The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

By: Stephen R. Covey

Narrated by: Stephen R. Covey

Length: 13 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best seller - over 40 million copies sold

The number one Most Influential Business Book of the 20th century

One of the most inspiring and impactful books ever written, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has captivated listeners for nearly three decades. It has transformed the lives of presidents and CEOs, educators and parents - millions of people of all ages and occupations. Now, this 30th anniversary edition of the timeless classic commemorates the wisdom of the 7 Habits with modern additions from Sean Covey.

The 7 Habits have become famous and are integrated into everyday thinking by millions and millions of people. Why? Because they work! With Sean Covey’s added takeaways on how the habits can be used in our modern age, the wisdom of the 7 Habits will be refreshed for a new generation of leaders.

They include:

Habit 1: Be Proactive

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

Habit 3: Put First Things First

Habit 4: Think Win/Win

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

Habit 6: Synergize

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

This beloved classic presents a principle-centered approach for solving both personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and practical anecdotes, Stephen R. Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, honesty, and human dignity - principles that give us the security to adapt to change and the wisdom and power to take advantage of the opportunities that change creates.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2004 Franlkin Covey (P)2004 FranklinCovey

Critic reviews

"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is by now one of the best-selling books of all time." (Fortune)

I don't understand these other reviews

Too religious? Irrational? Morality? What book are these people reading?

Does the author mention religion? Yes. He clearly states that he believes in God. That takes up approximately 2 sentences in the entire book (though he says a little more in the afterword). He also mentions that all enduring religions AS WELL AS all enduring philosophical systems agree on certain principles of human maturity and interaction, and those are the principles he bases the book on. But is The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg religious, or even spiritual? Because that's by far the primary principle in the book.

Now, I guess you could say some parts talk about morality, but not in the sense of "you must love your neighbor" or whatever. And yes, the part about being honest could be seen as morality, but considering the whole point is that honesty is a requirement for having people trust you, it strikes me that many of these negative reviews may be written by people who wanted a quick fix, a set of numerical steps on how to be successful.

But that is not what this book is about. The point of this book is that you will never be content in your life if you are looking for contentment OUTSIDE OF your life. It all has to come from within -- that is, your character, who you are. There's nothing moral about that. There's nothing religious about that. But there's also nothing easy about it. This book is work. Lifelong work. And a lot of people simply are not ready for the implications. The first time I read it I didn't realize how far away from the objective I was. But as I've grown and reread the book, I've discovered how deep it goes.

Of course, none of this is scientific. None of it is rational. That isn't the point. We aren't solving sudoku or splitting atoms. We are dealing with human emotions, and there's nothing rational about emotions. But there can be a solid approach to controlling our lives, and that's what this book is all about.

I just wish they'd hired a professional to read it.

Employ these principles

I will admit this audiobook can be a little dry in spots but I must encourage anyone who reads it to practice the principled habits and see how it changes your life. Spend a month practicing each habit and you will see your leadership skills develop. Covey is a bit different from other self development authors because he leaves more to the imagination between the principles and how you choose to practice them. It can make the book more challenging to get through but if you stay on course, it's very rewarding. And I must recommend reviewing the book and chapters with a friend, spouse, or coworker. It can create a very encouraging environment. If you do find yourself stuck between the principles and practices, read Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People"; A fantastic book which lists many methods based on the axioms Covey talks about in this book. I hope this review helps.

Very good guidance of effectiveness

The content of the book is excepttionally powerful and litterally transformed my life to productive way of doing things. Strongly recommended. However, narration was indeed boring and had to struggle sometimes to finish listening

Great book

This is the bible on effectiveness. Easy read. It was an opportunity for reflection on the quality of interactions with other people and the hurdles to attaining the desired outcome.

transformational

there are no more words that I can say. to describe this book. if you are ready to become the best version of you.. this is exactly where you want to start.

Excepcional

Me encantó el contenido, me costó darme cuenta de mis áreas de oportunidad. Gracias

EXCELLENT

Wish I knew about this book when I was in my 20's! So glad I discovered this book now. This audio contains so many lessons and tools that I think anyone in any field or profession will find them helpful.

A Classic

I sure wish Steven Covey would have written a book detailing how the 7 habits are used with the Franklin Covey planner. I have been using the planner system for 14 years now and would love a refresher course. This book is the foundation of personal organization.

Simple yet Profound

A must listen to anyone trying to improve their lives! Enjoyed the practical examples of shared real life experiences. Very helpful!

Inspiring and Helpful!

I would recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with "being stuck". As he states in his book, this is a more than one time listen and better yet. Buy the book! It is a good reminder when you are feeling frustrated or unmotivated. I listen to it in the car, home while I'm cleaning and when I am feeling down and out. It helps me to remember the overall bigger picture and that change takes time, patience and the desire for a better you. :)