Book Review: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey updated with fresh insights by Sean Covey

I was surprised to learn that this classic self-help book was first published in 1989, less than forty years ago. The advice given in it has a timeless feel; the founding principles pre-date the Me-Focused paradigm of the last fifty or sixty years. Covey did a lot of research into self-help literature from the past century, identifying a shift from improvement through building character to improvement through emphasizing personality. Rather than change oneself into someone better, modern self-help focuses on affirming oneself as good enough. Covey's return to principles and character building is a shift in the right direction. 

The seven habits focus on intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. A person needs to identify the principles that will govern their life. He encourages readers to make a personal mission statement that embodies their highest ideals. Working with the goals in the mission statement, behavior can be transformed from reactive and competitive to proactive and cooperative. While others tout the value of working together to achieve goals, Covey presents practical abilities, actions, and attitudes that make cooperation fruitful. 

The book is inspiring but also challenging. Covey gives tips and encourages readers to create a mission statement for themselves as well as for their family and their business. Covey wants readers to think about good and bad relationships and reevaluate their value and how to get the best from others who are easy or hard to deal with. He uses so many examples of clients and others who have put his recommendations to use and had amazing and surprising successes. Many self-help books focus on one technique or one insight that helped the author transform their lives; such books often read like they would not apply in your own concrete situation (just think of all the various types of diet books). This book is much more grounded and holistic, with the sort of advice that will never go out of style or not fit a certain personality.

Highly recommended.