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Stephen Covey

Stephen Covey Quotes

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Famous Stephen Covey Quotes

“In my own experience, both personally and professionally, I've learned that you don't wait to confront reality. It doesn't get easier. It doesn't get better. And, in some cases, if you don't get the relevant information from people and act quickly, you start losing options. You're into damage control.”

PeopleIfsRealityMotivationalWaitingMy OwnCasesInformationEasierLosingGet BetterDamageI've LearnedRelevantDamage Control
Book:The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything
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“If the only vision we have of ourselves comes from the social mirror - from the current social paradigm and from the opinions, perceptions, and paradigms of the people around us - our view of ourselves is like the reflection in a crazy mirror room at the carnival.”

PeopleIfsSocialRoomsViewsVisionOpinionCrazyPerceptionReflectionMirrorsCurrentsParadigmCarnivals
Book:Daily Reflections for Highly Effective People: Living THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE Every Day
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“If you want to get something done, give it to a busy man.”

IfsMenWantGivingDoneEthicsBusyProductivityWork EthicBusy Man
Book:The Stephen R. Covey Interactive Reader - 4 Books in 1: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, First Things First, and the Best of the Most Renowned Leadership Teacher of our Time
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“If I really want to improve my situation, I can work on the one thing over which I have control-myself. I can stop trying to shape up my wife and can work on my own weaknesses. I can focus an being a great marriage partner, a source of unconditional love and support. Hopefully, my wife will feel the power of proactive example and respond in kind. But, whether she does or doesn't, the most positive way I can influence my situation is to work on myself, on my being.”

IfsWayWantFeelsTryingKindDoeI CanMy OwnSituationSupportFocusWifeOne ThingInfluenceExampleSourceShapesWeaknessMy WifePartnersHopefullyUnconditional LoveUnconditionalStop TryingProactiveGreat MarriageControl Myself
Author:Stephen Covey
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“If my sense of security lies in my reputation or in the things I have, my life will be in a constant state of threat and jeopardy-a fear that these possessions may be lost, stolen, or devalued. If I'm in the presence of someone of greater net worth, fame, or status, I feel inferior. If I'm in the presence of someone of lesser net worth, fame or status, I feel superior. My sense of self-worth constantly fluctu-ates. I don't have any sense of constancy, anchorage, or persistent selfhood. I am constantly trying to protect and insure my assets, properties, securities, position, or reputation.”

IfsFeelsTryingMaySelfStatesLyingLostGreaterSecurityPositionFameProtectConstantPropertyThreatPossessionSelf WorthSuperiorsReputationAssetsInferiorsStolenPersistentSense Of SelfConstancyJeopardyNet Worth
Author:Stephen Covey
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“One thing's for sure. If we keep doing what we're doing, we're going to keep getting what we're getting. One definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expect different results.”

IfsDifferentResultsOne ThingDefinitionsInsanityDefinition Of Insanity
Book:The Stephen R. Covey Interactive Reader - 4 Books in 1: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, First Things First, and the Best of the Most Renowned Leadership Teacher of our Time
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“Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly.”

IfsInspirationalTryingLightSuccessMotivationGoalChanceFireHard TimesMotivational SportsTeenageChances AreLoving LifeDetermination MotivationalAchieving Your GoalsHappiness And SuccessAchieving GoalsMotivational GoalMotivation And DriveFire Within
Book:The Wisdom and Teachings of Stephen R. Covey
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“If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take just gets us to the wrong place faster.”

IfsInspirationalStepsWallPrioritiesPlanningFasterEfficiencyLaddersEffectivenessEvery StepTop Priorities7 HabitsPriorities In LifeClimbing The Ladder
Book:The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change Interactive Edition
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“If you organize your family life to spend even ten or fifteen minutes a morning reading something that connects you with these timeless principles, its almost guaranteed that you will make better choices during the day--in the family, on the job, in every dimension of life. Your thoughts will be higher. Your interactions will be more satisfying. You will have a greater perspective. You will increase that space between what happens to you and your response to it. You will be more connected to what really matters most.”

IfsMatterHappensJobsChoicesReadingSpacePrinciplesMorningGreaterMinutesPerspectiveHigherTenIncreaseResponseConnectedDimensionsSatisfyingTime ManagementInteractionFifteenOrganizeTimelessFamily LifeSpace Between
Author:Stephen Covey
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“The most important ingredient we put into any relationship is not what we say or what we do, but what we are. And if our words and our actions come from superficial human relations techniques (the Personality Ethic) rather than from our own inner core (the Character Ethic), others will sense that duplicity. We simply won't be able to create and sustain the foundation necessary for effective interdependence.”

