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Jim Collins understood.
Stephen Covey did too. It was his standard operating system—a “Windows”—for personal effectiveness. The 7 Habits were a first. A framework to live a better life neatly distilled in a way we could take and use. As Jim says: “The ideas embedded in the framework are timeless. They are principles.”
Of course, I’m referring to the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Written by Stephen Covey, the book has exceeded sales of 40 million. The book captures 7 principles. Each one is an integral part of an operating system for personal effectiveness. In a forward for the 25th-anniversary edition, Jim Collins explains what the book means to him. He also shares why the book holds value to so many.
He explains: “In a world of change, disruption, chaos, and relentless uncertainty, people crave an anchor point, a set of constructs to give them guidance in the face of turbulence. Covey believed that timeless principles do indeed exist and that the search for them is not folly, but wisdom.”
In our ever-faster life, in a world with more and more information, decision fatigue is real. It affects us all—the fallout is a moment when the only consideration is first-order effects. In a line of dominos waiting to fall, our mind’s only concern is for the first domino.
The end in mind disappears—and that’s even if we had one, to begin with. We are so busy living—if you can call endless doom-scrolling living, principles are forgotten. Or even worse, not even thought of.
When decision fatigue is so rife, the power of a good anchor point is clear.
It’s here your opportunity for decision growth resides. What are your principles for living? Call them an anchor point—or call them your safety net. What’s clear is they have immense value in helping you live your best life. Are you focused on direction, or maybe you see the value in playing win/win games?
Whatever they are, write your principles down.
Hey, if you have written them down, then go and read them again. If you haven’t then there is no better time than now to consider your life goals. You should understand the life you want to live and then build principles to help you achieve your ambition.
If you’re not sure, read the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, as it’s a good place to start building your principles.
Because it’s your principles that matter.
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