{"id":54203,"date":"2021-12-08T00:41:45","date_gmt":"2021-12-08T04:41:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=54203"},"modified":"2021-12-09T13:49:38","modified_gmt":"2021-12-09T17:49:38","slug":"the-7-habits-of-highly-effective-people-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-7-habits-of-highly-effective-people-review\/","title":{"rendered":"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Is Stephen Covey&#8217;s <em>The<\/em> <em>7 Habits of Highly Effective People <\/em>worth reading? How can implementing Covey&#8217;s seven habits help you become more effective and generally enrich your life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People<\/em> distills common knowledge and oft-repeated wisdom\u2014from classic philosophy to <a href=\"https:\/\/preachitteachit.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Seven-Habits-Lesson-Handouts.pdf\">religious teachings<\/a>\u2014into seven lifelong practices that help build a successful and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/living-a-fulfilled-life\/\">fulfilling life<\/a>. 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.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our <em>The<\/em> <em>7 Habits of Highly Effective People<\/em> review covers the book&#8217;s context, background, and critical reception by the readers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About the Author<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Covey (1932-2012) was an educator, management consultant, and prolific author of self-help, business, and leadership books. In classes, books, and training courses,<strong> Covey spent his career educating people on business management, leadership skills, and personal improvement.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>He earned a bachelor\u2019s in business administration from the University of Utah and a masters from Harvard.<\/li><li>After training as a Mormon missionary, he earned a doctorate from Brigham Young University, where he wrote his dissertation on the progression of over 200 years of American success literature. (He explains in Chapter 1 that this study formed the basis of his approach to personal improvement.)<\/li><li>In 1970, he joined the faculty at BYU\u2019s Marriott School of Management and helped create the <a href=\"https:\/\/byuorg.lib.byu.edu\/index.php\/Brigham_Young_University._Dept._of_Organizational_Behavior#:~:text=The%20Department%20of%20Organizational%20Behavior,placed%20within%20the%20Graduate%20School.\">Master of Organizational Behavior<\/a> program.&nbsp;<\/li><li>In 1983, he left BYU to <strong>found the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/covey-leadership\/\">Covey Leadership<\/a> Center<\/strong> (now <a href=\"https:\/\/www.franklincovey.com\/\">Franklin Covey Co.<\/a>), a company that trains organizations and individuals in leadership and personal effectiveness.&nbsp;<\/li><li>In 2010, he became a professor and a Presidential Chair in Leadership at Utah State University. (Six years after Covey\u2019s death, the university <a href=\"https:\/\/huntsman.usu.edu\/leadership\/about\">established the Stephen R. Covey Leadership Center at the Huntsman School of Business<\/a>.)&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Those who knew him well attest that <strong>Covey had a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/true-desires\/\">genuine desire<\/a> not only to help others live a highly effective life, but also to live that way himself. <\/strong>Clayton Christensen (Harvard Business School professor, author of <em>The Innovator\u2019s Dilemma<\/em>, and a friend of Covey\u2019s) has said that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.economist.com\/business\/2012\/07\/21\/stephen-covey-rip\">Covey\u2019s commitment to living the principles and habits he wrote about<\/a> made him stand out among peer authors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks to the success of <em>7 Habits<\/em> and other books, <a href=\"http:\/\/content.time.com\/time\/subscriber\/article\/0,33009,984696-6,00.html\">Time magazine named Covey one of the 25 most influential Americans<\/a>. He also accumulated a variety of other accolades and recognitions, including:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Being <a href=\"https:\/\/thinkers50.com\/biographies\/stephen-covey\/\">ranked #47<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/thinkers50.com\/\">Thinkers50\u2019s list of top business thinkers<\/a> in 2011<\/li><li>Receiving the National Entrepreneur of the Year Lifetime Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership<\/li><li>Being <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrmagazine.co.uk\/content\/news\/influential-hr-thinker-stephen-r-covey-1932-2012\">ranked second<\/a> in HR magazine\u2019s 2010 and 2012 lists of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrmagazine.co.uk\/content\/news\/the-most-influential\">30 Most Influential International Thinkers<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.franklincovey.com\/\"><strong>FranklinCovey Co.