“No one can persuade another to change. Each of us guards a gate of change that can be opened from the inside. We cannot open the gate of another, either by argument or by emotional appeal”
How do you control the uncontrollable?
From the clouds in the sky to the behavior of the person sitting next to you, nothing is in your control. Feeling helpless? Well, you should not! Becauase there is one precious gem that you can influence. “YOU”. Yes, you don’t need some superpowers like that of Spiderman or a suit like that of an Ironman to have control over your own reactions. All the things that affect us fall in “The Circle of Concern” and out of those which we can influence falls in the “Circle of Influence”. As soon as you start working on the physical, mental, emotional & spiritual spheres of your own, you will see an added benefit cropping up.
What will be the added benefit?
It will result in enlarging your Circle of Influence.
You think urgent is important, don’t you?
Completing that task for your colleague or meeting your work deadlines must be urgent, but giving time to your family and yourself are important. We always burn ourselves in the fire set by the “urgency” in our mind. Job, earning money, fulfilling the social affairs must seem urgent but it is not what gives you real satisfaction in life. Maintaining good health, spending time with your family, doing what you love are some of the things that give you the ultimate satisfaction. With the low battery of “inner satisfaction”, you can never perform properly in other aspects.
Tired of emotional turbulence? Maintain an emotional bank account.
Too busy acquainted with the financial issues we hardly find time to have a look at our emotional balance. Ambiguous bunch of expectations and ignored crucial conversations clings on to us like a snake wrapped around a branch of a sandal tree. We do not bother to remove this snake until it suffocates us to death. The undivided attention that financial matters get, is deserved by the emotional aspects too. Understanding the individual, paying undivided attention while listening, apologizing in case of failure, clarifying your expectations in every situation and maintaining personal integrity are the currencies that increase the balance of your emotional bank account.
Finding it hard to accept the differences in your life?
Wouldn’t you love to visit a garden with a variety of flowers in it? We always cherish varieties when it comes to our surroundings, choice of foods, and fashion of clothing, then why not cherish it in the people around us? Expecting the other one to have a similar perspective and behavior as yours is nothing but a sign of disrespect & rigidity. The essence of synergy is to value differences – to respect them, to build on the strength and compensate them on weaknesses.
The 7 habits are wrapped up like a delicious Sunday afternoon lunch adding value to your whole day, this book will add value to the rest of your life. This book is nothing less than a master plan taking you towards a successful life by building a strong & reliable character from within.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU! ♥