Stephen Covey Quotes

To ignore the unexpected (even if it were possible) would be to live without opportunity, spontaneity, and the rich moments of which "life" is made. ~ Stephen Covey

A cardinal principle of Total Quality escapes too many managers: you cannot continuously improve interdependent systems and processes until you progressively perfect interdependent, interpersonal relationships. ~ Stephen Covey

Nevertheless, the only way we can move from where we are now to where we would like to be is to accept where we are now. ~ Stephen Covey

You may be good, but what are you good for? You've got to be good for something. You've got to be about some project, some task that requires you to be humble and obedient to the universal principles of service. You've got to live a life of complete and total integrity in order to give this kind of service. This integrity enables you to love other people unconditionally, to be courageous and kind at the same time, because you have integratedness inside your own soul. ~ Stephen Covey

The heart and soul of loving yourself is integrity and the peace of conscience it inspires. ~ Stephen Covey

Character grows in the soil of experience with the fertilization of example, the moisture of ambition, and the sunshine of satisfaction. Character cannot be purchased, bargained for, inherited, rented or imported from afar. It must be home-grown. Purely intellectual development without commensurate internal character development makes as much sense as putting a high-powered sports car in the hands of a teenager who is high on drugs. Yet all too often in the academic world, that's exactly what we do by not focusing on the character development of young people. ~ Stephen Covey

I love interaction with audiences. If were my choice, I would spend most of my time interacting with audiences. Walking around and asking them to challenge me. ~ Stephen Covey

When you really listen to another person from their point of view, and reflect back to them that understanding, it's like giving them emotional oxygen. ~ Stephen Covey

All things are created twice; first mentally; then physically. The key to creativity is to begin with the end in mind, with a vision and a blue print of the desired result. ~ Stephen Covey

You will never be able to truly step inside another person, to see the world as he sees it, until you develop the pure desire, the strength of personal character, and the positive Emotional Bank Account, as well as the empathetic listening skills to do it. ~ Stephen Covey

Life is not accumulation, it is about contribution. ~ Stephen Covey

Trust is the highest form of human motivation. ~ Stephen Covey

Every exaggeration of the truth once detected by others destroys our credibility and makes all that we do and say suspect. ~ Stephen Covey

The role of the leader is to foster mutual respect and build a complementary team where each strength is made productive and each weakness irrelevant. ~ Stephen Covey

Prepare your mind and heart before you prepare your speech . What we say may be less important than how we say it. ~ Stephen Covey

Only 20 percent of employees working in large organizations surveyed feel their strengths are in play every day. Thus, eight our of ten employees surveyed feel somewhat miscast in their role. ~ Stephen Covey

Unfortunately, too many executives believe the myths about trust. Myths like how trust is soft and is merely a social virtue. The reality is that trust is hard-edged and is an economic driver. ~ Stephen Covey

What is important to another person must be as important to you as the other person is to you ~ Stephen Covey

Principles are deep fundamental truths ... lightly interwoven threads running with exactness, consistency, beauty and strength through the fabric of life. ~ Stephen Covey

If you were to fault yourself in one of three areas, which would it be: (1) the inability to prioritize; (2) the inability or desire to organize around those priorities; or (3) the lack of discipline to execute around them? ... Most people say their main fault is a lack of discipline. On deeper thought, I believe that is not the case. The basic problem is that their priorities have not become deeply planted in their hearts and minds. They haven't really internalized Habit 2 [Begin with the end in mind]. ~ Stephen Covey

If you have a family mission statement that clarifies what your purpose is, then you use that as the criterion by which you make the decisions. ~ Stephen Covey

What one great idea resonates deeper in the soul than any other ... that we are free to choose. Next to life itself, the power to choose is your greatest gift. ~ Stephen Covey

Success is when you realize obstacles you face are challenges to help you become better - and your response equals the challenge. ~ Stephen Covey

