The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Book Review
During a pleasant work trip, I read a few books, including The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I have some personal reflections and thoughts on these seven habits.
While marking this down, I also encourage myself to improve and adjust continually.
Be Proactive
I think I am at least proactive when it comes to learning. Looking back at the past year, I feel I have made some gains in
- Reading, especially in English, has improved, resulting in a reduction in reading difficulties.
- Communication and consulting: I’m not a closed-off person due to my personality. So, I often like to talk, share, ask questions, and engage in discussions.
Therefore, I think I’m doing pretty well with this habit, but there’s still room for improvement.
Put First Things First
Reflecting on this habit, I can only say that I’m making progress but still not doing well enough.
For example, at work, I often want to do everything well, but this often results in everything being half-finished or falling short of my expectations.
In life, the problem is less pronounced but still exists. The result is that nothing is done well, leading to a lack of a sense of accomplishment and rewards.
Begin with the End in Mind
This habit is about not forgetting your original intention. I think I’ve done well in this regard and always had this understanding. Many programmers are more like wage earners, who code for money without much joy. But if you love it, it’s different. The money is just an added bonus; the real joy comes from the love of programming.
I’m also a programmer, but my motivation is love. To this day, I still love programming. I hope to use programming to solve real problems and meet others’ or my own needs. This is my original intention, and it won’t change.
Think Win-Win
I think I’ve done well with this habit, as I often don’t see personal interests as conflicting with others. Many times, a win-win situation is possible.
Recently, I’ve had some thoughts on this in my work. If you always set yourself against others, you may lose, even if it’s just losing a relationship. But if you can consider others’ interests while considering your own, your actions and final rewards will extend beyond just yourself, and everyone will gain.
Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
The essence of this habit is listening. Indeed, listening to others’ ideas can often solve some of your own puzzles.
I think I haven’t done enough in this regard, especially in the past year, where I’ve been a bit closed off. I need to listen more and communicate more.
Synergize
The benefit of synergy is that 1+1>2. For example, in my current work, the people I deal with and the communication needed—sometimes, it can be very simple if others can cooperate well. However, some people only focus on their own interests without considering the overall benefit, resulting in losses for everyone.
But from another perspective, if we can unite, everyone can be efficient, and achieve more. Why not?
Sharpen the Saw
Yes, no one is always right. Therefore, we often need to adjust ourselves. All habits, as do the methodologies behind them, need constant updating. We can only ensure that we remain relatively excellent by constantly updating, allowing us to handle the ever-changing external environment better.
At the end
- These are just a few notes expressing some feelings after reading this book.