Graduation, Review & Reflection... the Saw Sharpening Finale

As we attempt to renew ourselves regularly, we will face obstacles along the way - such as lack of motivation, self-discipline or confidence. Life tends to speed up and get too busy for self-reflection, especially in hard or trying times...

 

Be Strong in Hard Moments

Create for yourself a 'weekly compass' to keep you on track when your getting stressed out. Think about what the one important thing is that you have to do during that week. Always think of Quadrant 1 and 2 instead of 3 and 4...

Include goals such as getting up on time "mind over mattress," disciplining yourself to eat healthier, learning to control your temper a little more every day & sticking to your daily regimen even when you get rushed.

The final chapters of Covey's books review what you should work on within all the habits to create your own personal profile of yourself (this includes your Emotional Bank Account, your Personal Mission Statement and all the other values/goals we have determined through the 7 Habits.)

Work from the Inside-Out

The Inside-Out approach (or in other words the transition between Private to Public victory,) focusses on personal effectiveness preceding interpersonal effectiveness. One must be achieved before the other. By improving ourselves first, we can then help others.

 

Focus on your Circle of Influence

When you look upon your concerns you have to realize there are some things that we cannot control - such as the people around us. The things outside our control are in our Circle of Concern. You need to be patient and learn not to focus all your energy on trying to fix this circle and instead focus on your Circle of Influence. When you focus more on what you can influence you will find that your concerns get smaller.

Continuously Work to Change habits

To form effective habits Covey suggest you only need 3 elements... desire, knowledge and skill. Without desire you will not truly wish to change. Without knowledge, you will not know why or what you need to change. And without skill you will not be able to carry out a course of correction.

"We first make our habits, and then our habits make us."

I hope that through our journey together into the works & teachings of Dr. Stephen Franklin Covey, you have learned so much more than you expected.
Some of these habits were already known to me, others I have struggled to work on, and others I have denied for some years.. I know this will be the case for some of you and I hope that it never has to be again now that we have all transitioned into more effective people together.

As you continue to 'sharpen your saw of skills' please don't forget to look back on all the habits and experience we've learned about here together...

Beginning - Dependence
1 - Be Proactive
2 - Begin with the End in Mind
3 - Put First things First
Transition to Independence
4 - Think Win-Win
5 - Seek First to Understand to be Understood
6 - Synergize
Ending - Interdependence
7 - Sharpen the Saw

"A long, healthy and happy life is the result of making contributions, of having meaningful projects that are personally exciting and contribute to & bless the lives of others" - Hans Selye

Please feel free to leave your comments on Stephen Covey's teachings or any experiences you have had during our journey. Or if you have any questions about Stephen Covey or if you want me to read and cover any more of his work.

'Get in the Habit' of Sharpening your Skills... I mean the Saw, Habit #7

The final habit of highly effective people is the practise of 'Renewal.' One of Stephen Covey's favourite and most remembered sayings was that "the Key to the many, is the one."

The principle being to maintain and increase effectives, we must renew ourselves in body, heart, mind & soul. The paradigm for 'Sharpening the Saw' is that "I nurture the goose that lays the golden eggs." Does anyone else remember that saying?

The behaviour we must follow to achieve this habit is to renew regularly in the four skills dimensions & to be strong in hard moments.

The results of this practise will be an improved capacity of stronger relationships (continuously,) greater reserves and continuous improvement of all things.

Renew Regularly your Four Skills Dimensions

These dimensions make up every task or emotion that contributes to our daily lives (and the other 6 habits.) They are physical, social/emotional, mental & spiritual.

When sharpening the saw it's important to take time now and then for self-reflection in how you are doing in these aspects of your life to see if you are on the right track, or need some reconstruction.

One - Physical

This dimension focusses on exercise, nutrition, getting enough rest, stress management & economic health. Irregular reflection of this dimension typically leads to depression.
This is most hard to follow in college life; where students stress about academics, family, finances, social status, new experiences and future plans.
Here are some tips to renew yourself physically...

• Get the amount of sleep you know you need (most people say between 7-9 hours no more or less)
• Set health and fitness goals (if you have to - but stick to them) train to run a marathon or set a goal for your weight or cholesterol
• Eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fiber and drink lots of water
• When you exercise make sure it includes flexibility, strength & cardiovascular endurance training as well
• Reduce stress by eliminating any Quadrant 3 activities taking up 'urgent clutter'

Two - Social & Emotional

This dimension focusses on consistent deposits in your Emotional Bank Account of key relationships (and trust) in your life.

