First Things First
by Stephen Covey
– Nobody on their deathbed wished they had spent more time in the office.
– We are torn between things that we want to do and the demands upon us. The enemy of best is good.
– We must ask ourselves if we are doing the right things before we ask ourselves if we are doing the things right.
– We must focus more on doing what is important than doing what is urgent.
– Too many people live in the mindset of doing what is urgent yet not important. They get an adrenaline rush by doing it, but it does not accomplish much for your goals.
– The clock and the compass Is what you are spending your time on (clock), pointing in the direction you are wanting to go (compass)?
– Vision clarifies purpose.
– You must identify your roles in life, they represent your responsibilities you have to family and society.
– You must sharpen your saw. We often get so busy sawing, that we forget or neglect to sharpen our saw.
– Getting things done is like filling a jar with big rocks, then gravel, then sand and then water — if you would not have put the big rocks in first, they would’ve never fit in later. Your “big rocks” are the most important things that need to be done. If you work on all other things, you will not have time or room for the “big rocks.”