Book Byte #250 "First Things First"

By Stephen R. Covey

📣 Curious Quotes from the Author

“We are free to choose our actions, . . . but we are not free to choose the consequences of these actions.”

“Consequences are governed by principles, and behavior is governed by values, therefore, value principles!”

“Best way to predict your future is to create it.”

“It’s not enough to dream. It’s not enough to try. It’s not enough to set goals or climb ladders. It’s not enough to value. The effort has to be based on practical realities that produce the result. Only then can we dream, set goals, and work to achieve them with confidence.”

“Doing more things faster is no substitute for doing the right things.”

“what we believe about ourselves and our purpose has a powerful impact on how we live, how we love, and what we learn.”

“When we talk about time management, it seems ridiculous to worry about speed before direction, about saving minutes when we may be wasting years.”

“because more important than how fast you’re going, is where you’re headed.”

“it is that a meaningful life is not a matter of speed or efficiency. It’s much more a matter of what you do and why you do it, than how fast you get it done.”

“THE URGENCY ADDICTION Some of us get so used to the adrenaline rush of handling crises that we become dependent on it for a sense of excitement and energy. How does urgency feel? Stressful? Pressured? Tense? Exhausting? Sure. But let’s be honest. It’s also sometimes exhilarating. We feel useful. We feel successful. We feel validated. And we get good at it. Whenever there’s trouble, we ride into town, pull out our six shooter, do the varmint in, blow the smoke off the gun barrel, and ride into the sunset like a hero. It brings instant results and instant gratification. We get a temporary high from solving urgent and important crises. Then when the importance isn’t there, the urgency fix is so powerful we are drawn to do anything urgent, just to stay in motion. People expect us to be busy, overworked. It’s become a status symbol in our society—if we’re busy, we’re important; if we’re not busy, we’re almost embarrassed to admit it. Busyness is where we get our security. It’s validating, popular, and pleasing. It’s also a good excuse for not dealing with the first things in our lives. “I’d love to spend quality time with you, but I have to work. There’s this deadline. It’s urgent. Of course you understand.” “I just don’t have time to exercise. I know it’s important, but there are so many pressing things right now. Maybe when things slow down a little.”

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

📚 Cognition of the Book’s Big Idea

We focus on the wrong things in life far too often, which causes tension and discord. You must decide what your priorities are, weigh importance over urgency, and strike a balance between all of your responsibilities if you want to improve the quality of your life. This can be achieved by developing a vision for the future that will guide your goal-setting. You will find happiness and inner peace when you prioritize your "first things" over the more pressing or minor issues.

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