If by chance everything you say could be heard (for a day) by everyone, would you choose your words differently?

Here are some tips to renew yourself socially & emotionally...

• Keep your relationships in constant repair
• Value the differences in others and the opportunities that arise
• Practise your listening with the people around you
• Widen your circle of friends by forgiving yourself and others who have hurt you (a task I find one of the most hardest to do in our generation..)
• Build family relationships stronger - immediate and extended
• Let go of any damaging competitive feelings you may have towards others

Three - Mental

This dimension focusses on your talents; reading, writing, learning and continuous study. If your current skills were to become obsolete, would you learn more..?
Here are some tips to renew yourself mentally...

• Keep a journal (textile or electronic)
• Read voraciously! Stephen Covey specifically suggests that if you don't know what that word means.. then you should start reading immediately
• Develop a hobby - it allows you to do something you love even if it doesn't end up your job or career
• Continue your education; train your mind to stop every now and then to examine its own paradigm (I believe you can never stop learning no matter what age)

Four - Spiritual

The final dimension focusses on service, value clarification, inspiring literature, meditation & nature.
Giving a service can improve your health; volunteering is good for not only your heart but your immune system, rejuvenation and fight off sickness. Amazing things happen when you not only have a positive outlook on yourself but on others around you too.
The average person works about 11,000 days between their mid-20s until age 65... what legacy do you want to leave during that time?
Here are some tips to renew yourself spiritually...

• Create, review and refine your Personal Mission Statement
• Watch, listen and enjoy the world of nature (I started when I moved to Kingston, I never knew how beautiful city-life could be. Now I try to take a walk in the park at least 2-3 times a week after my classes)
• Read some inspiring literature or specifically the biographies of the authors or people who inspire you
• Commit to a life of total integrity to your priorities (I know sounds like a BIG commitment huh?)
• Practise spiritual worship.... OK or at least listen to inspiration/uplifting music
• Commit to serve your community; no less than 1-3 times a year

Finally, you have now completely your transition into a highly effective person! Up next is the final chapter in our Stephen Covey experience...

Final Chapter: Graduation, Review & Reflection... the Saw Sharpening Finale

 

'...and it's sweet, sweet, Sweet (Public) Victory'... into Interdependence

Once you have overcome the next 3 habits, Think Win-Win, Seek First to Understand to be Understood & Synergize you have now achieved the Public Victory.

This means that you have transitioned from being independent to becoming interdependent.

By gaining a higher sense of interdependence you can now not only rely on yourself with more confidence but rely on others mutually - balancing out each other's dependence.
You should now trust in your own capabilities and even more so in other's strengths as well.

"Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation of good relationships with others."

As with the Private Victory you must always keep your Emotional Bank Account strong.

This includes remember the 3-5:1 ratio rule; It may take between three to five deposits to make up for one withdrawal.
Remember what one person think's is a deposit may be considered a withdrawal to another. You need to remember patience and forgivingness.
And be sincere and consistent in your deposits. Small deposits over time can build into large account balances after all.

"See every problem as an opportunity to exercise creative energy & Always start every endeavor with a clear sense of purpose."

Up Next if the 7th and final Habit of Stephen Covey's Highly Effective People. I hope through these posts I have helped you learn a few things about the world, the people around you and yourself - I know I have!
Please feel free to comment about your transitions through thee blogs or any other self-awakening experiences you may have had. (Don't forget to brush up on your missing habits if you haven't already)

Up Next: 'Get in the Habit' of Sharpening your Skills... I mean the Saw

 

'Get in the Habit' to Understand before being Understood, Habit #5

Ah, the habit of Mutual Understanding; the principle of this practise being to communicate effectively you must first understand each other. The paradigm being 'I listen with the intent to understand' and NOT to 'listen with the intent to reply.'

Your behaviour should be to "diagnose before you prescribe," meaning to listen empathetically to your speaker and to seek to be understood from the other's perspective.

'Listen, or your tongue will make you deaf." - Native American Proverb

 The result of your good listening? A greater influence with others, solutions to complex problems, clarity on real issues and faster problem solving.

This habit is one of the most important to me; So many friends and come in and out of my life that need to diligently practise this habit.

