Hey Guys,
The first day has been awesome. I’m sooo happy that the discussions are going well and as many of you noted, it couldn’t have started off better. The first note, The 4 Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, is a favorite of mine too.
Before we go straight into Day 2, we’ve been having some trouble sending our emails about the Challenge, so can you pretty please, check your Spam box and make sure our emails are getting to you? And, to be extra safe, you can send us an email to wisdom@philosophersnotes.com so the spam cops know we’re friends! 
Thanks!
Now for Day 2, we’ll be studying the famed and highly talked about book:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
“I believe that a life of integrity is the most fundamental source of personal worth. I do not agree with the popular success literature that says that self-esteem is primarily a matter of mind set, of attitude—that you can psych yourself into peace of mind. Peace of mind comes when your life is in harmony with true principles and values and in no other way.”
~ Stephen R. Covey from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
As always, after you’ve listened to the note, we want you to share your big AHA! moment with us.
What’s the # thing you got out of today’s Note and, most importantly, what can you do in your life to implement it?!?
And for the Twitter users, don’t forget the #50days when you’re tweeting!
Can’t wait to see how the discussion for this one goes. And if you haven’t got PhilosophersNotes but have read this book, please feel free to comment. All discussion is welcomed.
Here’s a lil video from Brian on this particular Note:
See ya tomorrow for the next Note! And if you haven’t got your 100 PhilosophersNotes yet, you can grab them here »
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I think the most important thing to me here is to work more on quadrant 2. How often in life do we get sucked in to doing all the meanial stuff first and then what’s left is all we get for ourselves. Prioritise, prioritise, prioritise.
The habit of synergy is quite amazing too.
Do your very best
I am running a bit behind, I just finished the Four Agreements. I love the complexity of the simpleness of the agreements. Basic, to the point, but quite a challenge all rolled into four steps. I agree with the baby steps concept. Nothing was ever done fast that really lasts.
I was reintroduced to the 7 Habits a few weeks ago by Brian Johnson. Today as then, the importance of honoring your commitments resonated with me most strongly. It’s so important to do this to regain your peace. You can find a million good reasons for not being able to keep your word just yet, or how it’s no longer important, but you certainly forsake joy and happiness in the process. I am grateful for this timely reminder.
I think I could spend the next year attempting to figure out my priorities. How do you figure out what is important to yourself? You need time to think. You need time without others pushing on you their priorities. Very difficult when you are not alone.
Brian went to Bali. Without his goddess. Very smart in my opinion. You were able to choose when you will build relationships and when you will build yourself.
As for the seven habits — I shall put this in my pile of books to read, review and contemplate on for the amount of time it takes to learn. The nice thing about life is there is really no hurry. Life goes on a the same speed regardless of the crises we create.
Again…committment spoke loud and clear to me while listening to the Audio. I see a theme here
Habit #1 is the one habit that I know I need to do but have stopped myself from doing because honestly I don’t 100% believe that I can make what I want happen and make it last. However I have noticed recently that the small steps I take (like starting my blog) have made me feel more confident and have even attracted people that are willing to help me. I need to prioritize and be clear…I find myself getting all excited over one of my ideas but then very quickly the “that won’t work b/c…” thinking kicks in. Again goes back to having that unshakeable faith and not getting in my way!
Loved the bamboo metaphor…reminded me of what my IntenSati instructor said about planting seeds and nourishing them to grow. When you see nothing happening you don’t dig them up to see if they seeds are still there. That just delays the process. Have faith and believe in that what you want will happen.
I feel my faith building up…THANK YOU!
The 7 Habits are such a great help, it’s a great followup to The Four Agreements. I really love how covey lists the habits as proactive ‘response-ability’, begin with the end in mind, putting first things first, win/win, seek first to understand, synergy, and my favorite ‘sharpen the saw’.
I really wish I had been required to read this book 13 years ago when I first started my career as a COTA. I also think that this book should be required reading in High Schools if it is not already.…
My focus was always too engaged in quadrants 1 and 3, Quadrant 2? I think that in part it was an implied expectation from the employers to be as efficient and productive as possible (the expectations are very high in some workplaces) which, can be highly unrealistic at times in the health care field. Another aspect and a deep issue for me, was an inability to grasp the importance of quadrant 2 in my relationships with co-workers. I was so focused on performance and keeping my job, from a productivity standpoint, that I did my job too well and pissed off a lot of people in the process (unintentionally, I never did understand why I had so may issues with angry co-workers). I now understand why it is important to develop relationships in that way instead of being so busy doing my job that I don’t acknowledge or show appreciation for others and then expect synergy to happen. My biggest challenge is going to be how to go about establishing those relationships. Very enlightened today.…
I see you.…..
