7 Habits and Mastery

One of the 7 habits in Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is to Begin with the End in Mind. Covey states, "It’s easy to get so caught up in climbing the ladder of success that you fail to make sure the ladder is leaning against the right wall." I don't want to get to the end of my life and feel like I worked toward meaningless goals while neglecting my greatest blessings. Covey talks about developing a mission statement to keep the most important goals at the forefront of our lives. I wrote a mission statement with my family which states,

Hales Family Mission

We Do Hard Things while Loving and Serving Others

This statement reminds me to work hard by setting goals while never forgetting to put each other, and other relationships first. We know service is necessary to live meaningful lives, to become like our Savior, and provide relief to those in need.

Our mission statement is being placed in an area where I will see it daily so it will serve as a reminder of my lifelong goals and purpose, to continually learn, develop eternal relationships, and make the world a better place.

Other habits include Being Proactive and Putting First Things First. Being proactive reminds me that I will use my agency to make daily choices that will move me closer to my goals. I cannot blame my decisions on anyone but myself. I will accept responsibility and make course corrections when necessary. It is also a reminder that I can create. As a mother, I create the atmosphere in our home. It can be a happy, joyful atmosphere when I choose to fill my life with uplifting media and actions. Putting First Things First is all about effective time management. This requires a deliberate approach to daily tasks, making sure I use my time wisely to work towards my goals.

I finished my book report for Mastery by George Leonard this week. The content of this amazing book went really well with the 7 habits. I'm excited to apply these principles into my life, in bite-sized daily goals.