Happen to things, don't let things happen to you Stephen Covey More Quotes by Stephen Covey More Quotes From Stephen Covey The creative process is also the most terrifying part because you don't know exactly what's going to happen or where it is going to lead. You don't know what new dangers and challenges you'll find. It takes an enormous amount of internal security to begin with the spirit of adventure, discovery, and creativity. Without doubt, you have to leave the comfort zone of base camp and confront an entirely new and unknown wilderness. Stephen Covey creativityadventureart The only person over whom you have direct and immediate control is yourself. The most important assets to develop, preserve and enhance, therefore, are your own capabilities. And no one can do it for you. You must cultivate the habit of leadership effectiveness for yourself - and doing so will be the single best investment you will ever make. Stephen Covey investmenteffectivenessimportant Wisdom is your perspective on life, your sense of balance, your understanding of how the various parts and principles apply and relate to each other. Stephen Covey balanceperspectiveunderstanding Human beings are not things needing to be motivated and controlled; they are four dimensional - body, mind, heart, and spirit. Stephen Covey challengesheartinspire 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. Stephen Covey pay-the-priceleadershipschool When you study the lives of all great achievers-those who have had the greatest influence on others, those who have made things happen-you will find a pattern. Through their persistent efforts and inner struggle, they have greatly expanded their four native human intelligences or capacities. The highest manifestations of these four intelligences are: for mental, vision; for the physical, discipline; for the emotional, passion; for the spiritual, conscience. These manifestations also represent our highest means of expressing our voice. Stephen Covey passionstrugglespiritual We value the clock for its speed and efficiency. The clock has its place, efficiency has its place, after effectiveness. The symbol of effectiveness is the compass a sense of direction, purpose, vision, perspective, and balance. But the empowerment process itself is not efficient. Stephen Covey effectivenessempowermentperspective Fulfilling the four needs in an integrated way is like combining elements in chemistry. When we reach a "critical mass" of integration, we experience spontaneous combustion - an explosion of inner synergy that ignites the fire within and gives vision, passion, and a spirit of adventure to life. Stephen Covey passionspiritualadventure Distinguish between the person and the behavior or performance. Stephen Covey performancesbehaviorpersons Humility is the mother of all virtues: the humble in spirit progress and are blessed because they willingly submit to higher powers and try to live in harmony with natural laws and universal principles. Courage is the father of all virtues; we need great courage to lead our lives by correct principles and to have integrity in the moment of choice. Stephen Covey motherintegrityfather Retire from your job but never from meaningful projects. If you want to live a long life, you need eustress, that is, a deep sense of meaning and of contribution to worthy projects and causes, particularly, your intergenerational family. Stephen Covey motivationalmeaningfuljobs Creating a warm, caring, supportive, encouraging environment is probably the most important thing you can do for your family. Stephen Covey creatingcaringmother To blame and accuse other people, is to choose to empower them, to control us. Stephen Covey empoweringblamepeople The key to the many is often the one; it is how you regard and talk about the one in that one's absence or presence that communicates to the many how you would regard and talk about them in their presence or absence. Stephen Covey keysabsencemotivational Priority is a function of context. Stephen Covey time-managementfunctionpriorities When your happiness comes primarily from the happiness of others, you know you have moved from a 'me' experience to a 'we' experience. And the whole problem-solving and opportunity-seizing process changes. Stephen Covey problemprocessopportunity When we say that leadership is a choice, it basically means you can choose the level of initiative you want to exercise in response to the question, ‘What is the best I can do under the given circumstances?’ Stephen Covey exercisemotivationalmean Private Victory precedes Public Victory. Algebra comes before calculus. Stephen Covey algebracalculusvictory As a principle-centered person you try to stand apart from the emotion of the situation and from other factors that would act on you, and evaluate the options. Looking at the balanced whole-the work needs, the family needs, the other needs that may be involved, and the possible implications of the various alternatives - you'll try to come up with the best solution taking all factors into consideration. We are limited but we can push back the borders of our limitations. Stephen Covey balancefamilytrying When our honor becomes greater than our moods, that is where transformation happens Stephen Covey transformationmoodhonor