Hey, I forgot to do my comment yesterday…
The biggest thing for me on this note is having a clear vision. I didn’t realize how I needed a vision for EVERYTHING in my life…not just big projects. When I started having a vision for even the tiniest details throughout my day, it made a HUGE difference!
Okay… I admit it… Bought this book many years ago and did try to live by the wisdom according to Mr Covey. But like a lot of other books I have bought over time, I had completely forgotten about these 7 habits or have interpreted them badly.
It’s very easy to be Proactive but without responsibility we are kidding ourselves. Love the idea of Synergy and wish each and every business owner I have met over many years had learned it as well. Doing Joint Ventures is so incredibly easy and is common place on the web but not so much in the so called Bricks and Mortar world.
A great reminder for me and much easier to review over 6 pages of notes and hearing it on an MP3 player.
Thanks all
Steve (A slighltly forgetfull 54 year old Brit watching the Snow fall outside)
Coming in at the end but still finishing lol. playing catch up, will be caught up by tonight. Missed yesterdays comments, but wow Brian, talk about homing in on the issues I need to deal with.… haha thought I would have a gentle start ^ ^ Having been self developing for more years than I care to remember,
but both books I have managed to avoid, hmmm now dealing with them I think I know why, wasn’t ready to face the issues contained within, am doing now, with resistance lol,. Also made some cards and stuck them on the wall, am visual/kinesthetic so maybe using mindmaps whilst listening to the mp3s I think would help me retain the understanding, the essence more easily. Has anyone else used mindmaps?
Felt a little weak and vulnerable today, after a heady buzzing start yesterday, been arguing and debating inside my head, that could be because i have been slapped in the face with a wet wake up fish, the biggest wall to scale first or the fact that I have just given up nicorette at the same time, lol maybe not such a good idea, having a problem concerntrating… I think todays book will help, stop worrying, start living, ol that will probably stop my brain ruminating.
Apply day50 challenge magic dust, and off I fly to the next page.…. it will be ok, you just have to believeeeee.…whheeeeee
Rocket set on thurst.….… go Roz go Roz.….. momentum gained.…. cut engine.…. raises the sail.… hmm and away we go.…beaut view from up here.…..
Some great comments guys, there are so many its difficult to read them all, and I really didnt want to miss any. So mega wow at everyones posts, its an honour to be with you all. Namaste.… L&L.… Roz
I first read this book in the mid 1990s and have reveiwed it a number of times since then. It was interesting to reveiw the main concepts and relate them to my life currently. I am amazed how many of the concepts I have internalized. For instance, I use the terms “sharpen the saw” and “first things first” on a daily basis without even thinking about where or when I first learned them. It is also interesting to review some parts of the concepts that I have not yet internalized. For instance, I don’t fully live in the second quadrant. I therefore resolve to renew my commitment to spend more time doing quadrant 2 activities, especially in areas that concern my relationships with family and friends. Thank you Brian , for another awesome PhilosophersNotes.
The important things from me that I remember from this note: Commitments — like yesterday, making a list of them and seeing which I want to have and which not. Being “response able”, proactive. “Sharpening my saw”, and doing the quadrant 2 activities — I’ll try to remember these! I think I’ll start with these
So I’ll do some exercising and some meditation now 
Just getting this on because I am having some problem with my computer. Great second day. Lots of things to really give some deep thought to. No more feet dragging. Now is the time. The funeral thing I have already done. My husband and I both, we have talked about it and even talked to our kids about it and none of it has to do with a funeral or us laying in a casket. It has to do with the people we love celebrating our life and then getting on with theirs. Keep it coming. I have needed these wake up calls for a long time!
I am a teacher and we use the 7 habits as the basis of our character education. It has reduced office detentions, counsellor referrals, and even increased test scores. It is hard work to live by, but it has had a significant impact on my professional and personal life.
