7 Habits of Highly Effective Kate

I have just completed an event that, if I use it correctly, can be a catalyst for a much needed change in my life. I completed the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People class, which is presented by the Franklin Covey Company. The Navy offered this course at no charge to me, and it was just fantastic. First of all, I’d like to suggest that anyone who has not read the book, to pick it up and read it. If you’re too cheap/poor, let me know and I will buy it for you and mail it to you (you think I’m kidding?) If you have read the book and have not taken a course in the fundamentals of the 7 Habits, I greatly suggest it. All I can say is, if I had taken this course and really invited the Habits into my heart and life, I would NOT be in the situation I am currently in. I would have had a much clearer picture of my needs as well as my priorities in life, and I certainly wouldn’t have acted the “fool” that I did (nor let the stress of my situation cause me to go “insane”). I’d like to explain that I am not going to be able to give the whole synopsis of the course. I’m going to discuss a couple of things that I took as “highly important” and like I said, read the freakin’ book. Its great!

First of all, I greatly enjoyed that the first component of the course/book is to focus on your inner self before you can even begin to work with others. That is so important, and I’ve only recently realized that, despite years of being told you must be whole within before you can think to take on anything else. One of the first things that is suggested in the Habits, is where you have control and influence in your life. This is a big one for me, because I often waste a ton of time trying to control things that are out of my control as well as worrying about things that have already happened that I can’t change the outcome of.

The second thing that really affected me was the need to make a personal Mission Statement. This is genius to me: I love the idea and I’ve started my rough draft of one today in class, and intend on fine-tuning it. It’s amazing to write down all your values, goals, and what you want in your life. I have never taken the time to think about it. I guess I’ve always though “I want to be successful” or “I want to be happy” but never really put it all out there so I could very quickly go to it in my mind when decision making (see how this would have helped me a lot?)

The last thing I feel like mentioning in this blog is The Big Rocks in life. These Big Rocks are the things that matter most to us and we need to put those things in our life first before we put in the other stuff that takes up our time. For example, I’d put in big rocks like “graduate school work” before I put in little stones like “shaving my legs” (Ok, that was a poor example, but you get the point.) There are so many things that we have in our lives that are Urgent, but those things aren’t always important. Its kind of funny, I was in the class today as we looked at this matrix and I realized that the worrying I was doing about something as stupid as place cards at the wedding were so urgent, yet so unimportant. Life would have gone on, and I made it so important that I forgot to look at the things that were really important to me, etc.

Ok, I’ve blathered on enough about this, at least for the moment. There is some accountability for this class and my friend Lainie is going to be my accountability partner for this course. We have a week on each of the Habits to engrain them into a part of our daily lives and then we discuss how we’ve done it and helping others to do the same thing. I’m sure I sound like I’m in some crazy cult. But here’s the thing…maybe I am a little brainwashed that this is some great plan, but this plan is something that I can see really helping me find what I want in life and I’m at point right now where I really need to work with some clear goals and a direction. I’m free. I don’t have to worry about anyone else. Now, its not as though my relationships have ever forced me to worry about them, but there is a certain obligation to a romantic partner to take their thoughts and desires into consideration. I am free to move wherever I wish, pursue any career I wish to, and not have the consequences effect anyone else. Now I certainly preferred the other sitatuation, this is what I am doing to make the best of my situation.

Ok, enough crazy talk, but I guarantee I’ll keep you updated. As for anyone that works for the Gov’t and has access to SAP, sign up for this class. If you need help, let me know and I will help you because it is free and you get a great training program, a copy of the book, and a FREE FRANKLIN COVEY PLANNER, which is pretty sweet! (I have one that Marc got me for Christmas, but this one goes through June of 2007 so I’ll at least have 6 months free!)

Thanks for letting me share. I can't get the pictures to load and hopefully I'll have them up at some point too!