Compliance does not foster innovation, trust does. You can't sustain long-term innovation, for example, in a climate of distrust. ~ Stephen Covey

When I started teaching I realized that I had never had such a level of satisfaction and such a feeling of fulfillment and sense of contribution. Just like that. But, usually it's more cumulative, slow, evolutionary and less revolutionary. ~ Stephen Covey

Nothing tastes as good as thin feels. ~ Stephen Covey

All things are created twice. All things. Vision is the first creation. For a house it's called the blueprint. For a life it's called a mission. For a day it's called a goal and a plan. For a parent it's called a belief in the unseen potential of a child. For all, it is the mental creation which always precedes the physical, or second, creation. ~ Stephen Covey

People with a scarcity mentality think there is only so much in the world to go around. It's as if they see life as a pie. When another person gets a big piece, then they get less. Such people are always trying to get even, to pull others down to their level so they can get an equal or even bigger piece of the pie. ~ Stephen Covey

Satisfied needs do not motivate. It's only the unsatisfied need that motivates. Next to physical survival, the greatest need of a human being is psychological survival - to be understood, to be affirmed, to be validated, to be appreciated. ~ Stephen Covey

Trust is clearly a key competency. A competency or skill that can be learned, taught, and improved and one that talent can be screened for. ~ Stephen Covey

The spirit of America has nurtured responsibility and community unlike any other country. ~ Stephen Covey

Actually I did not invent the seven habits, they are universal principles and most of what I wrote about is just common sense. I am embarrassed when people talk about the Covey Habits, and dislike the idea of being some sort of guru. ~ Stephen Covey

If we know how to listen to our own heart, we can listen to the hearts of others. ~ Stephen Covey

Integrity is conforming reality to our words - in other words, keeping promises and fulfilling expectations. ~ Stephen Covey

Studies have identified a significant 'skills gap' between what students are currently being taught and the skills employers are seeking in today's global economy. Our children must be better prepared than they are now to meet the future challenges of our ever-changing world. ~ Stephen Covey

The universal elements are integrity, vision, discipline, passion, governed by conscience. Conscience has been educated through studying and pondering the universal, timeless principles of all six major world religions. ~ Stephen Covey

Common sense is not always common practice. ~ Stephen Covey

If you're proactive, you don't have to wait for circumstances or other people to create perspective expanding experiences. You can consciously create your own. ~ Stephen Covey

A mission statement is not something you write overnight ... But fundamentally, your mission statement becomes your constitution, the solid expression of your vision and values. It becomes the criterion by which you measure everything else in your life. ~ Stephen Covey

If we overcome the pull and "get up and get at it," we will have won a victory. We have kept our own resolve. We can then move to other things, for by small means great things are accomplished. Thus, even this one small step is also in another sense a giant leap. ~ Stephen Covey

We are product of neither nature nor nurture; we are a product of choice, because there is always a space between stimulus and response. As we wisely exercise our power to choose based on principles, the space will become larger. ~ Stephen Covey

Your systems are perfectly designed to get the results that you are getting. ~ Stephen Covey

Everyone chooses one of two roads in life - the old and the young, the rich and the poor, men and women alike. One is the broad, well-traveled road to mediocrity, the other road to greatness and meaning. ~ Stephen Covey

The worldly fountain does not breed spiritual depth. ~ Stephen Covey

The great contributors in life are those who, though afraid of the knock at the door, still answer it. ~ Stephen Covey

Most people struggle with life balance simply because they haven't paid the price to decide what is really important to them. ~ Stephen Covey

Effective interdependence can only be built on true independence. ~ Stephen Covey

Quality relationships are built on principles, especially the principle of trust. ~ Stephen Covey

In school, many of us procrastinate and then successfully cram for tests. We get the grades and degrees we need to get the jobs we want, even if we fail to get a good general education. ~ Stephen Covey

Independent thinking alone is not suited to interdependent reality. ~ Stephen Covey