Hello again, fellow Champions! The 7 Habits material is definitely amazing stuff. No doubt about that. I’ll be briefer this time around ^____^. I dig the Pavlov’s Dog connection. Many, many individuals tend to swim with the current [salivate when they hear the bell, so to speak]. We are programmed that way, but I would very much prefer the ability to choose my response to stimuli. That makes me feel much more like a human, and less domesticated, perhaps? But that’s just me, right? As for the second habit, I have come across many variations of the funeral exercise prior to reading these notes;it seems to be “in” to ponder one’s eulogy. But it is powerful, nonetheless. I’ll be sure to take time out to try that within the next couple of days. It’ll be a bit harder for me considering I’m still a few months from 20, but it’s never to early to consider my death, hehe.
The idea of the four Quadrants was the most interesting bit, to me that is. I like the reinvention of the XY [male/female] quadrant technique used to predict the sex of an unborn child. [We covered that back in high school chemistry..lovely *sarcasm* memories there ^____^] Hit the target with the “Roles & Goals” [amazing way to test one’s sanity, by the way] And who said ‘just saying no’ was merely for the obvious cases? I would love to spread a bit of no around to many aspects of my life which detract from my ability to actually l.i.v.e. it. ;] The fourth and fifth habit I’ll skip over for the sake of space and time, but the sixth is yet another spiritual math lesson: now, 1 + 1 = 3 plus! Just when you thought you had addition down, here comes synergy a’knockin’! I have always believed in this in some form or other; it’s nice to see it proudly displayed. Oh, and sharpen your saw folks! Remember the saying, “(s)he ain’t the sharpest tool in the shed?” No more dullness for us, fellow champions. Claim your sharpened selves! [I know I am! ^___^]
This was such a great note. 7 Habits was about the first personal development book I ever read back in about 1996 and it changed me completely. For the first time, I was able to investigate my own thought processes and pay attention to the difference between my values and behavior. It kicked off my path in a major way. The quote on Integrity still blows me away. I truly think Integrity is the most important attribute a human being can cultivate.
I really love each of the 7 habbits. And Brian’s notes are very reader friendly, inspiring, and humerous. One question here: for the example of Funeral under the habbit of 2) Begin With the End in Mind. I think it might be that proper. The original meaning of that habbit is to visualize the “end result” you want to achieve with a crystal clear vision. That funeral example has some other meaning in it besides this “end of your life”, which is what you would like the people you care talking about you. Does this conflict with the “agreement” we had on Day one ” you are totally indepandent from what other people say or think”
My point is: if you really do your mission for what you mean to do with your divine destination (I do believe), people will have good comments on you after you die and rememeber you, but this might happen many years after you die, you could be misunderstood for many years…so using what other people would say about you at your funeral might not be a good influencial factors on what you should do with your one-time life. Any comments on it?
Thanks,
Sandy
I haven’t read this book in over a decade, and I was surprised again at the powerful contents and concepts.
It was the quadrant-grid of what’s important that was the most impactful for me… I could tell partly because I didn’t want it to be. That’s usually a sign I should take a deeper look.
I think the grid helps clarify or balance the way our brains tend make decisions around what is important. There are some areas that confuse or fool our usual computing of costs, benefits, odds and time. These same kinds of miscalculated decisions are one of the core concepts in the “Freakonomics” book. When that old lizard brain is stimulated (by emotion, danger, etc.), minor things can seem huge and huge things can seem so far off and lower priority.
I do think I have been missing priority on a few of the important things. So I picked something that I should have done a long time ago in support of a relationship with an old friend and teacher, and I did that instead of jumping into the whirl of need-to-be-done work tasks of the day. It wasn’t a hard choice — my neglect of this relationship has been nagging me in the background for a while now. It didn’t take long to do — maybe 90 mins.
It felt great to get it done. A couple of other things slipped off the list of checked-off, though, and I’m in a mild panic about them. So far, nothing has blown up, so I’ll just keep in the moment, keep looking around, keep plugging away, and keep seeing that it’s okay.
The whole thing bumped me off center enough that I am posting this comment 2 days late and I still have to finish reading yesterday’s PN. None the less, I’m in great appreciation for the opportunity to stay in it, be bumped of center, and practice getting re-centered and managing it all.
Thank you Brian and PN challenge buddies!
