If we compile a list of the most frequently read and the most immensely effective books in the field of self help and inspiration, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People will surely be at the top. This book is one of the most highly recommended books ever simply because it offers great value for both your time and your money. It is based on the idea that what makes successful people achieve great heights is their way of handling life – in other words, their habits.

Our habits are what define us. Good habits make us a better person where as bad habits like smoking or telling impulsive lies destroy us. It actually takes a lot to quit bad habits and embrace good ones but once it is done, it can literally change our lives. Good habits are a blend of knowledge, skill and desire. Here is a brief overview of the seven habits that author Stephen R. Covey talks about in this bestseller.

Habit One: Be Proactive

What sets us humans apart from other living beings is self awareness and the ability to choose our responses. We are responsible for our actions; we alone have the power to control our reactions to situations or circumstances. In our life, we can choose to be either reactive or proactive. Suppose that at work, you feel great if your boss is happy with how you perform; if, on the other hand, he is not satisfied, you feel terrible. This is a reactive approach: in this way, we let situations or other people’s actions control us. Reactive people frequently use words like “I must”, “if only”, “they made me”, and “if I had”, among others.

By choosing to be proactive, we become aware that we can improve our lives by actively making decisions for ourselves, instead of just reacting to external forces that do not lie in out circle of control. By focusing on our circle of control (the things we can directly change and influence), we can start being proactive in our life. Unlike reactive people, proactive people choose words like “I prefer”, “I will”, “I choose to”, and “I can”:  you can see there is a world of difference between the very feeling of these words and that of the words used by reactive people!

Habit Two: Begin with the End in Mind

Set your goals, identify your values. Basically this habit is about developing a principle-based mission statement that you can stick to for life. Develop your goals on the basis of these mission statements. Write the script of your life in harmony with what you are.

Habit Three: Put First Thing First

‘Things which matter most should never be at the mercy of things which matter least’- Goethe

Schedule your priorities – this will make time management much easier for you. It will also help you in attaining balance in your life. Identify key roles in your life like that of an employer, a father, a son, or a brother, and consciously make time for each of them.

Habit Four: Think Win/Win

In relationships and work, strive to find arrangements that are good for everyone. Instead of going your way or my way, go for a way that is better for all. This will help develop mutual trust and understanding for all the involved parties, and make for healthier work/ personal relationships.

Habit Five: Seek First to Understand, Then to be understood

One of the key habits is to listen – really listen. By listening, I mean listening without making prior judgments, and arriving at a decision only after taking the time to diagnose the issue. It is important to seek understanding before you attempt to get your point across.

Habit Six: Synergize

If you want to expand your power to influence, be prepared to be influenced as well. Find ways to leverage individual differences to create a better whole.

Habit Seven: Sharpen the Saw

It takes time to really master whatever you are focused on, but it takes only little things to dramatically increase the effectiveness of your efforts. Make small, positive changes in your physical, emotional and spiritual self to create a huge impact.

photo by Martien@Arnhem, Flickr

So you want to break out from your financial Prison? Ok, well here is my 7 step guide on how to start doing that:

1. Write down your financial plan. Understand your actual situation and choose realistic goals for future.

2. Take control of your financial situation. Learn how to read and write a financial declaration.

3. It’s important to understand the difference between assets and liabilities. What is cash flow and why it’s so important ?

4. Buy assets first , liabilities second.

5. Start a part time business. This is the best alternative if you are a self employee.

6. Don’t work for money. Put money to work for you. It’s not so hard as it seems to be.

7. Improve your financial and investment knowledge.

photo by Jayhurst, Flickr
Have you ever wondered if you are truly capable of feeling the innovative power that you have or being able to channel that to reach your true potential?

Innovation is simply a creation of a new type of product or device that is the result of hard work, study and experimenting. Most people if asked would say that they don’t feel that they have what it takes to harness this inner innovative power, but really anyone can be capable of it.

It basically comes down to whether or not you believe that you have innovative power and how you think about it. If you think that you can not be innovative or come up with anything new and impressive, than you probably won’t, but if on the other hand you have a positive approach to things, you can accomplish and invent anything you want to.

