Steven Covey Archives - Isucceedbook.com

success principles: 3 days of jammy heaven…sometimes it good to just take it easy

Aug 172012

Reading time: 4 – 6 minutes

Who doesn’t love Sundays?

I know I sure do…it’s the lazy day of the week. It’s the day when we get to do what we want to do. Sleep, eat, watch TV, relax, swim, anything and everything…that is until you have kids.

Now Sundays are no longer our day but the family day as it’s the only day my wife and I can spend together with our son. Now it’s less about what we want, and pretty much all about what he wants.

I’m of course talking about our 4-year old son.

He’s a great kid but like every other kid in the world, he has energy…and a lot of it. I swear there must be something that we have in our brains as a child that says, “Hey, this is the day I get to spend with my parents so wake up early and keep going till late.”

It’s like he’s got a constant adrenaline high on the weekends while during the week, in the morning, it’s like waking the sleeping dead.

I remember there were days when I stayed in my jammies till noon but that is a pretty much a thing of the past…that is until this past week.

From Monday to Thursday my wife and I were off thanks to the Obon holidays here in Japan and we took full advantage of the break.

Unfortunately a few of our plans fell through due to weather and a friend’s illness, but we made the best of a bad situation and went to a local amusement park one day, caught up on some shows we’d been meaning to watch and basically took it easy.

Maybe the best of all was being able to simply stay in my jammies till noon.

It’s true what they say, sometimes the simple pleasures are the best.

Work is hard. Studying is draining. Playing with young children is exhausting. And so we need time to simply just relax.

A while ago I came up with a simple formula for success: aptitude + attitude + hard work = success but what I left out of the equation is R&R.

Rest and relaxation is what keeps us sane in an otherwise sometime insane world.

Each and every day we face challenges, some more difficult than others. And it’s important that we all take the time to recover in order that we’re able to operate at optimum efficiency.

In Stephen Covey’s landmark classic, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” his 7th habit is “Sharpen the saw” which talks about not continually working but taking time out to sharpen our skills to make us more effective.

Planning is one such thing. Planning saves time, it’s a proven fact. And yet most people spend very little, if any, time planning.

Studying’s another, as it allows us to get more done in less time. At first people feel that the time involved isn’t worth the investment, but if we keep at it we’ll start to see remarkable progress and change in our lives.

Rest is needed simply because we’re not robots. We all need a certain amount of time to allow our body to recover and return to full strength.

Relaxation on the other hand is for the mind. Too often our minds get too full of information that we have trouble keeping track of it all. In spite of the best planning there are times when we can become overwhelmed simply because of amount of work or responsibilities we have.

While most of us are able to kick back and watch a little TV each night or squeeze in some recreational activities here and there, in today’s high speed world, the one in which we’re always in touch, it’s getting harder to just relax.

Even God took the seventh day off, so maybe that’s something we should remember.

Life is all about achievement and growth but in order to do so we need to make sure we take the time to, at times, rest.

Jammies, naps, massages, sleep…never underestimate the power of taking it easy.

Simple advice, but one that many people forget in their drive for success and must pay the price later on.

Adrian Shepherd

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success principles: Steven Covey, author of ’7 habits,’ leaves behind a legacy

Expert Perspective

Jul 182012

Reading time: 3 – 5 minutes

Who’s your favorite author?

J.K. Rowlings? Stephen King? Or perhaps George Orwell?

Obviously your interests will place a big part in who you’d choose as your favorite author but if you’re interested in business then there are a few authors that stand out.

There’s Robert Kiyosaki and his Rich Dad series, there’s Dale Carnegie’s and his famous “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and then there’s Steven Covey and his 7 Habits who sadly, passed away earlier this week.

Steven Covey’s book burst onto the scene back in 1989 and has remained on the best sellers list ever since and in 2011 was listed as one of Times “25 Most Influential Business Management Books.”

If you haven’t had a chance to read this excellent book then I highly recommend you do. You’ll find it in most used book stores but it’s worth its weight in gold.

And it’s not just for people who are managers as the principles apply in achieving success in our relationships and in our success.

You’ll find many incredible insights in the book that will, simply put, floor you.

And if you think the book is good, the audio program is even better if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on it.

The truth is that most of us, myself included, for most of our lives have been applying IN-effective habits and just not realized it.

Why?

Because most of us learn by trial-and-error which leads us to some pretty costly errors.

I’ve been there. But when I decided to make success a study 5 years ago, I realized that so many people have kindly taken the time to put their stories and experiences down on paper to share with us. There’s no reason we need to repeat their mistakes.

Studying from people who have been there and done allow us to cut down the learning curve. There’s less guessing and a higher chance of success. That doesn’t mean you won’t run into trouble but, speaking from experience, I sure wish I had read those books before I plunked down $20,000 in a partnership or $4000 on a pyramid scheme.

Steven Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” brings in lessons learned with his children, at work, from seminars and in business. You’ll find yourself laughing, thinking, wondering and hopefully, applying some of the ideas contained within it in your own life.