Wow, so much knowledge in this book. The principles that really stick out in my mind that I’d like to improve on are “Begin With the End In Mind” and “Put First Things First”. I like how Covey rally stresses character development. If you really focus on the big picture and doing the small things with great intentions, the results will take care of themselves. I find that when I lose track of my main goals, I start to revert back into old habits of procrastination and laziness. Putting energy and thought into what we want to accomplish and how we want to accomplish it is really the first step in the process of growth and development. I also like the idea of “sharpening your saw”. It seems like in this day and age, it is very easy to get caught up and busy ourselves in mundane day-to-day activities. With the growth of the internet, social networking, reality tv, etc., it is very easy to become distracted and take away time from what really is important in our lives. Putting time into yourself keeps you centered, lets you enjoy the “now” moment and I believe pays great dividends in the long run.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People stands out in my mind as one of the most influential books within our 50 we are reviewing. Most books whether I actually read the original or just read Brian’s summary would lead me to review the principles or emphasized ideas when commenting on them. But 7 Habits is very different because not only did I read Brian’s PDF notes, not only did i read and study the book—I also practiced learning the very new habits it recommended. I talked about the book at Toastmasters. I made quadrant charts till they were cluttering my house. And I worked on knowing my values, my goals and my missions so that I could honor those aspects of myself as I strived to life and grow. I still live this book 15 years since I read it.
I had never looked at being proactive as meaning,” to be responsible for the things that I had commited to myself and to others” and which I didn’t really feel that I needed to actually see to the end,I did not pay attention to my commitments to others nor to my dreams. I can see where doing so would have made a difference in my life. I can now see myself through the eyes of others as to what I must really be like. I can accomplish much more by placing my priorities in what matters most for myself and have learned to to understand others prior to having to be understood.I have always believed that every encounter with another human being should benefit both of us , though this is a good reminder for failing at times to do the same.I like the idea of begining with the end in mind. only in the idea of knowing what I seek to accomplish will I develop my plan. My goal, or target, must be in plain sight before me , always reminding me of my intent.I must always remember to include others in my decisions, for I can accomplish most with our combined synergy. I believe in exercise. I walk eight miles daily because it keeps me healthy and also give me time to clear my mind and constantly renew my vision. I will be seventy years young in a few months. I enjoy my life . My lady and I love to dance. ( check out ‘dancing with Lucky and Belia ” on you tube
Another Amazing book. I have read it a couple of times it is marked up sticky note tabs hangin out work in progress book. I love these notes they are helpful, insightful, and break it down into a fast easy to implement format.
Hi Everyone! This quote is my “aha” !!! I have read this book but maybe missed the point until reading again in this PhilosophersNote. It hit me like WHAM!
“While you can think in terms of efficiency in dealing with time, a principle-centered person thinks in terms of effectiveness in dealing with people.”
For me, this is something to be aware of and really pay attention to! Yeah … Time for a new intention! Thanks Brian!
I realize that my commitments to myself are harder to keep than when it’s about or for someone else…
hard to get over it !!! 
ahahah!
interesting isn’t it!? is there a root belief here, not good enough or something similarly sabotaging my numerous commitments, I defenitly have a challenge with the pro-active part,
maybe fear of rejection ,
I did have a past life memory of being burned as a witch in the middle-age.…
I’m being cautious this time!!!!! keeping a low profile…ahahahah !!! Thank you I’m actually getting a good laugh out of it!
more to come , im not done with day 2 , but thats it for today! (day 7 already… argh! constance… argh!
2nd on my TO BE list!!
man…sharpen the saw dude (me)…get into Quadrant II…
Honouring commitments was a biggie. Having integrity. I am being very very ruthless now with my agreements to do things. Rather than just sayong yes I am considering it and feeling if this is right for me. Thanks B and Dr Covey!
it took me 3 days to finish this note… and I’m inspired to read the book,
but beyond getting more ideas/knowledge/books, I felt the spark of realising how commitments and taking ideas/thougts into the matter constantly are so essential to achieve any kind of great results;
great results require great commitments, that’s it huh!?…no going around it. hah,…
it feels good actually, 100% response able!
let’s keep that now!
I’m going to sound silly but I never got around to reading this book. Thanks to Brian, I know the big ideas and my desire to read it has been ignited.
The number one thing that I got out of this note is to put first things first. I’m going to follow the quadrant and focus on the “Important” and “Not Urgent” Quadrant II.
Thanks again Brian for the awesome notes…