circle of influence Archives - Viet Bao Louisville KY

A foundational text in personal development and leadership. It delves into the habits that can help individuals become more effective in their personal and professional lives

Be Proactive:
- Concept: Control your actions and behaviors. Take responsibility for your responses to different situations.
- Implementation: Understand the difference between your Circle of Concern (things you can’t control) and your Circle of Influence (things you can control). Act more on the latter.
Begin with the End in Mind:
- Concept: Visualize your desired outcomes and set personal and professional goals.
- Implementation: Write a personal mission statement. This serves as a guiding star for all decisions and actions.
Put First Things First:
- Concept: Prioritize tasks based on importance, not urgency.
- Implementation: Use a time management matrix to categorize tasks. Focus on Quadrant II tasks, which are important but not urgent, to prevent crises and ensure progress.
Think Win-Win:
- Concept: Adopt a mindset of seeking mutually beneficial solutions.
- Implementation: In interpersonal interactions, look for agreements and solutions where both parties can benefit, rather than thinking in terms of competition.
Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood:
- Concept: Listen with empathy and without forming a response while the other person is speaking.
- Implementation: Practice empathetic listening, where the goal is to genuinely understand the other person’s perspective without interjecting your own judgments or solutions.
Synergize:
- Concept: Collaborative efforts often yield better results than individual ones.
- Implementation: Recognize and value differences in others’ perspectives and strengths. Look for opportunities to collaborate and create solutions that are better than what anyone could have achieved alone.
Sharpen the Saw:
- Concept: Regularly renew and improve yourself to maintain and increase effectiveness.
- Implementation: This habit emphasizes a balanced program for self-renewal in the four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual. For instance, exercise for physical well-being, read for mental well-being, build relationships for social/emotional well-being, and meditate or pray for spiritual well-being.

Throughout the book, Covey integrates these habits into a cohesive framework. He begins with the idea of moving from dependence to independence, which is captured in habits 1-3, and then progresses to interdependence, encompassed in habits 4-6. Habit 7 is about renewal and is essential for maintaining all the other habits.

Furthermore, Covey touches upon the difference between the “Character Ethic” (focusing on character and principles) and the “Personality Ethic” (focusing on surface-level behaviors). He argues that a true, lasting effectiveness arises from the Character Ethic, which the 7 habits are deeply rooted in.

In essence, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” is more than just a self-help book. It provides a holistic approach to personal and interpersonal effectiveness, emphasizing the need to work on oneself continuously and to cultivate relationships based on trust and mutual respect.

In today’s world, where social media and constant comparison are ubiquitous, it is easy to fall into the trap of comparing oneself to others. Many people spend a significant amount of time and energy comparing their achievements, successes, and even their appearance to those around them. However, focusing on others can be detrimental to one’s mental and emotional well-being. It is much more beneficial to look at oneself, engage in self-reflection, and compare oneself to who they were yesterday, rather than to others.

Comparing oneself to others can lead to feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, and low self-esteem. It can create an unhealthy competition and a constant need for validation from others. When one looks at others, they are only seeing a glimpse of their lives, and it is easy to become envious of their apparent success. However, everyone’s journey is different, and it is not fair to compare oneself to others without knowing their full story.

On the other hand, focusing on self-reflection and self-improvement can lead to personal growth and development. By comparing oneself to who they were yesterday, they can identify areas where they have improved and areas where they need to work on. This type of reflection allows for a more accurate assessment of one’s abilities and a more realistic understanding of their progress.

The concept of comparing oneself to yesterday rather than others is emphasized in many self-help books and writings. In the book “Atomic Habits” by James Clear, he discusses the importance of small incremental improvements in one’s life. He suggests that focusing on making a 1% improvement each day can lead to significant progress over time. By comparing oneself to who they were yesterday, they can identify small areas of improvement and work on them consistently, leading to long-term growth.

Similarly, in the book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey, he emphasizes the importance of focusing on one’s circle of influence rather than their circle of concern. By focusing on the things one can control and improve upon, they can make progress in their own lives rather than being consumed by external factors.

It is essential to focus on self-reflection and self-improvement rather than comparing oneself to others. By looking at oneself and comparing to yesterday, individuals can identify areas of improvement and work towards personal growth and development. This type of reflection can lead to increased self-esteem, confidence, and a more positive outlook on life. So, next time you find yourself comparing yourself to others, take a step back, and focus on comparing yourself to who you were yesterday.