Author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey died this week. In reading the many tributes and articles about his legacy, several key points stand out to me. When speaking of the 7 habits, he:
- knew that they were not ‘new’
- observed that they were not common practice, though they were common sense

Stephen R. Covey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Isn’t that how it is with the skills and behaviors for success? We do know what to do and while we may need new tools (social media, technology) to be as productive as we can be, without the right habits and mindset, we will never reach our highest levels of success.
The 7 habits Covey outlined:
- 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
All timeliness habits that we should build, embrace and execute!