For me, one I try and do each and every day is “sharpen the saw” which refers to keeping ourselves sharp mentally and physically.

When our health suffers, our work suffers. When our work sucks, our relationships suffer. Everything’s connected so we can’t let one area of our life suffer otherwise we’ll have to face the consequences sooner or later. Unfortunately, most people are so focused on doing that they forget to take time to THINK, PLAN and PREPARE for tomorrow.

Steven Covey he has left behind a legacy that will forever change businesses and people for many years to come.

Thank you Dr. Covey, you will be missed.

Adrian Shepherd

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success mistakes: not beginning with the end in mind is a mistake that so many students make

success mistakes

Jun 252012

Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes

Mistakes make us human…

Mistakes also can hurt like hell. There are financial mistakes, relationship mistakes, business mistakes, parental mistakes…regardless of where you live, what your financial standing is or what work you do mistakes do happen.

Steven Covey in his landmark classic, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, touched upon numerous areas which people tend to slip up on and it is well worth picking up if you’re serious about success in business or in life.

While the world continues to change at breakneck speed, it seems that many of us are still very much stuck in the past.

Economic solutions for years gone by are being applied to our global economy. Education continues to focus on reading, writing and listening when more focus needs to be given to rhetoric, negotiation, leadership and how to use technology effectively.

It amazes me that here in Japan, despite smartphones, iPads, high speed Internet and bullet trains how many kids are so unprepared for the real world and are often shell-shocked upon graduation at their lack of job opportunities.

Just today I was talking to a good friend and I said that I believe that my father’s generation was the last to truly benefit from a college degree.

That may sound strange coming from an educator but I see so many well educated people unable to meet the demands of the modern age.

As Japan and much of Europe and the US are dealing with recessions people choose to invest money into college degrees that pay off less and less.

I shudder to think of how much my father spent on my liberal art education. And while it paid off for me as I have my own business, am building two brands and also had the chance to meet the woman of my dreams, for many others I can’t say it’s been all that for them.

My father’s generation understood what a college degree meant. It meant work. It meant not worrying about their future.

Today that is no longer the case. A college degree has become average. College students thinking that they will be set for life are very much mistaken.

More and more people are finding out the hard way that a college degree means pretty much what a high school degree meant for my father. Only one big difference; a college degree comes with a hefty price tag.

I read somewhere earlier this year that students graduating in 2011 was (on average) $25,500 in debt upon leaving college. Combine this with the highest unemployment rates for college students in years and you begin to run into problems.

Too many students choose to major in a subject that they are good in or are interested in so that they will be able to enjoy college, graduate with the least amount of trouble and then get a job.

I get it. I did it. But this is a mistake, let me explain.

Steven Covey says to begin with the end in mind. But this is not what students do.

They begin and work forward, hoping that everything works out.

Why do students go to college? Is it because they love studying? I don’t think so. Is it because their parents love spending lots of money? Again, nope.

It’s because it is what has become expected of them. It is the route that they should take. Masters and doctorates are optional but many people know that a college degree is pretty much mandatory these days.

Students also believe that they will be able to live comfortably, providing for their family for the rest of their lives.

But doing what? That is the big question and one that most students don’t have an answer for.

Students are working hard, hoping that things will work out for them, unsure just what that means.

Let’s apply Steven Covey’s concept to students.

Instead of choosing a subject they like, they should look into the future and see which occupations will be sought after.

I think we can all agree that these subjects will be big in the future:

Biotechnology
Computers,
Energy
Chinese
Food
Water Purification

Choosing a degree in one of these areas means the best chance at a fruitful career.

Choosing a subject such as Asian Studies or philosophy limits your options. That doesn’t mean I’m saying these aren’t good things to study, what I am saying is that the job opportunities will be limited. Why invest an arm and a leg not to mention a good deal of time, if the only job you can get with your degree isn’t something you want to do.

Sure we need teachers, but we don’t need just teachers.

We need doers. We need creators. We need entrepreneurs.

As school is meant to prepare students for the real world, I only wish more students would get students to apply Steven Covey’s 2nd habit.

I dream of being a big-time speaker. That is what I want to do. So I worked back from there and started implementing each step to get me there.

With my path clearly mapped out it’s easy to know which way to go.

And I encourage everyone, students, parents and business people alike, to use this concept in designing their future.

Remember, either you design your future or you don’t and end up having to rely on the “cross-finger theory” as Jim Rohn, my mentor, used to say.

The future will be here sooner than you think. Get started today.

Adrian Shepherd

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success principles: 5 quotes that every entrepreneur should remember when building a fortune

Expert Perspective

Jun 072012

Reading time: 6 – 9 minutes

I love quotes…

And thanks to Facebook, I get my daily dose of inspirational, thought-provoking, sweet and powerful quotes each and every day.

On top of that I signed up for a few sites and have them sent right to my mailbox.