<\/strong><\/a><strong> continues to teach the seven habits to individuals and organizations through trainings<\/strong> in personal effectiveness, sales performance, leadership, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-is-business-execution\/\">business execution<\/a>. Additionally, the company\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.leaderinme.org\/\">Leader in Me program provides social-emotional curricula<\/a> to participating K-12 schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Connect with FranklinCovey Co:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.franklincovey.com\/\">Website<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FranklinCovey\/\">Facebook<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/franklincovey\">Twitter<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCRXz_Dh-KJQ1YpIHH-btzTw\">YouTube<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/franklincovey\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/franklincovey-on-leadership-with-scott-miller\/id1391164389?ign-mpt=uo%3D4&amp;mt=2\">Podcast<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/pages.franklincovey.com\/2018-Q2-LP-Newsletter_FranklinCoveyONLEADERSHIP\">Newsletter<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=FranklinCovey+Co&amp;source=lnms&amp;tbm=nws&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi186nSqM7vAhU6HjQIHQGoBAgQ_AUoA3oECAEQBQ&amp;biw=662&amp;bih=564&amp;dpr=1.5\">News<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Book\u2019s Publication<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Publisher:<\/strong> Free Press, an independent publisher later acquired by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simonandschuster.com\/\">Simon &amp; Schuster<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Published in 1989, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simonandschuster.com\/books\/The-7-Habits-of-Highly-Effective-People\/Stephen-R-Covey\/9781982137137\"><em>The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People<\/em><\/a> was Covey\u2019s breakout success. While some of his earlier books\u2014including <a href=\"https:\/\/deseretbook.com\/p\/spiritual-roots-human-relations-stephen-r-covey-225?variant_id=112683-paperback\"><em>Spiritual Roots of Human Relations<\/em><\/a> (1970) and <a href=\"https:\/\/deseretbook.com\/p\/divine-center-stephen-r-covey-227?variant_id=113124-paperback\"><em>The Divine Center<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>(1982)\u2014were geared toward a Mormon audience, <strong><em>7 Habits<\/em><\/strong><strong> <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.economist.com\/business\/2012\/07\/21\/stephen-covey-rip\"><strong>gained traction by targeting a mainstream audience<\/strong><\/a><strong> and exploring the intersection of Covey\u2019s areas of expertise<\/strong>: business, leadership, self-improvement, and how to lead a balanced family life.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The 7 Habits<\/em> became such a cultural force that it essentially evolved into its own brand. The book spawned a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simonandschuster.com\/authors\/Stephen-R-Covey\/4\">number of adaptations<\/a>, including:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simonandschuster.com\/books\/7-Habits-of-Highly-Effective-Families\/Stephen-R-Covey\/9781442350793\"><em>The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>(1997)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Habits-Journal-Stephen-R-Covey\/dp\/0743237064\"><em>The 7 Habits Journal<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>(1998)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simonandschuster.com\/books\/The-7-Habits-of-Highly-Effective-Teens\/Sean-Covey\/9781442350823\"><em>The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens<\/em><\/a> (1998), written by one of Covey\u2019s sons, Sean Covey<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B007FROHH8\/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&amp;btkr=1\"><em>The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Personal Workbook<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>(2004)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simonandschuster.com\/books\/The-7-Habits-of-Highly-Effective-Marriage\/Stephen-R-Covey\/9781442351073\"><em>The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Marriage<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>(2008)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simonandschuster.com\/books\/The-7-Habits-of-Happy-Kids\/Sean-Covey\/9780743574686\"><em>The 7 Habits of Happy Kids<\/em><\/a> (2008), by Sean Covey<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/mango.bz\/books\/the-7-habits-on-the-go-by-stephen-r-covey-and-stephen-covet-1497-b\"><em>The 7 Habits on the Go<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>(2020)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The book was also re-released for the 25th and 30th anniversaries. <strong>This guide refers to the 25th anniversary edition<\/strong>, which includes an afterword titled \u201cQuestions I Am Often Asked,\u201d in which Covey reflects on the book\u2019s reception, overall success, and continued relevance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He continued writing until his death in 2012, publishing many books that expanded upon themes from <em>7 Habits<\/em>. His bestsellers include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/first-things-first\"><em>First Things First<\/em><\/a> (1994), which elaborates on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/habit-3-put-first-things-first-7-habits\/\">Habit 3<\/a> from <em>The 7 Habits<\/em><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simonandschuster.com\/books\/Principle-Centered-Leadership\/Stephen-R-Covey\/9780671792800\"><em>Principle-Centered Leadership<\/em><\/a> (1992)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/us.macmillan.com\/books\/9780307440853\"><em>The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families<\/em><\/a> (1997)<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B00APJ7GVC\/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&amp;btkr=1\"><em>The 8th Habit<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>(2004)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Historical Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When <em>7 Habits<\/em> was published at the close of the 1980s, its focus on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-self-reflect\/\">self-reflection<\/a>, personal improvement, and collaboration fulfilled both aspects of its double-billing as a <em>business<\/em> and <em>self-help<\/em> book.