Whenever you experience stress of any kind, look into yourself and ask, In what way am I compromising my innermost values in this situation? ~ Stephen Covey

You can't talk your way out of problems you behave yourself into. ~ Stephen Covey

Passion is the fire, enthusiasm and courage that an individual feels when she is doing something she loves while accomplishing worthy ends, something that satisfies her deepest needs. ~ Stephen Covey

There's strong data that, within companies, the No. 1 reason for ethical violations is the pressure to meet expectations, sometimes unrealistic expectations. ~ Stephen Covey

Vision is about more than just getting things done, accomplishing some task, achieving something; it is about discovering and expanding our view of others, affirming them, believing in them, and helping them discover and realize the potential within them-helping them find their own voice. ~ Stephen Covey

Over time, I have come to this simple definition of leadership: Leadership is getting results in a way that inspires trust. ~ Stephen Covey

You can buy a person's hands but you can't buy his heart. His heart is where his enthusiasm, his loyalty is. ~ Stephen Covey

What you see often depends on what you are looking for. ~ Stephen Covey

Effective people stay out of Quadrants III and IV because, urgent or not, they aren't important. They also shrink Quadrant I down to size by spending more time in Quadrant II ... Quadrant II is the heart of effective personal management. ~ Stephen Covey

Creating a warm, caring, supportive, encouraging environment is probably the most important thing you can do for your family. ~ Stephen Covey

One of the things that I have admired about India is the spiritualism of the people. ~ Stephen Covey

Happen to things, don't let things happen to you ~ Stephen Covey

The greatest thing you can do for your children is love your spouse. ~ Stephen Covey

Conscience connects us with the wisdom of the ages and the wisdom of the heart. ~ Stephen Covey

For me, the essence of the great American Dream is spiritual. I believe that our Constitution is inspired and that it is based on principles that are timeless and universal. This is the reason why 95% of all written constitutions throughout the world are modeled after our Constitution. ~ Stephen Covey

Moving along the upward spiral requires us to learn, commit, and do on increasingly higher planes. We deceive ourselves if we think that any one of these is sufficient. To keep progressing, we must learn, commit, and do-learn, commit, and do-and learn, commit, and do again. ~ Stephen Covey

As we make and keep commitments, even small commitments, we begin to establish an inner integrity that gives us the awareness of self-control and the courage and strength to accept more of the responsibility for our own lives. By making and keeping promises to ourselves and others, little by little, our honor becomes greater than our moods. ~ Stephen Covey

We tend to get what we expect - both from ourselves and from others. When we expect more, we tend to get more; when we expect less, we tend to get less. ~ Stephen Covey

Personal leadership is the process of keeping your vision and values before you and aligning your life to be congruent with them. ~ Stephen Covey

If you want small changes in your life, work on your attitude. But if you want big and primary changes, work on your paradigm. ~ Stephen Covey

Anytime we think the problem is 'out there,' that thought is the problem. We empower what's out there to control us. The change paradigm is 'outside-in' - what's out there has to change before we can change. The proactive approach is to change from the 'inside-out': to be different, and by being different, to effect positive change in what's out there - I can be more resourceful, I can be more diligent, I can be more creative, I can be more cooperative. ~ Stephen Covey

He who has a why can deal with any what or how. ~ Stephen Covey

Lord, give me the courage to change the things which can and ought to be changed, the serenity to accept things which cannot be changed, and the wisdom to know the difference - Alcoholics Anonymous ~ Stephen Covey

I try to exercise regularly every day, if I can. It renews you and it gives you more balance in your life. This is a key leverage point. ~ Stephen Covey

Nothing is as fast as the speed of trust. Nothing is as fulfilling as a relationship of trust. Nothing is as inspiring as an offering of trust. Nothing is as profitable as the economics of trust. Nothing has more influence than a reputation of trust. ~ Stephen Covey