No one wants to hang out or be around someone who constantly talks with no intent to let the other speak.

Or when they do let the other speak, they don't listen to what is being said because they are too busy thinking about what they are going to say next.

I've stopped seeing friends who act like this, and truth be told a large percentage of girls always act like this...

Having a conversation with someone shouldn't be a competition to see who can get the most words out first.

"When I ask you to listen and you start giving advice, you have not done what I have asked. When I ask you to listen to me and you begin to tell me why I shouldn't feel that way, you are trampling on my feelings. When I ask you to listen and you feel you have to do something to solve my problem, you have failed me, strange as it may seem. Listen! All I asked is that you listen; not talk or do - just hear me." - Ralph Roughton, M.D.

Diagnose Before You Prescribe

Most people don't take the time to think about a diagnosis before prescribing a solution. They jump to conclusions and assume they understand in order to get out their personal opinion or advice faster.

'To Listen with a Virtuous Heart'

Empathic Listening is reflecting on what a person feels and says, in your own words.
To first listen with your ears, watch with your eyes and understand with your heart before you reply.

Many people in my life misunderstand listening with emotion. If I realize that I wont get much talking or understanding from a conversation then I 'give up' and just let the other continue to talk. Once they realize that I am not actively contributing to the conversation they see it as I am upset or not feeling well. They ask 'what's wrong?" and I say nothing, because I have decided to listen to them instead of over-exert myself trying to speak over them or interrupt them... Ain't nobody got time for that!

Can you think of a time  when the person or group you were with failed to understand before being understood? Can you think of a moment when you may have failed while talking to someone else? Are you a 'conversation-controller' or a 'conversation-listener'? Please feel free to comment with your insights and stories :)

Up Next: 'Get in the Habit' of summing up Synergy!

 

'Get in the Habit' of summing up Synergy, Habit #6

Habit #6 is to Synergize; which also stands for creative cooperation. You must learn to value other's differences by becoming the "spirit of reverence and respect." It is basically the 3rd alternative in all difficult situations. The barriers to face with this habit have to deal with your character, listening skills (or lack thereof) and of course WIN-LOSE systems - meaning this habit deals closely with Habit #4 Mutual Benefit.

The principle of synergizing is that the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts; meaning that the paradigm is that together we can create a better way, a higher way, than alone. In order to change your behaviour to achieve this habit you must value & celebrate differences and practise cooperation. This results in...

• innovation and invention,
• new and better solutions,
• transformed relationships
• and an appreciation of diverse perspectives.

"People who are truly effective have the humility and reverence to recognize their own perceptual limitations. And appreciate the rich resources available through interaction with the hearts and minds of other human beings." 

Synergizing (Creative Cooperation) is the process that creates new possibilities in benefit of both sides involved. As with finding mutual benefit you must look for the third alternative in every situation or conflict.

Check your willingness...
Be willing to search for a third solution that is better than what either of you has in mind alone.
Reflect both viewpoints...
Restate the other's opinion to his/her satisfaction to make sure you have understood properly before you state your own.
Create new ideas...
Propose and refine new ideas until you both arrive at a third alternative.

The Third Alternative

It takes a lot of internal security; beginning with the spirit of adventure and discovery - eager to cooperate. You have to learn to step out of your comfort zone (whether that be your controlling or compromising personality traits.) But by becoming a pathfinder to new possibilities you will both create a third alternative.

You will both have a change of heart and feel new energy and excitement created with your mutual benefit. You will see things in a new way as your relationship is transformed and less stressful and complicated. And finally, you will both end up with an idea that is better than what either of you started with (kind of like the expectations of a brainstorming session.)

Up Next: '...and it's sweet, sweet, Sweet (Public) Victory'

 

'Get in the Habit' of Thinking Win-Win, Habit #4 of Mutual Benefit

And here starts round 2 of your transition into becoming the most highly effective you, possible! Stephen Covey's fourth Habit is the 'golden rule' of mutual benefit & abundance...

"What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" - George Eliot

The principle behind this habit is that effective long-term relationships of any kind require mutual respect and mutual benefit.

The paradigm for 'thinking win-win' is of scarcity; 'there is plenty out there for everyone, and more to spare' vs. thinking ineffectively which would be 'there is only so much, and the more you get, the less there is more me.'