Each time I come across a new one that excites me it goes straight into my file and since I’ve been at it for a few years now, I’ve managed to amass quite a collection of ones that stand out above the rest.

Today I thought I’d share with you five from that collection.

The first is one that I included in my book, iSucceed, and one that took me a while to understand.

Henry Ford once said, “Thinking is the hardest job, which is why so few do it.”

Most people think they think but as I found out only when we are forced to or when we focus on it do we really think.

Think about it. Most of out day is automatic.

We get up, brush our teeth, put on our clothes, head to work, put in 8 hours, come home, eat dinner, take a shower and head to bed.

Once people get familiar with their work it’s rare they spend much time in deep thought about it, instead choosing to get the job done quickly, with the least amount of effort.

I know because I used to be just like that.

I worked hard to learn the ropes at my first job and then coasted. Upward movement within the company was pretty much zero so I did what I could to free up time for myself by becoming better.

Sadly, any ideas I had to improve the system were dismissed by the administration so I knew that my time there would be short.

Today, as you already know, I spend a lot of time studying which becomes my food for thought.

The more I study, the more I think. And the more I think, the more ideas I come up with. The more creativity seems to appear.

Yes, never underestimate the power of thought.

Benjamin Franklin said, “A small leak will sink a great ship.”

I have seen many a company fail due to poor leadership, often times due to one single person.

The problem is that one person, if they are the wrong person, can act almost like a virus; infecting those around him. Bad habits can become contagious.

And some mistakes are so big that they can sink the whole company. Just ask Nick Leeson.

His reckless trading brought down Barings Bank.

As the saying goes, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Beware your weakest link.

The third quote that every entrepreneur should remember is by Larry Elder who said, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

Lots of people have goals…or at least they think they do.

The problem I have found is that most people’s goals are merely hopes, dreams or wishes.

Goals need to be clear, achievable and well thought out.

We all would like to earn more money, have a better body and enjoy more free time. Regardless of what we want, the question we must constantly ask ourselves is, “HOW are we going to get them?”

Put your mind to work. THINK and brainstorm and come up as many ideas as you can.

Once you have one that really gets you excited, sit down and figure out how you’re going to make it a reality.

The fourth quote on my list of five today is “Begin with the end in mind,” by Steven Covey in his landmark classic The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Once you have your goal, work backwards from it to where you stand today.

Most people try to start today and work forward. It’s the path most people choose but it often only ends in frustration and failure. As they haven’t plotted a course to follow, they are unsure of which way to move ahead.

Finally we come to the 5th quote. You may all be familiar with the law of sowing and reaping. Simply put, if you plant in the spring, chances are high you will have a harvest come fall.

But when my mentor, Jim Rohn, put it another way I was blow away. He said, “In order to reap, you must sow.”

We tell children to study hard so they can get a good job. Wouldn’t it be better to say, “If you want a good job, then you really need to study.”

It’s the same concept but flipped around I believe it squarely lays the responsibility on us to take action if we want good results.

A good harvest, good grades, promotions, and pay raises don’t simply fall out of the sky.

They are the rewards given to those who put in the time and the effort.

From the moment I heard that quote, I realized that my better future relied specifically, not on just anything, but on me. 100%.

My actions will either make me rich or they won’t.

And I have complete control over my actions.

I want to reap. So I am sowing.

I know it might take time. I know it might not be easy. I know things can go wrong.

But 5 years will pass whether I choose to take action or not.

No matter what you’ve done up to today, you can begin to sow yourself a better future right now.

There you have it – 5 quotes. In a nutshell – Think, choose your team wisely, plan, work backwards and take action.

5 simple ideas that when applied properly to a business are sure to increase your chances of success.

Adrian Shepherd

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success principles: not quite Steven Covey’s 7 Habits but good nonetheless

Expert Perspective

Jan 122012

Reading time: 2 – 2 minutes

isucceedbook.com had it’s first birthday a few months ago so I’m closing in on 16 months.

Hard to believe really.

Now I’ll admit that some days it’s easy to write than others.

Each post takes anywhere between 30mins to sometimes as much as two hours.

But it’s a labor of love and something that I look forward to each day. Why? Because I get to share ideas that matter with people all over the world. And with any luck some of these ideas will help you live a more successful life.

It’s also fun because it challenges me to think; and I do love a challenge.

And last, but not least, it helps me grow as an individual.

The more I write, the better I get…or at least that’s the idea. You be the judge, go back to some of the older posts and you should see my own personal growth.

It’s one of the reasons I push education so much regardless of who my clients are.

Education, back in school, was forced upon us but as adults we are given the choice who, when and what to study…and for many people, to bother studying. Sadly many people choose to do the last option but what I learned is that the is a vast difference from choosing to learn and being forced to learn.

One is fun, one can be excruciating.

One opens your mind, the other closes it.

With that said, let’s see what I can do about passing along some ideas that will help you be more productive.

Enjoy the vlog.

Adrian Shepherd

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