IfsLifeHumansImportantCharacterAbleActionChangeRelationshipPersonalityMoralityIntegrityEthicsRelationFoundationTechniqueCoreIngredientsSuperficialOur ActionsHuman RelationsHuman RelationshipsOur WordsInterdependenceDuplicity
Book:Daily Reflections for Highly Effective People: Living THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE Every Day
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“People with a scarcity mentality tend to see everything in terms of win-lose. There is only so much; and if someone else has it, that means there will be less for me. The more principle-centered we become, the more we develop an abundance mentality, the more we are genuinely happy for the successes, well-being, achievements, recognition, and good fortune of other people. We believe their success adds to...rather than detracts from...our lives.”

PeopleIfsBelieveWellsMeanWinningTermLosesPrinciplesOur LivesAchievementAddFortuneRecognitionWell BeingAbundanceMentalityGood FortuneScarcityWinning LosingAbundance Mentality
Author:Stephen Covey
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“What one thing could you do in your personal and professional life that, if you did on a regular basis, would make a tremendous positive difference in your life? Quadrant II activities have that kind of impact. Our effectiveness takes quantum leaps when we do them.”

IfsKindDifferencesOne ThingActivityBasesImpactLeapQuantumEffectivenessProfessional LifeQuantum LeapPersonal And Professional Life
Book:The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
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“If you were to fault yourself in one of three areas, which would it be: (1) the inability to prioritize; (2) the inability or desire to organize around those priorities; or (3) the lack of discipline to execute around them? ... Most people say their main fault is a lack of discipline. On deeper thought, I believe that is not the case. The basic problem is that their priorities have not become deeply planted in their hearts and minds. They haven't really internalized Habit 2 [Begin with the end in mind].”

PeopleIfsInspirationalMindBelieveHeartEndsProblemDesireThreeI BelieveCasesHavensHabitDisciplineAreasFaultsDeeperPrioritiesOrganizeHeart And MindInabilityPrioritize
Author:Stephen Covey
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“To ignore the unexpected (even if it were possible) would be to live without opportunity, spontaneity, and the rich moments of which "life" is made.”

IfsMadeMomentsWould BeLife IsOpportunityRichUnexpectedSpontaneity
Book:The Stephen R. Covey Interactive Reader - 4 Books in 1: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, First Things First, and the Best of the Most Renowned Leadership Teacher of our Time
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“Synergy is everywhere in nature. If you plant two plants close together, the roots commingle and improve the quality of the soil so that both plants will grow better than if they were separated. If you put two pieces of wood together, they will hold much more than the total weight held by each separately. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. One plus one equals three or more.”

IfsTwoWholeTogetherThreeGrowsQualityGreaterPiecesRootsWeightPlantWoodsSoilPlusSynergy
Book:The Wisdom and Teachings of Stephen R. Covey
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“Moving along the upward spiral requires us to learn, commit, and do on increasingly higher planes. We deceive ourselves if we think that any one of these is sufficient. To keep progressing, we must learn, commit, and do-learn, commit, and do-and learn, commit, and do again.”

IfsThinkingMovingSinProgressHigherCommitPlanesSufficientDeceivingSpirals
Book:The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
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“Look at the weaknesses of others with compassion, not accusation. It's not what they're not doing or should be doing that's the issue. The issue is your own chosen response to the situation and what you should be doing. If you start to think the problem is "out there," stop yourself. That thought is the problem.”

IfsThinkingShouldLooksProblemCompassionSituationIssuesWeaknessResponseChosenAccusationInterpersonal Skills
Book:The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change Interactive Edition
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“To focus on technique is like cramming your way through school. You sometimes get by, perhaps even get good grades, but if you don't pay the price day in and day out, you'll never achieve true mastery of the subjects you study or develop an educated mind.”

IfsWayMindSometimesSchoolLeadershipPayStudyFocusAchieveSubjectsTechniqueEducatedGradesMasteryPay The PriceGood GradesCrammingEducated Mind
Book:The Stephen R. Covey Interactive Reader - 4 Books in 1: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, First Things First, and the Best of the Most Renowned Leadership Teacher of our Time
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