Here are some good pointers to help you find your inner innovation power:

1. Always listen intuitively to your mind and your thoughts
2. Don’t waste your time listening to what other people say as this will only bring and add confusion to your thoughts and your mind
3. If you do have a fresh new thought, utilize your time and efforts in applying the idea and making people understand
4. Even if it brings negative feedback at first, stick with it and be positive
5. Always invest enough time to do it right- this does not mean that you have to devote all of your spare time to it, but be smart enough to manage your time
6. If you feel yourself getting frustrated and confused, exercise. This helps to clear your mind and allows you to focus
7. Listen to your ambitions. When you think you have ambitions and dreams to do something great, do not forget about them  believe in them.
8. Find your own way of doing something to listen to your inner <b>innovative powers</b>, don’t go by what everyone else says, and try your own approach.
9. Always put your all into everything that you do, approach every obstacle and challenge with passion and each endeavor with a new zest.

Following these steps can truly help you follow and listen to your innovative power that you might have not even known you had.

photo by vdaskalov, Flickr
It may not always be easy to be different from everyone else, and follow your intuition instead of follow everyone else, but if you truly want to make a difference and be innovative, you have to be able to step out of the normal box and see yourself in a whole other light.

There are many people out there who have learned how to do this and who are very successful at it. The reason they are able to do this is because they follow the golden rules of innovation. These rules may take some time to harness and perfect, but once you make the decision to do it you are already half way there.

The three golden rules of innovation:

1. Be creative – do not be afraid to step out of the proverbial box and do something a little different, maybe a little crazy. Do something new, try new things, do different things or put a spin on an older way of doing something. You can take ideas and methods of old things and use them to inspire you to do new and better things. Avoid repeating the same old ideas, but look at them in a whole new light.

2. Be bold – don’t be afraid of being afraid. Do not be afraid to stand up to someone who doesn’t believe in what you are doing or believes that you will fail, instead have enough confidence to believe in yourself and what you are doing. Face the world with courage and don’t be afraid to take a chance on something new.

3. Be focused – stay focused on your ideas and your visions in order to achieve greatness. Don’t lose sight of your dreams and your goals. Know where you want to be and focus on getting there. Don’t give up if something doesn’t work the first time or even the fifth time, reevaluate the situation and find a new and better way of making it work.

Sometimes it can be hard to stay focused with all of the outside noise that surrounds us every day, but learning to listen to your inner voice can help you follow the rules of innovation and lead you to achieving your goals and being where you always dream you can be.

photo by Claudio.Ar, Flickr

Have you ever wanted to come up with a new creation or change and recreate a part of your life to make it better? If so, you have to believe that it is possible and that you are capable to do it. Whatever your desire may be, it is yours for the making and is possible if you believe and know that it already lies within you. Think of it this way, if you really want to achieve something or have it happen to you, you have to feel it first – in other words, feel grateful for it before it is yours.

You need to be able to create new realities for yourself , and place a sort of mental order for something different and new and you can achieve this through ways of hoping, praying, dreaming and positive thinking. You have to realize what it is you truly want and how you want to feel when you have it.

Here are three simple steps to help you create new realities:

• Ask for it – determine what it is you want and ask. This can be in the form of thinking specifically about what you want and feel it  – feel what it will be like once you have it or once you achieve it, feel the happiness and be grateful. Your thoughts are the conduit for your new realities.
• Affirm it – declare the new realities that you desire. If you are trying to lose weight, picture yourself being that weight, happy and all of the good feelings that go along with it. Visualize this new way of thinking and how you will feel once you are able to attain it.
• Act on it – when you believe in yourself and in your dreams, you will have to act on them to make them come true. Act boldly and have confidence that you can achieve what you want and you

You may have to adjust your plans as you go along, but creating new realities starts in the mind and you have to believe in yourself and that you can achieve them. You have to commit to the idea of succeeding in your dreams and turning those dreams into new realities that are happy and positive.