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First, as a business book, <em>7 Habits<\/em>\u2019s positioning as an organizational management tool and <strong>its emphasis on personal development and fostering more effective relationships were <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/local\/obituaries\/la-me-stephen-covey-20120717-story.html\"><strong>ideally timed to meet a swell of interest in how to be an effective leader<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong> In the 1980s and \u201890s, many American corporate leaders were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/office-culture-then-and-now-2018-5#the-washington-post-characterized-the-corporate-world-of-the-1980s-and-early-1990s-as-one-of-corporate-raiders-massive-layoffs-and-cost-cutting-trends-25\">focused on cutting costs<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/quarterly.insigniam.com\/leadership\/a-short-history-of-the-ceo-role\/\">boosting the bottom line<\/a>. At the same time, there was a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/4200778?seq=1\">growing buzz around the concept of corporate culture<\/a> as research emerged showing the profit and productivity gains of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jstor.org\/stable\/258317?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents\">supporting employee morale<\/a>. Covey\u2019s people-oriented approach opened the floodgates for a slew of business-oriented self-help books in the decades since.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(The prioritization of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/happiness-in-the-workplace\/\">employee happiness<\/a> has also steadily snowballed to the loose dress codes, flexible schedules, and yoga-ball chairs of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.entrepreneur.com\/article\/283772\">startup culture<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/amp\/s\/qz.com\/work\/1991968\/how-covid-19-has-changed-how-we-work\/amp\/\">post-pandemic shifts<\/a>. And it seems to be working: In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/no-rules-rules\"><em>No Rules Rules<\/em><\/a>, Netflix\u2019s CEO chronicles how the firm became a dominant international media company, in large part by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/ways-to-empower-employees\/\">empowering employees<\/a> through various policies and norms.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, <strong><em>7 Habits<\/em><\/strong><strong> offered a different perspective not only to profit-driven executives, but also to everyday people looking for meaning, happiness, and a new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-measure-success\/\">definition of success<\/a> in a decade of consumerism.<\/strong> (To wit: Madonna\u2019s \u201cMaterial Girl\u201d was in the <em>Billboard<\/em> top 10 in 1985.) The \u201880s brought the rise of \u201cyuppies,\u201d or young professionals, who sought more than their parents\u2019 dreams of earning a decent paycheck and having a family to go home to. For yuppies, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.encyclopedia.com\/social-sciences\/culture-magazines\/1980s-lifestyles-and-social-trends-overview\">success now required an impressive degree, a big paycheck<\/a>, and nice clothes and cars to show off their wealth. However, despite yuppies\u2019 outward success, popular media at the time suggests that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.history.com\/topics\/1980s\/1980s\">they were struggling to find happiness<\/a> and deeper meaning in life. Enter: a self-help book that centers its advice on time-tested principles and instructs readers to create <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/personal-mission\/\">personal mission<\/a> statements (more on that in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/habit-2-begin-with-the-end-in-mind-7-habits\/\">Habit 2<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Intellectual Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In the evolution of self-help books, <\/strong><strong><em>7 Habits<\/em><\/strong><strong> takes a left turn by aiming to change your <\/strong><strong><em>behavior <\/em><\/strong><strong>by addressing the root and altering your <\/strong><strong><em>character<\/em><\/strong>. Covey calls this approach <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/character-ethic-vs-personality-ethic\/\">Character Ethic<\/a>, and it\u2019s fairly unique among the many Personality-Ethic messages of the time\u2014including classics like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/how-to-win-friends-and-influence-people\"><em>How to Win Friends and Influence People<\/em><\/a>, which focus on public-facing skills, attitudes, and behaviors. As an example, if you want to be a better listener, look to Personality Ethic for tips on attentive listening and Character Ethic for insight on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/why-is-it-important-to-listen\/\">importance of listening<\/a> in a relationship. (We\u2019ll talk more about Character and Personality Ethics in Chapter 1.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although Covey\u2019s focus on Character Ethic was uncommon at the time, it was not unprecedented. One of his influences was Peter Drucker, bestselling author of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-effective-executive\">1996 classic <em>The Effective Executive<\/em><\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bl.uk\/people\/peter-drucker#\">\u201cfather of management thinking\u201d<\/a>. <strong>Drucker took a Character-Ethic approach to organizations<\/strong> in the sense that he focused on the root issue, not the symptom\u2014and the root of a company\u2019s success is its people. He urged executives to raise productivity by supporting workers and fostering relationships, while many management consultants focused purely on output and profits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Covey\u2019s use of \u201chabits\u201d and \u201ceffectiveness\u201d also appear to pay homage to Drucker, who categorized effectiveness as a habit that was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.drucker.institute\/thedx\/a-highly-effective-person\/\">\u201ca complex of practices\u201d<\/a> that could be repeated to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/improve-competence\/\">improve competence<\/a>. Covey\u2019s seven habits are precisely that: a set of ongoing practices for becoming more effective.