Habit 3: Put First Things First

Question 1

What two questions does Covey ask at the beginning of the chapter?

Answer 1

1. What one thing could you do (something you aren’t doing now) that, if you did it on a regular basis, would make a tremendous positive difference in your personal life?
2. What one thing in your business or professional life would bring similar results?

Question 2

How does Covey describe Habit 3 in relation to Habits 1 and 2?

Answer 2

Habit 3 is the personal fruit, the practical fulfillment of Habits 1 and 2.

Habits 1 and 2 are absolutely essential and prerequisite to Habit 3.

Question 3

What are Habits 1, 2, and 3 or what do they say, respectively?

Answer 3

Habit 1 says, “You are the creator. You are in charge.”
Habit 2 is the first or mental creation.
Habit 3 is the second creation.

Question 4

What do Habits 1, 2, and 3 involve, respectively?

Answer 4

Habit 1 is based on the four unique human endowments of imagination, conscience, independent will, and particularly self-awareness.

Habit 2 is based on imagination and conscience.

Habit 3 is based on independent will.

Question 5

What is management?

Answer 5

Management is the breaking down, the analysis, the sequencing, the specific application, the time-bound, left-brain aspect of effective self-government.

Question 6

What is independent will?

Answer 6

The ability to act rather than be acted upon, to proactively carry out the program we have developed through the other three endowments.

Question 7

What do we realize about independent will as we examine it in the context of effective self-management?

Answer 7

It’s usually not the dramatic, the visible, the once-in-a-lifetime, up-by-the-bootstraps effort that brings enduring success. Empowerment comes from learning how to use this great endowment in the decisions we make every day.

Question 8

Define integrity.

Answer 8

The value we place on ourselves.

Question 9

What essay does Covey say is one of his favorites? What does it say?

Answer 9

“The Common Denominator of Success” by E.M. Gray.

It says that the one factor that seemed to transcend all the rest embodies the essence of Habit 3–putting first things first.

“The successful person has the habit of doing the things failures don’t like to do. They don’t like doing them either necessarily. But their disliking is subordinated to the strength of their purpose.”

Question 10

Describe the four waves of time management.

Answer 10

1. The first generation is characterized by notes and checklists.
2. The second generation could be characterized by calendars and appointment books.
3. The third generation reflects the current time management field. It adds to those preceding generations the important idea of prioritization, of clarifying values and of comparing the relative worth of activities based on their relationship to those values. In addition, it focuses on setting goals–specific long-, intermediate-, and short-term targets toward which time and energy would be directed in harmony with values. It also includes the concept of daily planning, of making a specific plan to accomplish those goals and activities determined to be of greatest worth.
4. There is an emerging fourth generation that is different in kind. It recognizes that “time management” is really a misnomer–the challenge is not to manage time, but to manage ourselves. Satisfaction is a function of expectation as well as realization. And expectation (and satisfaction) lie in our Circle of In Influence.

Rather than focusing on THINGS and TIME, fourth generation expectations focus on preserving and enhancing RELATIONSHIPS and accomplishing RESULTS–in short, on maintaining the P/PC balance.

Question 11

How can the essential focus of the fourth generation of management be captured?

Answer 11

In the time management matrix diagrammed on page 160. (Important/Urgent)

Question 12

Define urgent.

Answer 12

It requires immediate attention.

Question 13

Define important.

Answer 13

It has to do with results. If something is important, it contributes to your mission, your values, your high priority goals.

Question 14

Describe the four quadrants of the Important/Urgent matrix

Answer 14

Quadrant I is both urgent and important. It deals with significant results that require immediate attention. We usually call the activities in Quadrant I “crises” or “problems.”

Quadrant III is urgent, but not important. Some spend their time reacting to things that are urgent, assuming they are also important. But the reality is that the urgency of these matters is often based on the priorities and expectations of others.

Quadrant II is the heart of effective personal management. It deals with things that are not urgent, but are important. It deals with things like building relationships, writing a personal mission statement, long-range planning, exercising, preventative maintenance, preparation.

Question 15

Define the Pareto Principle.

Answer 15

80% of the results flow from 20% of the activities.

Question 16

Where is the only place to get time for Quadrant II in the beginning?

Answer 16

Quadrants III and IV

Question 17

Can your independent will alone effectively discipline you against your center?

Answer 17

No.

Question 18

Describe the experience of your priorities growing out of a principle center and a personal mission.

Answer 18

If these are deeply planted in your heart and in your mind, you will see Quadrant II as a natural, exciting place to invest your time.

Question 19

How do generation 1, 2, and 3 time management tools prioritize around Quadrant II activities?

Answer 19

The first generation of time management does not even recognize the concept of priority. It consists only of notes and checklists; there’s no connection between these and our ultimate values and purposes in life. First generation managers have disciplines and schedules imposed on them, so they don’t feel particularly responsible for results.

Second-generation managers assume a little more control. The set schedules and are seen as a little more responsible for it. But there’s no recognition of priorities or correlation to deeper values and goals.

Third-generation managers take a significant step forward in that they clarify their values and set goals. They plan each day and prioritize their activities. But the third generation has some critical limitations. First, it limits vision to daily planning, missing some “bigger picture” details; daily planning tends to focus on the urgent, not the important. In addition, the third generation doesn’t allow for managing roles in a balanced way.

Question 20

What is the objective of Quadrant 2 management?

Answer 20

To manage our lives effectively–from a center of sound principles, from a knowledge of our personal mission, with a focus on the important as well as the urgent, and within the framework of maintaining a balance between increasing our production and increasing our production capability.

Question 21

What six important criteria will a Quadrant II organizer meet?

Answer 21

Coherence
Balance
Quadrant II Focus
A "People" Dimension
Flexibility
Portability

Question 22

Describe “Coherence” in the context of a Quadrant II time management tool.

Answer 22

There is harmony, unity, and integrity between your vision and mission, your roles and goals, you priorities and plans, and your desires and discipline.q

Question 23

Describe “Balance” in the context of a Quadrant II time management tool.

Answer 23

The tool should help you keep balance in your life, to identify your various roles, and keep them right in front of you, so that you don’t neglect important areas such as your health, you family, professional preparation, or personal development.

Question 24

What four key activities does Quadrant II organizing involve?

Answer 24

Identifying Roles
Selecting Goals
Scheduling
Daily Adapting

Question 25

What time frame does Covey suggest scheduling?

Answer 25

A week.

Question 26

What does Covey say living our principles is primarily a function of?

Answer 26

Our independent will, our self-discipline, our integrity, and commitment.

Question 27

What metaphor does Covey use to express the flexibility of fourth generation tools in comparison to third generation ones?

Answer 27

Using a compass instead of a road map.

Question 28

In what 5 ways is the fourth generation of time management more advanced than the third?

Answer 28

1. It’s principle-centered.
2. It’s conscience-directed.
3. It defines your unique mission, including values and long-term goals.
4. It helps you balance your life by identifying roles.
5. It gives greater context through weekly organizing.

Question 29

What are the two ways of delegating?

Answer 29

To time or to other people.

Question 30

What are the two kinds of delegation?

Answer 30

Gofer delegation and stewardship delegation.

Question 31

What 5 areas does stewardship delegation involve clear, up-front mutual understanding and commitment regarding expectations in?

Answer 31

1. Desired results
2. Guidelines
3. Resources
4. Accountability
5. Consequences

Question 32

What is the highest form of human motivation? What does Covey say about it.

Answer 32

Trust. It brings out the best in people, but it takes time and patience, and it doesn’t preclude the necessity to train and develop people so their competency can rise to the level of that trust.