August 7, 2008
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The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Teens
I recently finished reading a book called The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey. I wanted to read the original one written by his father, not knowing that there was a version for teens. Cathy and I were talking one day and she was telling me that she was reading the teen version and it was extremely good. I said I would totally check it out, I haven’t heard of the teen version yet. So I went to my favorite beloved book store looking for a good book to buy because I had a gift card for ten bucks. I knew with my savvy shopping skills I can pick up an awesome book for that much or less.
So I waltz around the book store checking all the shelves and I did my second round of the discount isle and I saw this book on sale, better yet it was well in my price range. So I bought it and dove into it right away. It isn’t a really a long book but it took me a bit longer to actually finish it because we went out that night with my cousins. I ended up finishing the book in three days and I loved it!
The reason why I loved it so much was it was already my philosophy on life and no one understood it until they read the book and broke it down. Almost everything they covered I agreed with except for when they said something like, don’t complain just put action to make it better. I would disagree in a sense because there is constructive complaining, like a brief but true comment about something that needs to be done, acknowledging the problem, then solve the problem. I would have to go with Dr. Phil’s quote “You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge”. I pretty much live by that statement.
The other thing I really loved is they generally have the same take on relationships but they explained it better. I remember explaining this to Cathy a long time ago, although I didn’t word myself correctly and clearly. I said something like, I want a boyfriend that has their own life and I’ll have my own life but we can be together or something, which isn’t a clear statement at all.
So let me rephrase that, I want a relationship where we can both grow as individuals and as a couple. I don’t want someone entirely dependent on me for their happiness and their well-being. Like someone who is entirely devoted to studying that they forget to live. I wouldn’t want someone entirely and dangerously devoted to me like that. I had a relationship like that once and it was really weird. They were so focused on me they wouldn’t do anything else; neither did they want to meet my friends.
Anyways, it was an amazing book. I wonder if since I have been generally following these rules almost all my life, does that mean I might be successful one day? Only time will tell.