Someone once inquired of a Far Eastern Zen master, who had a great serenity and peace about him no matter what pressures he faced, "How do you maintain that serenity and peace?" He replied, "I never leave my place of meditation." He meditated early in the morning and for the rest of the day, he carried the peace of those moments with him in his mind and heart. ~ Stephen Covey

People are social beings and want interaction and social learning is the primary form of learning, just as word of mouth advertising is the highest form of advertising. ~ Stephen Covey

Whether or not we belong to a church or service organization or have a job that provides meaningful service opportunities, not a day goes by that we can't at least serve one other human being by making deposits of unconditional love. ~ Stephen Covey

Every time I see high-trust cultures, I see a lessening of adversarialism. ~ Stephen Covey

I believe in Coach Louis Wong. He is so much more than just a football coach. ~ Stephen Covey

Efficient management without effective leadership is, as one individual phrased, it, "like straightening deck chairs on the Titanic". ~ Stephen Covey

It doesn't really matter how fast you're going if you're heading in the wrong direction. ~ Stephen Covey

Synergy is everywhere in nature. If you plant two plants close together, the roots commingle and improve the quality of the soil so that both plants will grow better than if they were separated. If you put two pieces of wood together, they will hold much more than the total weight held by each separately. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. One plus one equals three or more. ~ Stephen Covey

To know and not to do is not to know. ~ Stephen Covey

The human will is an amazing thing. Time after time, it has triumphed against unbelievable odds. ~ Stephen Covey

The more authentic you become, the more genuine in your expression, particularly regarding personal experiences and even self-doubts, the more people can relate to your expression and the safer it makes them feel to express themselves. That expression, in turn, feeds on the other person's spirit, and genuine creative empathy takes place, producing new insights and learnings and a sense of excitement and adventure that keeps the process going. ~ Stephen Covey

Real excellence does not come cheaply. A certain price must be paid in terms of practice, patience, and persistence - natural ability notwithstanding. ~ Stephen Covey

The great apparent dichotomy is that the more we give, the more we get. ~ Stephen Covey

In addition to self-awareness, imagination and conscience, it is the fourth human endowment - independent will - that really makes effective self-management possible. It is the ability to make decisions and choices and to act in accordance with them. It is the ability to act rather than to be acted upon, to proactively carry out the program we have developed through the other three endowments. Empowerment comes from learning how to use this great endowment in the decisions we make every day. ~ Stephen Covey

It's amazing how confused and distracted and misdirected so many people are. ~ Stephen Covey

The solutions to our problems are and always will be based upon universal, timeless, self-evident principles common to every enduring, prospering society throughout history. ~ Stephen Covey

Everyone must be proactive and do all they can to help themselves to stay employed. ~ Stephen Covey

The need to leave a legacy is our spiritual need to have a sense of meaning, purpose, personal congruence, and contribution. ~ Stephen Covey

We must seek to understand the intent of communication without prejudging or rejecting the content ... Communication, after all, is not so much a matter of intellect as it is of trust and acceptance of others, of their ideas and feelings, acceptance of the fact that they're different, and that from their point of view, they are right. ~ Stephen Covey

An empowering mission statement has to become a living document, part of our very nature, so that the criteria we've put into it are also in us, in the way we live our lives day by day. ~ Stephen Covey

To focus on technique is like cramming your way through school. You sometimes get by, perhaps even get good grades, but if you don't pay the price day in and day out, you'll never achieve true mastery of the subjects you study or develop an educated mind. ~ Stephen Covey

Seek to understand rather than be understood. ~ Stephen Covey

'Efficient' scheduling and control of time are often counterproductive. The efficiency focus creates expectations that clash with the opportunities to develop rich relationships, to meet human needs, and to enjoy spontaneous moments on a daily basis. ~ Stephen Covey

Will we act upon life, or will we merely be acted upon? ~ Stephen Covey

Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation of good relationships with others. ~ Stephen Covey