Choices and Relationships

A wise man once told me, “Life is really about 2 things: Choices and Relationships.”  As simple as it sounds it is quite profound.  When participants attend our 7 Habits Programs, they learn about this underlying message when going through “The Private Victory” which includes Habits 1-3.  Let’s take a moment to explore this concept and profound statement.

Habit 1 - Be Proactive

Without a proactive approach, people tend to react to their surroundings instead of take control of their lives.  Excuses become roadblocks for achieving goals.  They have poor relationships at work and in home. 

By taking a proactive approach, they live within their “Circle of Influence,” not their “Circle of Concern.”  They have a can do attitude which affects those Choices and Relationship they interact with daily.

Habit 2 - Begin with the End in Mind

Participants understand that there is always a vision before you act.  They understand the importance of writing a mission statement and determining their core values.  This process is instrumental to achieving your goals, but it is the guiding force for the Choices that you make each and every day.  The choice behind beginning with the end in mind will determine outcomes that have lasting effects on one’s life and relationships.

Habit 3 - Put First Things First

Once you now the importance of being proactive and you have determined what is important, only then can effectively schedule your activities that help you enable your mission.  One of the concepts that we teach participants is the concepts of Roles.  Our lives are made up as roles.  For example, I am a Servant Leader in my church. I am a husband and father.  I am a friend and family member.  I am an employee.

There are only 24 hours in the day, 7 days a week.  At the beginning of the week when I am working on weekly planning, I ask myself this question, “ What are the 1-2 most important things I can do this week to impact a project or relationship (in each of my roles).

Recap

By following Habits 1-3, I make good Choices that impact the Relationships I have in each of my roles.  Some weeks, some relationships get more attention than the others, but over time, I focus on building enduring relationships that flourish over time.  Following this process is key to having a happy life.

For those that haven’t read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, click here to download a complementary executive book summary.  Or download it if you have read it and pass it on to a friend or a coworker.  Who knows, it might help you improve that relationship.

As a reminder, next Monday is Memorial Day.  Take time to thank a soldier who has served this great country.  Or thank a family member who lost a loved one who has served.  It’s a simple Choice that will have a lasting effect on your Relationship.

For those that have served and are reading this post, thank you for serving our country so people like me can have a better life and write whatever we want.  Thanks for protecting our rights and fighting for our freedom.  Today, I honor YOU!

Enabling greatness, one person at a time,

John Vakidis