The behaviour needed to achieve this habit is balancing courage and consideration, while also creating win-win agreements and systems. This results in faster solutions to problems, more team involvement and cooperation, a greater spirit of generosity which builds richer relationships.

Courage...

is the willingness and ability to speak your thoughts and feelings.

Consideration...

is the willingness and ability to seek and listen to others' thoughts and feelings with respect.

Think about the relationships you have with coworkers,  close friends or  family members. How do you typically interact with these people?

Do you bicker and argue until someone gives up? Do you compromise? Or do you never even let the other get a word in edge-wise?

 

The Six Paradigms of Human Interaction (Agreements Systems)

LOSE-WIN Characteristics: I always get stepped on...

• voices no standards, no demands or expectations for anyone else,
• is quick to please or appease,
• and buries a lot of feelings internally

LOSE-LOSE Characteristics: If I'm going down, you're going down with me...

• is the mindset of a highly defensive individual,
• nobody benefits from the situation making a complete 'no win,'
• and is the long-term result of 'win-lose' or 'win' systems.

WIN - LOSE Characteristics: I'm going to beat you no matter what...

• is very common scripting for most people,
• is the authoritarian approach to most situations,
• uses position, power, credentials, possessions or personality to get 'the win.'

WIN-WIN or NO DEAL Characteristics: Let's find a solution for both of us, or let's not play...

• allows each party to say no,
• is the most realistic approach at the beginning of every situation,
• is the highest form of WIN-WIN systems.

WIN Characteristics: As long as I win, I don't care if you win or lose...

• very self-centred,
• thinks of themselves first,
• and doesn't care if the other person wins or gets hurt.

WIN-WIN Characteristics: Let's find a solution that works for both of us...
is cooperative and not competitive,
and listens more to be able to communicate longer and with more courage.



 

Up Next: 'Get in the Habit' to Understand before being Understood

 

'...and it's sweet, sweet, Sweet Victory, yeah'... into Independence

"The private Victory must precede the Public Victory. You can't invert that process any more than you can harvest before you plant."

Once you have achieved your private victory of overcoming the first 3 Habits of Being Proactive, Beginning with the end in mind & putting first things first you have now achieved a private victory.

This means you have now transitioned from being dependant on others and your situations/circumstances to being independent. By achieving a higher sense of independence you have raised your trustworthiness as well as your confidence.

The private victory means that you can now 'make deposits rather than withdrawals' in your 'Emotional Bank Account'.

Your emotional bank account is Covey's metaphor for the amount of trust that exists in the relationships around you.

'Deposits' build and repair that trust, while 'withdrawals' break down and lessen the bond. You should always try to keep the ratio of deposits vs. withdrawals around 3-5:1.

Deposits are the following behaviours:

• seeking first to understand,
• showing kindness, courtesy & respect,
• keeping promises and being loyal to those absent,
• setting clear expectations & making apologies when needed,
• giving feedback (constructive criticism starting with 'I ...")
• and being able to forgive

Withdrawals are the following behaviours:

• assuming you understand,
• showing unkindness, discourtesy & disrespect,
• breaking your promises and having a disloyal bad mouth,
• creating unclear expectations,
• being too proud or arrogant,
• giving no feedback or evaluating someone's character (messages starting with 'you ...")
• and holding grudges

Anyone who has successfully achieved their first step to total effectiveness should be very proud of the transitions of trustworthiness and confidence that they have awakened. To keep your spirits high and hopefully I'd like to share with you a great story that Covey uses as an example of using your emotional bank account...

Why does Private Victory precede Public Victory? A Ghandi Story...
There was a six-year old boy living in the same Indian community as Mahatma Ghandi. This boy had a very strong sweet tooth. He couldn't resist sugar. Because he was diabetic, the sugar created painful boils all over his body.

His parents took him to the doctor, who said the boy must avoid all sweets; otherwise, the ailment would not go away. The parents nagged the boy every day to stop eating sugar, but this was a challenge the boy wasn't willing to overcome.

In desperation, the boy's mother came to Ghandi and asked if he could please convince her boy not to eat sweets. Ghandi said "Come back in 15 days and I';; speak to him then." So the mother came back in 15 days. Ghandi took her son aside and spoke to him for a few minutes. The boy went home and immediately gave up sweets.

