Moving on to the next part of the 7 Habits equation,
7 Habits® - The Philosophy
By Jon Whitty
Question: What more could you ask from the 3-day 7
Habits Workshop? Answer: Two more days please,
because 3-days are just not enough time to fully grasp
the 7 Habits philosophy. Many workshop participants
give this answer, and in an effort to deepen the
philosophical understanding of the 7 Habits I’ve prepared
this short discussion paper. In this discussion I assume
a familiarity and understanding of the 7 Habits Of Highly
Effective People®, as much that would be gained by an
understanding of Stephen Covey’s book of the same
name or by attendance at an official 3-day 7 Habits
workshop.
The 7 Habits – So what’s it all about?
Let’s start with the full title and break it down as you
would a maths equation, and see it for what it really is;
“The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People®”. Beginning
with the first part, “The 7”, Why 7? To answer this we
need to remember that we human beings like to
remember things in steps, short phrases, or buzzwords,
TLA’s for example, that’s Three Letter Acronyms for the
uninitiated! By building a stepped process (1 to 7), and
giving each step a buzz-phrase (Think Win-Win or
Synergies) Stephen Covey has built a convenient way
for those wishing to follow the 7 Habits philosophy to
remember the steps and implement the Habits in an
order and sequence. You’ll notice in the 7 Habits book
and especially during the 3-day workshop that the name
of the Habit plays a smaller role than that of the
underlying principle of each Habit. Each Habit and its
catchphrase name is really a means to remind us of the
underlying principle of each of the Habits.
This easy, by the numbers (1 to 7) method of
remembering is crucial to the growth and proliferation of
the 7 Habits. I vividly remember being one of three
people who attempted to resuscitate a heart attack victim
a few years ago. Unfortunately, and sadly, we were
unsuccessful. However, I do remember relating the
incident to a medical doctor shortly afterward and
confessed how out of date I believed my first aid
knowledge was. I told him “I couldn’t remember whether
it was 3 chest compressions and 2 breaths or 2 chest
compressions and 5 breaths”. I was rather amazed at
his response. “It doesn’t really matter” he said, “just as
long as you adopt some sort of pattern, massage the
heart and breath air into their lungs”. “We just give
people some numbers to remember and a pattern to
follow so that in moments of crises these simple rules
can be followed and perhaps a life can be saved”. The
number of Habits, 7, and their catchphrase names are
simply a means to aid memory and provide a common
language for the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
philosophy. The number is not important; it’s the
underlying principles of each Habit that count!
7 Habits® - The Philosophy Jon Whitty 20/11/02
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“Habits”. The definition of Habit, within the framework of
the 7 Habits, is covered early on in the 3-day 7 Habits
workshop. Fig.1 shows a model where a Habit is defined
as the intersection between knowledge, skill, and desire,
i.e. the intersection of the “what to do”, the “how to do”,
1
and the “want to do” . This model is really a pivotal point
in understanding the philosophy of the 7 Habits as it is
the first time our mission (desire) is mentioned, and the
main theme for the 7 Habits portrayed.
Fig. 1.
A Habit
Knowledge Skill
Habit
Desire
Continuing with the explanation of the 7 Habits formula,
“Highly Effective People”. The key word in this phrase is
“Effective”. Within the framework of the 7 Habits we
define effectiveness in two parts: 1. getting what you
want, and 2. getting what you want in a manner that
allows you to get what you want again and again. The
term “Highly” is used to describe people who are
“Effective” on a consistent basis in all areas of their life
So, the 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People equation can
now be expanded to; a step-by -step approach which
people who consistently achieve their goals follow. It’s
as simple as that; nobody said it was easy however!
At the centre of the 7 Habits philosophy
Notice how the 7 Habits centres on achieving one’s
mission, comprising wants, desires, goals; and
moreover, achieving all these in a manner that allows
you to continue to achieve them. It is this “effectiveness”
function of the 7 Habits equation that truly binds them to
natural laws. Simply to achieve ones goals could be
done through methods that may be selfish and careless
with people’s feelings; however to achieve goals in a
manner which enables one to achieve them again, and
again, on a consistent basis, requires those methods to
be based on natural laws, because chances are we
achieve those goals with the help and blessing of
2
others .
1 The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People Workbook Version 2.0 Pg 4
2 Principles of The 7 Habits - What are they? Jon Whitty 19/09/02 - UQ’s 7
Habits® Graduate Club
UQ’s 7 Habits® Graduate Club
Within the framework of the 7 Habits “Effectiveness” is programming and consider natural laws, and to respond
illustrated by Aesop’s fable The Goose and the Golden in a manner that takes us closer to our mission. The
3
Egg . The Golden Egg (P) represents our desired underlying principle of Habit 3 enables us to plan and
4
outcome, our goal, whereas The Goose (PC) represents prepare the groundwork for our mission . The principles
our ability or capability to achieve them on a consistent of 4, 5 and 6 enable us to discover the mission of others;
basis. Remember the P/PC Balance® from and by helping others to achieve their “Wins” we
Foundational Principles? necessarily lay the foundations for our own
effectiveness.

