Last week, Shelley Parson, an academic advisor, hosted a workshop about author Stephen Covey’s book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” You can view all seven habits on Covey’s website, though Parson focused on just the first three habits.
1. Be proactive
TIP: Use proactive language instead of reactive language. Instead of “She made me do that,” say “I chose to do that.” It’s human nature to want to blame other people, Parson pointed out, but it’s not effective in the long run. Say a student isn’t doing well in a class, so she says, “That teacher’s terrible and that is why I’m not going to pass the class.” By doing so, she gives all the power to the teacher instead of working toward her own success.
2. Begin with the end in mind
“The reason most people fail instead of succeed is that they give up what they want most for what they want at the moment.” ~ Napoléon Bonaparte
TIP: Stay focused on your goals, Parson said.
- “I want to be a size 10, but I want the candy bar.”
- “I want to take care of my finances, but I want to gamble.”
- “I want an A on the test, but I want to go to this party at the moment.”
It’s all about resisting immediate gratification that could deter you from your end game. This helps us learn to trust ourselves, and it helps others know we are reliable and trustworthy, too.
3. Put first things first
This is all about time management and learning to prioritize. The most effective people spend most of their time on important items that aren’t a crisis; by planning ahead and focusing on the important things on your to-do list, versus those that aren’t important or that only seem important, fewer items reach crisis-situation.
Throughout the year, Ivy Tech Northeast hosts free Career Development, advising, and student success workshops. All students are welcome, and topics vary from Anxiety and Reading for Success in College to Healthy Self Advocacy. If you’re interested in attending a future workshop, find the summer’s workshop list online.
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