7 habits of greater effectiveness

Abundance can emerge in the form of affluence and prosperity, as well as in the form of knowledge and opportunities that could benefit your business. The key to wealth is to find ways to continue learning by challenging ourselves to redefine good fortune. You may start a new business, take a course, or take other steps to somehow better yourself and share your assets so others may benefit from your lessons.

In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey suggests how each of us can develop the tools needed to create wealth and fulfillment in our lives.

Habit #1: Be Proactive: these people do more than take initiatives.  They recognize they're responsible for their own choices and have the freedom to choose based on princles and values rather than on moods and conditions. These individuals are agents of change.

Habit #2: Begin with the end in Mind: these people shape their own future by creating a mental vision and purpose for individual projects.  They identify and commit themselves to relationships, principles and purposes that matter most to them.

Habit #3: Put First Things First: these people effectively organize and execute priorities. Come what may, they're driven by their principles and undeterred by changing external circumstances. They roll with the punches.

Habit #4: Think Win-Win: these people seek mutual benefit and mutual respect in all interactions. They think in terms of abundance, opportunity and collective "we" not ego. The aim to continually build more trusting relationships orients their emotional investments.

Habit #5: Seek First to Understand, then be Understood: these people use courage and consideration to listen with intent. They aim to get to know their market, audience, or other focus of their energies so their effort is well-targeted and people benefit. They seek first to be attentive and absorb and later reply openly to build effective exchanges. They aren't afraid to ask questions and prioritize views.

Habit #6:Synergize: these people seek to negotiate and compromise. They're willing to sacrifice part of their position in creative ways in order to respect or value another person's differences.

Habit #7: Sharpen the Saw: these people constantly improve themselves in physical, social-emotional, mental and spiritual areas of their lives. They aim to be well-rounded and promote balance as an example. This increases all habits of effectiveness.