Beyond Habits : Reading the 7 Habits With New Eyes

I’ve read the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People years ago and was immediately impressed. For a young guy wanting to create an impact in his career, this seemed like manna from the heavens. Looking back I realize that I saw it primarily as a set of good practices (or habits),that I could incorporate into my lifestyle to be more impactful, more considerate and ultimately more successful. But today, when I go through the same ideas, I am struck by the deep moral insights / implications of the very same habits. What seemed like simple “to-dos” suddenly seemed much more daunting. Shouldn’t it be easier to understand as I grew older (and wiser)?

After some thought, I’ve come to the conclusion that it is because Covey was not just asking me to change “7” habits but rather to go deeper and check my motives. It was not about “doing” alone but my entire “being” that was being called into account. That is a tough ask and the book is asking me a whole lot of new and difficult questions as i re-read it today. I realize there’s a lot of figuring out that I need to do.