7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Written in 1990 by Stephen R. Covey and published by Free Press.

Review

This is one of the few books which deals with both the internal and external aspects of making change and producing results. As such it covers much of the same basic information about personal transformation as Your Best Year Yet!, written by Best Year Yet Founder, Jinny S. Ditzler, in 1994.

Seven Habits is a brilliant book that has inspired many people to understand the power of a paradigm shift and the art of connecting one's values to one's actions.

Implementation of Covey's system is linked to a personal planner in which goals are scheduled to progress larger goals. On a weekly basis a person reviews progress toward living each of their roles in a productive and effective way.

One of the strengths of Covey's book is the deeply personal stories he tells about the difference his seven habits can make to people -- particularly people who work together.

However, few people actually complete the enormous number of tasks and suggestions listed in the book. There are seven habits, each with five to ten bits of 'homework' --- far more complex and time-consuming than the ten Best Year Yet questions at the heart of our system.

Although this book presents the all-important concept of paradigm shifts, it doesn't provide a process for making these shifts that is clearly usable by the reader. Most of the book is devoted to keeping on top of priorities and practicing good time management --- but the book fails to address or help the reader really eliminate underlying limiting beliefs.

How Best Year Yet Can Help

Best Year Yet picks up where Covey stops. We help our clients to create a context for this improved productivity by creating an annual plan that brings it all together -- lessons, new paradigm, focus and top ten goals.

The Best Year Yet Team Programs deals with the lessons of Seven Habits and makes sure -- over a 12-month period -- that you put your own lessons into practice, live your new team paradigm and achieve your top ten annual goals.