After reading this book, I found habits are magical, they determine people from how they live to their future. Every choice we make is like a new brick in our foundation for success or failure. Robert M. Persig said, “It’s so hard when contemplated in advance, and so easy when you do it.” Interestingly, most of people live their life day-to-day without any thought for what is going to happen tomorrow. That does not necessarily mean we all live a life without any goals at all. That i mean by that was, we just simply live our life without thinking what drives us and what makes who we are today.

Every human being are creatures of habits. In fact, experts tell us that 90% of our daily behaviour is based on habits. Like what we do in the morning, what time do we wake up or even some people like me always pay the bill on the due day. As long as we accept the fact that we are creatures of habits, we can start to identify what are the good habits and bad ones.

As the name of the book there are seven habits:

1 – Be proactive

The opposite of proactive is reactive, who always focus on things they cannot control. On the other hand proactive people understand that even though some complains are completely objective, but it doesn’t help the situation. Like you cannot control inflation or globalization. So focusing on the things you can control. For example when a tech company launched a new product, instead of complaining how customers nowadays do not understand new technology but focusing on how to improve the product which makes it more user-friendly. Do not sit and wait things happen to you but make things happen. Our brain is always seeking a way to minimizing effort. That’s why most of people focus on the things they cannot control, rather than the things they can.

2 – Begin with the end in mind

This one is kind of creepy but really have strong power in it. It is like me lying in ICU and approaching to death, and ask what do I have to say about myself? Isn’t there any dream I haven’t achieve yet. Almost everyone will adjust how to live when we ask that question.

3 – Put first things first

We all have 24 hours everyday equally. But the things we need to do are not equally important most of times. All it takes is realizing that it’s all right to say no when necessary and then focus on your highest priorities.
4 – Think win-win

This concept is a little bit different from what we normally think about succeeding — that is, if I win, you lose; if I lose, you win. Yet win-win mindset doesn’t apply to some circumstance like sports. However, we can always apply win-win mindset into business perspective. We do not necessary to destroy our competitors business to grow, there are actually ways to grow together.
5 – Seek first to understand, then to be understood

6 – Synergize

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Valuing differences is what really drives synergy. There is not great success can be achieved by one single person.

7 – Sharpen the Saw

This habit is very board. That means enhancing the assets we have that including, physical, social, mental and spiritual. Good physical condition won’t help any entrepreneur to grow their business directly, but it helps maintaining energy to work hard.

In conclusion, it is a very informative book. I should change my bad habits and replace them with good ones!