Ageless Advice Still Matters

Have you ever tried to lose weight or change your professional work habits? We first look for advice, then try to find a secret recipe that we can buy online, believing there has to be an app on our phones that can help us. Naturally, there are plenty, and they may work to some degree, but the hard work, the heavy lifting, must come from us. As Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick often tells his team, there are no short cuts to losing weight, having good practices or making progress as a team. To accomplish these goals, it takes a simple plan: Hard work and everyone committed every day. Some things are ageless, but we still need to be reminded.

We all know portion control — limiting our calorie intake — is the best way to lose weight. But then why do we need to subscribe to Nutrisystem? Well, it sends out food, limits the portions and allows us to eat in moderation — calories in, calories out, lose weight. It’s a simple and straightforward plan that we could do on our own, if only we had the discipline to make sure we controlled our portions. But many of us don’t so we need the re-enforcement from Nutrisystem. We need to have someone monitor our progress.

The same thing applies to Steven Covey's book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” It’s sold more than 25 million copies in 40 languages worldwide, and the audio version has sold 1.5 million copies and remains one of the best selling nonfiction business books in history. In August 2011, Time Magazine listed 7 Habits as one of "The 25 Most Influential Business Management Books." Covey simply made the obvious, obvious. He told us to:

1. Be proactive.

2. Begin with the End in Mind.

3. First things first, focus on what is urgent and important.

4. Always think win-win.

5. Seek first to understand then be understood. Listen!

6. Use synergy. Combine the strengths of people through positive teamwork.

7. Sharpen the Saw, self-growth, become a life long learner.

Seven distinct behaviors that deep down, we all knew before he wrote the book but when we become busy we lose sight of what matters most. We forget the obvious and search for something new and different. We tend to forget that the jungle is never dangerous if we know the trails and Covey provided us with a trail map. We all need a familiar map in our hands.

As school begins either remotely or in person, it might be the best time to share these seven habits with our families and those we lead.

The most important message as we start a new school year, or return to work, is to never lose sight of the simple.

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