Book review: the 7 Habits by Stephen Covey – Habit 2 or Begin with the end in mind

This is the third in a series of articles providing a chapter-by-chapter in-depth “book club” reading of Mr. Stephen Covey’s classic “the 7th habits of highly effective people”.
I’m reading from the 2004 Free Press paperback edition. This entry covers the second habit.

The second habit is based on the principle that all things are first created mentally and then physically. As building a house, you first start to think about it, plan and visualize it, before hammering the first nail. The same can be applied to business or our own life.

The most effective way to begin with the end in mind suggested by Stephen Covey is to write a personal mission statement or philosophy. It should contain what you want to be and to do and the principles upon which are based.

It then follows some practical tips on how to write such a statement, stating that it’s not a quick task: it takes deep introspection, analysis and many rewrites. After having written it, you should review it regularly and update it if necessary.

Next: habit 3