The 7 Habits of Highly Efective People by Stephan R. Covey, is a classical book in the business, self improvement niche.

However I think everyone should read it, from creatives to scientists and everyone in between.

If you want to get all the juicy information on the book please go and read it, but if you're busy and want to get the nuggets, keep reading.

I've made an extremely short summary that will give you all the best information in 10 minutes.

Enjoy.

1) Be Proactive

Most people complain about things they can't change. They dodge responsibility by blaming everyone else for their problems. Focus on the negative.

Is easier to complain than it is to create or change. It's comfortable, it get's the ego off the hook and it takes less effort.

In this book the author show's us how all efective people are proactive and focus on what they can change.

2) Begin with the end in mind

Granted every journey starts with a small step and no matter what you should enjoy the journey.

What this means is that you should keep the big picture present in your mind.

The best way to do this is to think about your funeral. Think about how you would like to be remembered and act accordingly.

3) Put first things first

We tend to procrastinate... you know what I mean... like just before you start working you go on facebook for 10 minutes... those 10 minutes become an hour...

There is the big rocks metaphor that shows you you will run out of time , if you do small things first. Here is a 6 min video illustrating it:

But this a very simple and obvious one... yet most of us do not do it...

Fist things First, probably the most important tip.

4) Think Win- Win

For you to win, someone else does not have to lose.

5) Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

Again seems obvious, but is rarely practise. Do not expect respect if you don't give respect.

6) Synergies

The sum is greater then the sum of the parts.

7) Sharpen the saw

If you sharpen the saw you will be able to cut the tree faster, but to sharpen it, it takes time.

The saw here represents the mind and body. A lot of people prefer not to take time to sharpen the saw, they will instead go and try to cut the tree with a low class saw and take forever and eventually quit.

Scroll the facebook feed, but rarely take time to work on the infrastructure and it's foundations. Maybe because it's not associated with emmidiate gratification.

Usually people can't even make 15 minutes a day to read.

If you want to bring the tree down... sharpen the saw. It takes time, but it will make win time and everything else.