The mother was puzzled. She asked Ghandi later, "why did you ask us to come back after 15 days? And what miracle did you perform to get my son to quit eating sweets?"
Ghandi replied that it wasn't a miracle. "When your boy first came to me, I too had been eating sugar." He had told the boy that he couldn't ask him to do something that he, Ghandi, wasn't willing to do himself.

"Who you are speaks so loudly I cant hear what you're saying." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Please feel free to comment about this story or your own achievements in Private and Independent Victories.

Up Next: 'Get in the Habit' of Thinking Win-Win
 

'Get in the Habit' of putting First things First, Habit #3

The third habit has to do with integrity & execution; the principle being that effectiveness requires the integrity to act on your priorities with discipline & willpower.

The paradigm to think of is not to put urgent things first but to put important things first instead. Your behaviour should be to focus on top priorities, eliminating the unimportant. Also to plan your routines and schedules daily and weekly. This results in increased organization and productivity. A more balances life with fewer crises and a peace of mind. You also earn a reputation of always following-through with your decisions and plans.

"Where you're headed is more important than how fast you're getting there."

The way to put first things first is to think of a compass and a clock. When balancing your life decisions.

The compass represents your effectiveness, relationships and important things - how you manage your time, and with what?

The clock represents your efficiency, scheduling and things you think are urgent - what you feel matters the most and should be used with the compass.

"I watched the Indy 500, and I was thinking that if they left earlier, they wouldn't have to go so fast." - Steven Wright

The most important aspect I've learned from this habit is how to prioritize. Stephen Covey developed a Time Matrix to help us categorize our daily tasks and emergencies to let us realize how important or unimportant they really are.

There are 4 quadrants of the time matrix that you can prioritize your decisions by... they are chosen by things that are urgent or non & important or not. These quadrants are: Necessity, Effectiveness, Deception & Waste/Excess.

You should try to live your life 'north of the line' taking care of quadrant 1 and 2 priorities first before tackling any from quadrant 3 or 4. Do first things first and the little things will fill in the rest.

Quadrant One are things that should be taken care of first and foremost. These are things like homework, studying for tests and immediate emergencies.

Quadrant Two are second-hand things that can be dealt with but after all your emergencies are taken care of. Things like planning and preparing events or projects, changing the oil in your car or taking the time to clarify your values such as we did in Habit #2.

Quadrant Three can be defined as other's priorities/expectations on you that still must be met. Things like minor assignments or helping to solves other's issues.

Quadrant Four is the final level of tasks that should always be completed last. These are things like surfing the web with no purpose (like on Facebook or Instagram,) watching TV or playing videogames.

Think about all of the things you've done recently; over the past week or so... What are the chronic quadrant Three activities in your personal or work life right now? What are the things you should be keeping in quadrant One or Two but have replaced with quadrant Four?

Please leave any comments with your thoughts, or if you have any tips on how to reduce quadrant Three and Four from taking over.

 

Up next: '...and it's sweet, sweet, Sweet Victory, yeah'... into Independence

'Get in the Habit' with the End in Mind, Habit #2

The 2nd habit involves vision; a mental creation precedes physical creation. Therefore the paradigm for this habit is "I live by design." Meaning that you envision the outcomes before you act and/or you create and act according to a personal mission statement.

As a result of practising such behaviour, we earn a clear definition of our desired results. A greater sense of meaning and purpose. And a criteria for deciding what is and isn't important that leads to improved outcomes.

A way to remember how to 'begin with the end in mind' is to reflect on your impact on others. If you can imagine all of your family, friends and loved ones gathered to celebrate your 50th birthday - what would they say about you? Did you treat them with the respect and love they deserved so that by the time their end comes they will remember and return that kindness? Did you live your live as it came everyday or did you plan every last hour or every year? Did you base your actions and values...etc. on a personal mission statement?

"No one can go back and make a brand-new start, my friend, but anyone can start from here and make a brand-new end." - Dan Zadra

Whether you call them your values, mission statement or anything else, we all have a set of 'fundamentals' that we live our lives by - subconsciously thinking with the end in mind. You rarely act on impulse without considering your 'conscience' or values first... if you think about it.

Your personal mission statement can be private, public, written in a journal, tattooed or painted on a mural in your house. Maybe you just always remember it in your heart and it doesn't need to be tangible. For your class at Florida State we practised writing our personal mission statements... some could be paragraphs, sentences or only a couple words. Here is a version of mine...

