Watching He-Man raise his sword and calling upon the powers of Grayskull take me back to my childhood living room. He-Man was part of the Masters of the Universe. To this day, I’m not sure how that group became endowed with such power. I know that many times in my life I have not even been the master of my universe. One book that helped me understand my relationship to my own life and how to influence the outcome is The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey.
Covey made such an impact in my life, that I go back to this book year after year to plan and execute my work. The two biggest principles I learned from the book are:
- I have the capacity to change
- I can determine how to change
Once I knew that I could influence and determine my future, I was able to get on with the work of doing something about it. The book is divided into two main sections: Personal Victory and Public Victory. The biggest influence on my life has come from the section on personal victory. Personal victory encompasses three habits: Be Proactive (having the capacity to change), Begin with the End in Mind (Determining how to change), and Put First Things First (manage change).
Putting first things first is the habit that I use most often, it is how I plan my year, each month, and week. This habit has provided the framework on how to look at life and to organize it. Because of this habit, I have a Personal Mission Statement, Personal Values, and have identified the roles I play in my life.
Thanks to Covey and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People that I have come to better understand myself. I have learned the things I need to do to determine my future. I have changed the way I live my life, the way I work, and the way I help others. In short, I have become the master of my universe.
Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash