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Within 48 Hours -- Entry No. 1
5 years ago
From my digital pen...
Preface
In every heart, discontentment over the current state of our character lingers in some corner, though for other, such as myself, it stands in the center of the room. To my benefit, my job at a paper-recycling plant resulted in my obtaining of a 1989 printing of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. Some of the information is not new to me, but the reminder and challenge is welcome. At the end of my most recent reading I was left with the challenge to share what I had learned with someone. While a general post to an undefined audience doesn't quite meet the criteria intended by the author, it serves as a stop-gap for when I lack someone with whom to converse over the topic deeply and as a written record online. The 'homework' also comes with a time-sensitive limit, hence the title above. So, below I will, in three paragraphs set forth the transformational ideas the author communicated to me.
1.
When addressing shortcomings in one's character, the first vital piece of change is knowledge. I need to know that I have to change before I can begin the process. Knowledge blends into skill which is itself the second piece. We learn how to change, then practicing the skill whenever we can. The quintessence of the process though is desire. If we don't want to change, I for one know I never will.
2.
In the process of transformation, the author then highlighted a necessary balance which must be struck. He recounts the Aesop's fable of the goose which laid golden eggs. As the farmer's wealth and greed grew, he chose to slay the goose only to find it empty of any more gold, having now lost the source of his wealth. In like fashion, what we want out of life, the golden egg which he calls production (the produced result), must be balanced against the production capability (the capacity of that which produces). For example, if I want a friend who I can depend on, the production requires I invest time and honest self-disclosure to whomever I bond with. Later, when I enjoy having a close companion, it is self-evident that I took care of the goose which continues to give me a golden-egg. If I instead were to demand someone's attention and involvement in my life without the proper investment (i.e. - demanding the golden egg), no one will really wish to satisfy such a forceful demand (so, I have killed the goose).
3.
The last lesson has to do with an almost business like mindset. Mr. Covey uses the word asset to define three groups of resources within our lives: human, financial, and physical. I'll start with the last. Any item or material object you own is a physical asset. The usage and maintenance of the object requires balance for most effective production, he argue. If you use a car but never have it maintained, it will break down with all swiftness after some time. He applies a similar principle to the other two categories. One of your financial assets is your capactiy to earn an income. If we only work and never rest, we will eventually break down. Moreover, if we don't invest in ourselves, that is to say increasing our capacity to earn (by education, formal or self-taught, or some other kind of training), we remain dependent on our current circumstances which limits us. Finally, both ourselves and others function as human assets. He relates an anecdote wherein his daughter got him truly engaged in the Star Wars franchise which had only just taken off in those days. He'd fallen asleep during such showings in the recent past. So, when he asked his daughter how she would like to spend time together that evening, (for context, he did this regularly with his children to invest in their parent-child relationships) she said they didn't have to because she knew he wouldn't want to share her preferred diversion. After pressing, she informed him of how the Jedi teachings aligned in many ways with his self-help material. With this perspective, Mr. Covey had a much greater appreciation for Star Wars as he examined the narratives for such parallels. Because he spent time with his daughter, they had come to know each other well, thus she could help him connect with her in a meaningful and satisfying way.
All feed back is welcome in the comments below.
In every heart, discontentment over the current state of our character lingers in some corner, though for other, such as myself, it stands in the center of the room. To my benefit, my job at a paper-recycling plant resulted in my obtaining of a 1989 printing of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. Some of the information is not new to me, but the reminder and challenge is welcome. At the end of my most recent reading I was left with the challenge to share what I had learned with someone. While a general post to an undefined audience doesn't quite meet the criteria intended by the author, it serves as a stop-gap for when I lack someone with whom to converse over the topic deeply and as a written record online. The 'homework' also comes with a time-sensitive limit, hence the title above. So, below I will, in three paragraphs set forth the transformational ideas the author communicated to me.
1.
When addressing shortcomings in one's character, the first vital piece of change is knowledge. I need to know that I have to change before I can begin the process. Knowledge blends into skill which is itself the second piece. We learn how to change, then practicing the skill whenever we can. The quintessence of the process though is desire. If we don't want to change, I for one know I never will.
2.
In the process of transformation, the author then highlighted a necessary balance which must be struck. He recounts the Aesop's fable of the goose which laid golden eggs. As the farmer's wealth and greed grew, he chose to slay the goose only to find it empty of any more gold, having now lost the source of his wealth. In like fashion, what we want out of life, the golden egg which he calls production (the produced result), must be balanced against the production capability (the capacity of that which produces). For example, if I want a friend who I can depend on, the production requires I invest time and honest self-disclosure to whomever I bond with. Later, when I enjoy having a close companion, it is self-evident that I took care of the goose which continues to give me a golden-egg. If I instead were to demand someone's attention and involvement in my life without the proper investment (i.e. - demanding the golden egg), no one will really wish to satisfy such a forceful demand (so, I have killed the goose).
3.
The last lesson has to do with an almost business like mindset. Mr. Covey uses the word asset to define three groups of resources within our lives: human, financial, and physical. I'll start with the last. Any item or material object you own is a physical asset. The usage and maintenance of the object requires balance for most effective production, he argue. If you use a car but never have it maintained, it will break down with all swiftness after some time. He applies a similar principle to the other two categories. One of your financial assets is your capactiy to earn an income. If we only work and never rest, we will eventually break down. Moreover, if we don't invest in ourselves, that is to say increasing our capacity to earn (by education, formal or self-taught, or some other kind of training), we remain dependent on our current circumstances which limits us. Finally, both ourselves and others function as human assets. He relates an anecdote wherein his daughter got him truly engaged in the Star Wars franchise which had only just taken off in those days. He'd fallen asleep during such showings in the recent past. So, when he asked his daughter how she would like to spend time together that evening, (for context, he did this regularly with his children to invest in their parent-child relationships) she said they didn't have to because she knew he wouldn't want to share her preferred diversion. After pressing, she informed him of how the Jedi teachings aligned in many ways with his self-help material. With this perspective, Mr. Covey had a much greater appreciation for Star Wars as he examined the narratives for such parallels. Because he spent time with his daughter, they had come to know each other well, thus she could help him connect with her in a meaningful and satisfying way.
All feed back is welcome in the comments below.
It was a great read and uniquely enlightening.
I can't say I have much to give in the way of feedback though