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Book\u2019s Impact<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In the crowded self-help landscape, <strong><em>The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People<\/em><\/strong><strong> has distinguished itself as an enduring classic that remains the <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectboldlife.com\/health\/top-15-best-selling-self-help-books\/?cn-reloaded=1\"><strong>fifth best-selling self-help book ever published<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>more than 30 years after its publication. The book has become a staple on the bookshelves of entrepreneurs, executives, school administrators, political leaders, and millions of self-improvement devotees (which may help explain why some terms from the book, like <a href=\"https:\/\/forge.medium.com\/how-to-read-the-7-habits-of-highly-effective-people-so-that-it-holds-up-3e77aacb0434\">\u201csynergy,\u201d are now common buzzwords<\/a>). Covey even counseled <a href=\"http:\/\/marriottschool.uberflip.com\/i\/148963-summer-2012\/5?\">President Bill Clinton<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.entrepreneur.com\/article\/236544\">more than 25 other national leaders<\/a> on integrating the habits into their leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The 7 Habits<\/em>\u2019s many accolades include:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Being named one of <a href=\"http:\/\/content.time.com\/time\/specials\/packages\/article\/0,28804,2086680_2086683_2087685,00.html\">Time magazine\u2019s \u201c25 Most Influential Business Management Books\u201d<\/a> in 2011<\/li><li>Being named one of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businesswire.com\/news\/home\/20200519005425\/en\/FranklinCovey-and-Simon-Schuster-Release-New-Edition-of-Stephen-Covey%E2%80%99s-The-7-Habits-of-Highly-Effective-People-With-Personal-Insights-from-Son-Sean-Covey\">Chief Executive magazine\u2019s most influential book of the 20th century<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li><li>Spending more than four years on the <em>New York Times<\/em> bestseller list<\/li><li>Selling more than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businesswire.com\/news\/home\/20200519005425\/en\/FranklinCovey-and-Simon-Schuster-Release-New-Edition-of-Stephen-Covey%E2%80%99s-The-7-Habits-of-Highly-Effective-People-With-Personal-Insights-from-Son-Sean-Covey\">40 million copies in over 50 languages<\/a><\/li><li>Selling 1.5 million copies of the audiobook<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The book is successful, in large part, because it qualifies as business advice as well as personal improvement, which greatly expanded its audience. Some even claim that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/ericjackson\/2012\/07\/24\/the-only-thing-you-need-to-remember-about-the-seven-habits-of-highly-effective-people\/?sh=bb5aaff67f72\">the book created the business self-help genre<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, the seven habits pack an effective one-two punch:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>The principles underlying the habits draw on the common wisdom <\/strong>of multiple major religions as well as long standing ethical and social systems (for example, listen in order to understand, rather than to simply respond). These universal principles resonate with people from diverse regions, backgrounds, and cultures.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>The habits repackage those principles into practices <\/strong>and explain how to apply them. This approach makes the underlying principles more digestible and actionable.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Jim Collins (author of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.harpercollins.com\/products\/built-to-last-jim-collinsjerry-i-porras?variant=32117226274850\"><em>Built to Last<\/em><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/good-to-great\"><em>Good to Great<\/em><\/a>) echoed this in his foreword to the 25th anniversary edition of the book. He wrote that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jimcollins.com\/article_topics\/articles\/The-7-Habits-of-Highly-Effective-People.html\">the seven habits created a framework<\/a> for timeless wisdom that was commonly known but had previously been difficult to apply\u2014just as the Windows operating system made computing power accessible to average users.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Since the book\u2019s publication, many of its core concepts have not only held up, but are as relevant as ever.<\/strong> For example, the final habit boils down to prioritizing time regularly for self-care\u2014and while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-importance-of-self-care\/\">the importance of self-care<\/a> is constantly trumpeted, it\u2019s a habit that few people have truly cultivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Critical Reception<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People<\/em> reviews have been mixed. The seven habits\u2019 basis in universal principles\u2014which, as discussed, is a major factor in its enduring success\u2014<strong>is the target of much of fans\u2019 praise as well as detractors\u2019 criticism.