Habits for Success (Part 1)

Habits for Success (Part 1)

What is a Habit?

A habit is a routine behavior repeated regularly without conscious thought. Researchers have found that about 43% of our behavior is habitual.

We all have habits in our personal and business lives, which can be both good or bad.

We perform habitual behaviors for  the reward they deliver.

The driver for habits is the craving for the reward, not the behavior itself. The reward must outweigh the effort to perform the behavior.

Research shows it takes between 18 and 254 days of repetition to form or break a habit, with an average of two months.

 

One Small Change

Consider making one tiny change today: wake up an hour earlier. This simple adjustment creates seven extra hours weekly for meaningful activities. Identify time-wasting behaviors and redirect that time towards productive pursuits.

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Stephen R. Covey’s book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” set the blueprint for success literature. He identified seven essential habits of successful people:

1. Be proactive
2. Begin with the end in mind
3. Put first things first
4. Think win-win
5. Seek to understand, then be understood
6. Synergize
7. Sharpen the saw

Let’s examine the first three habits, which Covey calls the self-mastery habits.

Be Proactive

Proactive people choose their life scripts. They recognize their responsibility to respond to situations. Focus on your circle of influence rather than your circle of concern. For example, when faced with rising fuel prices, a proactive person explores alternatives like cycling to work or improving energy efficiency.

Begin with the End in Mind

Effective people envision the end goal and work backwards. Having a clear destination helps you navigate your journey. Start by defining your personal goals, then build a business to achieve them. This approach ensures your business serves you, not vice versa.

Put First Things First

Discipline is crucial for prioritizing what’s most important, not just what’s urgent. Covey’s time management matrix separates tasks into four quadrants:

1. Urgent and important
2. Important but not urgent
3. Urgent but not important
4. Not urgent and not important

Highly effective people focus on quadrant 2: important but not urgent tasks.

For example, exercising regularly is important for your health but not urgent. Prioritize these activities to prevent urgent matters from dominating your time.

Remember, to fix your business, you must first fix yourself.

These three habits of self-mastery provide a solid foundation for personal and professional success.

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