A P/PC model of the 7 Habits Continuing to explore the P/PC model of the 7 Habits,
imagine clicking on Habit 2 and zooming in on its
Consider the Maturity Continuum® Fig. 2, and think contents, the mission statement. Notice from your own
deeply about the following P/PC journey through the 7 mission statement that its primary focus is concerned
Habits. Bare in mind what has been said thus far, and with relationships, and recall that the PC for developing
take your time, the more you go through it, the deeper human relationships is the Emotional Bank Account
your understanding of the philosophy of the 7 Habits will metaphor. Moreover, in terms of the 7 Habits, the PC for
be. the Emotional Bank Account is centred on the practise of
principles founded on natural (building human
relationship) laws, hence the term “Principle Centred”.
7 Sharpen the Saw Retuning to the Habit model in Fig. 1, notice how
The Maturity
mission, Habit 2, can replace Desires; the underlying
Continuum Interdependence principles of each Habit replaces Knowledge; and your
5 Public
Synergize integrity to natural laws and your ability to practise them
Seek First to Victory 6 in the toughest moments replaces Skill.
Understand,
Then to be Think Win-Win
Understood 4 The philosophy made real
Independence
Put First
3Things First If you’ve done work on your Habit 2, then you have
Private already highlighted your “Desires”. You simply need to
1 Victory Begin with2
Be Proactive reconnect with the foundational and underlying principles
the End in Mind
Dependence of each of the Habits, and implement key practises that
will enable you to achieve your mission. Here are some
ways that the 7 Habits philosophies can be made real:

Fig. 2. Ø Use the “GAP” between stimulus and response

and choose a response that takes you closer to
Before I begin this P/PC journey I’ll tell you a little about your mission. Learn to say “No” to that which
our destination. After all, we should begin our journey does not take you closer (Habit 1)
with its end in mind! Our destination is the realisation Ø Continue to work on your mission statement,
that the 7 Habits philosophy is all about being principle and keep a copy on you, hang it on the wall
centred and achieving Habit 2. It’s about you achieving (Habit 2)
your Habit 2 and me achieving my Habit 2 without Ø Centre your weekly planning session on the six-
detriment to you, me, our connections, or anyone else in step-process (Habit 3);
the world. There’s simply plenty for all of us to go o Connect to mission (can’t do this without
around. having done work on Habit 2)
o Review your roles
To begin the P/PC model of the 7 Habits, notice how o Identify a goal in that role (make sure
Habit 7 is the PC (production capability) for Habits 1 to 6. these are deposits and Win-Win)
Without maintaining and sustaining our physical and o Plan weekly (schedule your priorities,
mental health, our sense of ourself and our relationship don’t prioritise your schedule)
with ourself and others, we would simply not be “sharp” o Exercise integrity in the moment of
enough to practise and exercise the other 6 Habits. choice (defend your planner, only you
Next, notice how Habits 1,3,4,5,and 6 are the PC for add and remove tasks and
Habit 2. Our personal mission statement (Habit 2) holds appointments)
our goals, our desires. The underlying principle o Evaluate (how do you feel about last
(remember this is the important part of each Habit) of week’s plan? Did you stick to it?)
Habit 1 enables us to exercise integrity in the moment of Ø Promote competences higher than your own
choice. That is, when something happens to us, we have (Habit 4)
the ability to respond to it, to stand apart from our social
4
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7 Habits® - The Philosophy Jon Whitty 20/11/02 UQ’s 7 Habits® Graduate Club
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 Ø Treat everyone as though they are proactive,
that they have a mission to achieve (Habit 4)
Ø Discover the “Win” of others (Habit 5)
Ø Openly celebrate the differences and
uniqueness’s of others (Habit 6)
Ø Look after your physical health (Habit 7)
o Be concerned about what you eat, and
exercise in some way
Ø Look after your mental health (Habit 7)
o Keep up-to-date on your field of
speciality
o Keep up-to-date on current affairs
Ø Look after your spiritual wellbeing (Habit 7)
o Relax and spend quality time with you
o Devote time to the belief system that
helps and supports you and your
mission
Ø Look after your relationship with yourself and
others (Habit 7)
o Make full use of Habit 6
o Work on developing Win-Win
agreements
o Develop your communication skills
o Read personal development literature
In Conclusion
As we conclude the journey through the 7 Habits using
the P/PC metaphor I hope you have gained further
insight into the philosophy of the 7 Habits.
For me, the 7 Habits are focused on enabling you and I
to achieve our mission, synergistically. To do this we
need to centre our lives on natural laws, and basic
principles of human interaction and not succumb to
shallow social rules and vogue expectations.
effort could bare fruit beyond all our expectations, and to
not feel our position was threatened by that. To achieve
Win-Win thinking takes great personal awareness and
insight into ones own motive structure that only comes
from work on Habits 1, 2 and 3. A Win-Win agreement is
not about giving employees a free reign, then if they go a
little too far you just tug them back into line again, Win-
Lose style. Win-Win is about engaging and involving
employees in the work, and treating them as you would
your best customers; taking the time to discover their
mission (Win) and communicate your Win too. All the
time seeking to understand, and never forgetting to
make sure you are understood; to develop and promote
their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses, all
the time teaching them the principles of Win-Win
agreements.
Perhaps it is now more apparent how the 7 Habits
philosophy is a function of courage and compassion, and
all the characteristic traits that it requires to achieve a
balance between the two.
The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People is far more than
a book written by Stephen Covey, far more than a 3-day
workshop, Covey admits this himself. Covey is no
messiah, no guru to be worshiped, he does not see
himself as such and neither do I, or should you. In one of
Covey’s videos used in the 3-day workshop he states,
“The 7 Habits is simply commonsense organised” and I
most certainly agree. There’s nothing new in the 7
Habits, it’s just age-old human wisdom, packaged in an
easy to remember way.
NOTES:

The 7 Habits is more than a 3-day touchy feely get

connected with your own mission workshop. Living a life
based on the underlying principles of the 7 Habits is
tough and goes against the grain of the short cut, quick
fix, crisis management approach to life we all too often
are part of.

The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People is a philosophy

centred on natural laws, on effectiveness (compass)
then efficiency (clock), on people and not schedules, on
release and not control.

Final 2 Cents

I truly believe that you must have done significant work

on the Private Victories (Habits 1, 2, and 3), before you
can truly understand and practise the Public Victories
(Habits 4, 5, and 6). No one can just Think Win-Win
after a 3-day workshop when they’ve spent a lifetime of
Win-Lose or Lose-Win thinking. Consider living Habits 4,
5, and 6 in the business environment. This would require
us to get out from behind our social badges, such as
manager, supervisor, professor, or CEO, and celebrate
the uniqueness of others; to realise that our combined

7 Habits® - The Philosophy Jon Whitty 20/11/02 UQ’s 7 Habits® Graduate Club
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