The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens - Habit 1

Hello and Welcome. I recently read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, a book about strategic and effective methods for becoming a more productive teen. I wanted to share the information I've learned with you guys. Starting today, I will be writing a seven-part series based on the book. Today, I'm starting with the first habit—being proactive.

Introducing: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens

This book, by Sean Covey, discusses seven habits to become highly effective teens. The habits are divided into three sections: private victory, public victory, and renewal. The first three Habits fall under the Private Victory section, which covers habits that affect one's person and inner being. The first habit that we are looking at today is Being Proactive.

Part 1

The first thing Sean Covey discusses when it comes to proactively is personal responsibility, the idea that your actions and attitude are your fault. By taking responsibility for your actions and attitudes,  you open your mind to the idea that you can also change them. To do this, you need to let go of a victim mindset. Victimization is when you blame others for problems in your life, always playing the victim. This is the opposite of being proactive. Since proactivity requires personal responsibility, you can not be a victim and be proactive simultaneously. The most important part of this section is that accepting individual responsibility and being proactive are the first steps to personal growth.

Part 2

The second thing the book mentions about proactivity is choice. For every situation, there is a choice to be either reactive or Proactive. The book states that "Proactive people make choices based on impulse. Proactive people make choices based on values." Being Proactive means remembering that even though you can't always control situations, you can control yourself. I think the biggest takeaway from this is that when you act based on your values and not on your emotions, you become a more proactive person.

Part 3:

The last point discussed in this habit is the idea of pushing pause. Instead of acting quickly and without thought, if you take the time to pause and think about the best action, you can gain control over the situation. Pausing gives you time to use tools like self-awareness, conscience, imagination, and willpower to combat problems. Taking time to pause and use your tools can help you become more proactive.

Conclusion

The first habit in this book is choosing to be proactive. This means taking responsibility for your actions and attitudes, choosing not to be reactive, and pausing to consider the best choice of action in a situation. If you practice these things, you'll become more proactive, which helps in all aspects of life.