally enrich your life? The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People distills common knowledge and oft-repeated wisdom—from classic philosophy to religious teachings—into seven lifelong practices that help build a successful and fulfilling life. In this self-help classic, author Stephen R. Covey draws on his expertise in business management, his Mormon faith, and his interest in living a life that is not only productive but also aligned with principles such as integrity, honesty, and fairness. Our The

How to Figure Out What You Want in Life

Do you know what you want from life? Why is it important to take time and reflect on what you ultimately want? Deciding what you ultimately want from life is the foundation to creating a bright future. If you are unclear about what you want, you’ll wander aimlessly—jumping from one thing to another—and likely will never find fulfillment. Here’s how to figure out what you want in life, according to motivational speaker Brian Tracy.

The 4 Characteristics of an Authoritarian Leader

What makes a leader authoritarian? What are the key characteristics that authoritarian politicians share? According to Levitsky and Ziblatt, the authors of How Democracies Die, authoritarian leaders share several key characteristics. They refuse to accept the generally accepted rules of the democratic competition, they reject the legitimacy of their opponents, they don’t shy away from using violence, and they express willingness to repress civil liberties. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the basic characteristics that are shared by norm-violating, anti-democratic politicians with some examples.