Habit 5: SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND, THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD

Reading this chapter has really opened my eyes, or should I say my ears when it comes to listening. After reading this habit, I have realized that I often exhibit poor listening habits. One style that I tend to do, pretend listening, could hurt me in the long run. I want to be the type of person that my friends choose to confide in, and if I do not change my habits, they will not open up to me with their problems and revere me. From now on, I will work on listening to people, not just hearing them.

In the coming days, I am going to choose to not talk as much, and try to listen more. I am known to talk very much and by shutting my mouth, I may learn something I might have missed if I had kept flapping my gums. By working on Habit 5, I will not only become a better listener, I will further my relationships with various people.

7 Habits

In the book 7 Habits of a Highly Effective Teen by Sean Covey, I have learned a lot about myself. While reading this book, I have learned that when life knocks you down you have the power to be proactive or reactive. I could choose to give up on whatever was holding me back, or I could get up and try again until I succeed. I really liked the quote made by Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president, who said, "People are just about as happy as they make up their mind to be." I think this is a great statement because people can either choose to be pessimistic, or they can "choose to see the glass half full."

As I have progressed through this book, I have read about thinking with the end in mind. Without having a set goal, I would never succeed in anything. So I wrote a mission statement that would help to lead me in my most important tasks of the day. Some "rocks" in my everyday life are doing homework, getting my chores done, and finding time for my family. This book has helped me to see what my top priorities are, and how I should react to difficult situations when they happen to occur.