1 - To be remembered for my positive contributions...
      - for our rights as equal human beings
      - for our work ethic and daily routines
      - for our various forms of joy
      - for our capabilities to love
2 - To touch someone's life and make them smile or laugh everyday
3 - To never stop learning and educating myself in every way possible
4 - To help break social barriers between countries, genders & men
5 - To prove that determination and a strong will can never be wasted
6 - To help prevent the hardships I've faced to repeat on younger generations after me
7 - To leave this world with no regrets
8 - To be celebrated at my wake, not missed

Your personal mission statement can represent a specific time or time span in your life, or your entire life. It can be revised and redrafted as many times as you move houses or paint your kitchen. As long as you stay true to yourself and live each day with your ideal end in mind.

Up Next: 'Get in the Habit' of putting First things First

'Get in the Habit' by Being Proactive, Habit #1

The paradigm for being proactive is that 'I am a product of my choices' not of my circumstances.

The principle being that 'I am free to choose and am responsible for my choices. Our behaviour should be to pause and respond based on that principle. To use proactive language such as 'let's look at our alternatives' or 'I will choose an appropriate response or different approach."  The result is a greater sense of initiative and self-awareness. Becoming the creative force of your life.

You can choose to go through the motions in life, or you can be proactive and create a future that you want. Become ambitious at work and take on new projects or let your boss know your interested in learning more and helping out. Continue expanding on your education whether it be for personal or professional reasons.

 

Pause & Respond based on Principles

 

Reactive behaviour lets your outside influences (moods, feelings, circumstances - the things in your circle of concern) control your response.

Proactive behaviour gives you the freedom to choose your response based on your principles and desired results. Your freedom to choose expands as you use the space between stimulus and response.

"Every human has four endowments- self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change."

Expand your Circle of Influence

Your circle of influence includes those things you can affect directly. When people focus on things they can influence, they expand their knowledge and experience. They build trustworthiness. As a result their circle of influence grows.

Your circle of Concern includes all those things you care about. It's the external factors you worry about such as the economy, fighting or time delays. When people focus on things they cannot control, they have less time and energy to spend on things they can influence.

 

Up Next: 'Get in the Habit' with the End in Mind

'Get in the Habit' with Dr Stephen Covey

Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of highly effective people; “achieving personal and interpersonal effectiveness from the inside out” explains how you need to improve your own personal characteristics in order to improve your personality. These posts will explain Covey’s theory and our experiences with the lessons we had at Florida State while studying them.

First we start out as dependent; as child to parent, friend to clique…etc. thinking more about ‘You’ but if we work to improve…
(1) Our proactivity
(2) Beginning with the end in mind
and (3) Putting first things first

Then we can achieve our own private victory and gain independence; thinking more about ‘I’. From there if we work to improve…
(4) Thinking win-win
(5) Seeking to understand then to be understood
and (6) Synergy

Then we can achieve a public victory and gain interdependence; thinking more about ‘We’. Finally after improving all 6 habits you must practice (7) Sharpening the saw, because if we don’t keep up with our progress we will become stale and revert back to our old ways.

Character vs. Personal Ethic

Our personality is what people first see about us. It's the techniques we've practised for personal gain, such as influence, persuasion and deceit. But underneath all those techniques is our character. It's made of principles we value, such as courage, justice, responsibility and integrity.

Covey explains how we should use the 'Inside-Out approach' which means to focuss on improving your character and core values before your techniques and effectiveness.

"That we should listen with the intent to teach, so that we learn on a deeper level - therefore when you teach you gain new insights and expand your learning."

Can you see he difference between your character and personality? Or your coworkers, family or friends?

See - Do - Get

Every one of Covey's habits has a principle and paradigm (meaning the expected way that we see, understand and interpret the world.) We 'see' the paradigm, 'do' the behaviour & 'get' the result in turn.

"The results we get in life depend on what we do. What we do in life depends on how we see the world around us."

When you have realized a deeper truth that is strong enough to change your behaviour you have experienced a paradigm shift. Such as being angry at a stranger for not controlling their children, only to find out they just came from the hospital where their mother passed away... Suddenly feeling empathy  for the stranger and realizing none of them know how to properly deal with the situation would be a  paradigm shift... Can you think of a time you ever had a paradigm shift?

Up Next: 'Get in the Habit' of Being Proactive