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Praise: <\/strong>Fans appreciate that the core teachings are timeless and universal, which not only adds credibility to Covey\u2019s presentation, but also ensures that the wisdom will still be applicable if readers revisit the book a few years later (and many do). They feel that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.economist.com\/business\/2012\/07\/21\/stephen-covey-rip\">Covey\u2019s great service was precisely in reiterating<\/a>, elaborating on, and methodizing these time-tested truths.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some readers also say that, although many of the principles are based in common knowledge, those lessons were never instilled in them growing up, so reading <em>7 Habits<\/em> helped fill that gap. And even among those who <em>knew <\/em>the principles, many didn\u2019t know how to <em>apply <\/em>them in day-to-day life. Covey recognized this need: He never claimed to have conceived the principles behind the seven habits\u2014rather, <a href=\"http:\/\/content.time.com\/time\/subscriber\/article\/0,33009,984696-6,00.html\">he said that &#8220;What&#8217;s common sense just isn&#8217;t common practice.&#8221;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Criticism: <\/strong>Some critics lament that Covey offers no new insights. Rather, they accuse him of merely repackaging common knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, in direct contrast to what some fans insist, many critics say that Covey actually falls short in making his advice specific enough to be actionable. For example, the book goes into detail about the importance of changing your paradigms in order to solve problems in your life, but one reviewer notes that Covey doesn\u2019t explain specifically <em>how<\/em> to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/change-your-paradigm-covey-7-habits\/\">change your paradigm<\/a>. (By contrast, a book like Tony Robbins\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/awaken-the-giant-within\"><em>Awaken the Giant Within<\/em>, which promotes many similar themes, provides strategies<\/a> for changing your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-break-negative-thought-patterns\/\">thought patterns<\/a>, such as eliminating disempowering words and metaphors from your daily vocabulary.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Commentary on the Book\u2019s Approach<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Although <em>7 Habits<\/em> is considered a <em>business <\/em>self-help book, it has two elements that distinguish it from most business books. First, Covey focuses heavily on developing <em>personal <\/em>character and living a life guided by principles\u2014in fact, he hardly mentions business until three-fourths of the way through the first chapter. <strong>Throughout the book, the focus is still on the individual, intermittently explaining how the principles apply to organizations. <\/strong>Considering his inside-out philosophy of self-improvement, it\u2019s only logical that his advice for business success would start not in the office, but in the mind.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Second, <strong>the text is sprinkled with mentions of God and faith <\/strong>(for instance, Covey notes that he believes that God is the source of \u201ccorrect,\u201d universal principles). Covey acknowledges that his faith colors his interpretation and application of the habits, and, according to Clayton Christensen\u2014fellow Mormon and business author\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/www.economist.com\/business\/2012\/07\/21\/stephen-covey-rip\">the seven habits are rooted in Mormon teachings<\/a>. However, Covey explains in the first chapter that the principles that underlie the seven habits are not derived from any one religion, but rather they are inspired by philosophies that most major religions also endorse. Since these principles extend beyond the boundaries of any faith, it is not necessary to believe in God or follow any religion in order to understand, agree with, or apply any of the seven habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for the effectiveness of Covey\u2019s habits, we must first define what it is to be an effective person. <strong>To Covey, living effectively means being aware of your guiding values, prioritizing things that help you live up to those values, and working efficiently and cooperatively with others.<\/strong> He makes this clear in Part 1, where he explains his definition of and approach to self-improvement before diving into the first habit. And, overall, the practices that Covey preaches do help people live more effective lives\u2014but the text doesn\u2019t provide much evidence beyond anecdotes and the sheer persistence of the principles underlying the habits. Covey relies more heavily on fables, time-tested wisdom, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/common-sense-pamphlet\/\">common sense<\/a> than on scientific research (though studies have since emerged confirming his assertions, as we\u2019ll discuss later.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is Stephen Covey&#8217;s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People worth reading? How can implementing Covey&#8217;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\u2014from classic philosophy to religious teachings\u2014into 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.&nbsp; Our The<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":34869,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,458,43],"tags":[73],"class_list":["post-54203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-motivation","category-review","category-self-improvement","tag-7-habits-of-highly-effective-people","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Review - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Is Stephen Covey&#039;s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People worth reading? 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