Hey everyone, welcome to this deep dive, you know, it's into a true classic Stephen Covey's first things first Yeah, and and we're gonna be exploring the core principles. Yeah, you know for better managing your time and achieving greater fulfillment It's like a guidebook to stop feeling overwhelmed and start creating the life you you truly want Yeah, and and what's so incredible is how relevant his work remains even, you know years after it was published The world's only gotten busier, you know making his insights even more valuable now Yeah, so true. And one of the things that that really jumped out at me was this idea of Urgency addiction, you know Covey argues that we get so hooked on reacting to the loudest demands We lose sight of what's truly important It's like we're always fighting fires, but never actually building anything meaningful.
Have you ever felt that way? Absolutely I think we all have you know at some point and he calls it the tyranny of the urgent He even created this time management matrix to help visualize it Oh interesting, it breaks down our activities into four quadrants urgent and important important But not urgent urgent, but not important and then of course The time wasters that are neither. Okay, so it's not just about getting things done It's about focusing on the right things. But how do we know what those right things are? Well, that's where a cubby gets into the for human needs.
He says that we all crave these needs for true fulfillment To live meaning taking care of our physical health and well-being To love which is all about those meaningful connections with others To learn which is that hunger to grow and expand our minds and finally to leave a legacy that desire to make a difference in The world Wow like a recipe for a truly meaningful life But you know, I think a lot of us get so caught up in the day-to-day We forget to nurture all those aspects of ourselves. It's easy to lose sight of the bigger picture, right? And that's why he introduces the idea of true north principles Okay, these are those universal timeless values that act like a compass guiding us through life things like fairness integrity service You know those bedrock values that help us stay on track. Even when things get tough.
I love that analogy It's like having that internal compass to guide our decisions But how do we actually figure out what our true north principles are? It takes some soul-searching, you know Think about the values that resonate most deeply with you the the ones that define who you are at your core and then ask yourself Are your actions aligning with those values? Are you living in a way that feels authentic and true to yourself? You know, that's a really powerful question It's easy to get caught up in what we should be doing or what others expect of us But ultimately it comes down to living in alignment with our own inner compass exactly and and speaking of inner strength, you know Covey also talks about these incredible human endowments that empower us to be proactive and not just reactive in our lives He describes things like self-awareness conscience independent will and creative imagination Okay, those sound pretty powerful, but I have to admit I'm a little skeptical I mean sometimes it feels like we're just at the mercy of our circumstances. Yeah, how much control do we really have? Well, one of my favorite Covey quotes addresses that directly he says between stimulus and response There is a space in that space is our power to choose our response in our response lies our growth and our freedom Okay, that's actually pretty mind-blowing Yeah So he's saying we always have a choice and how we react to things and that choice is where our true power lies Exactly, and it's in that space between stimulus and response that we can tap into those endowments self-awareness to understand our emotions conscience to guide our actions independent will to make choices aligned with our values and creative imagination To envision new possibilities. Okay, I'm starting to see how these pieces fit together, but let's get practical How do we actually start applying these ideas in our everyday lives? Well, that's where Covey's emphasis on weekly planning comes in He argues it's the key to bridging the gap between our long-term vision and our day-to-day actions He even famously said the key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities So it's not about creating a to-do list and just checking things off It's about intentionally designing our week around those things that truly matter But in reality my schedule often feels like it's controlling me not the other way around Any tips on how to actually make this work? That's a struggle we all face Covey suggests a really powerful process first review your mission statement or those true north principles We talked about earlier then identify your key roles parent partner employee friend and so on So it's about making sure each area of our life is getting the attention it deserves Exactly then set goals for each role for the week ahead And here's the crucial part schedule those big rocks first the important activities that often get pushed aside Okay, so things like quality time with family working on a passion project even just taking care of our own well-being Precisely schedule those first and then you can fit the smaller things around them It's about being proactive not just reacting to whatever comes up.
I'm really liking this idea of scheduling our priorities But let's be real life happens things come up unexpectedly How do we build in that flexibility without derailing our entire plan Covey emphasizes that flexibility is key Life is unpredictable So build some buffer time into your schedule to handle those unexpected things that pop up The point is to have a structure that helps you stay focused on what matters most even when things get crazy that makes sense It's like having a roadmap that helps you navigate through the twists and turns of life exactly and when we're talking about navigating life We can't forget about our interactions with others. That's where cubbies concept of win-win thinking comes into play It's about approaching every interaction with the goal of finding a solution that benefits everyone involved So it's not about compromise or settling for less not at all. It's about believing.
There's a third alternative as cubby calls it It's not your way or my way. It's a better way a higher way. Okay.
Oh, I like the sound of that But is it always possible to find a win-win solution? Especially when dealing with those people who seem determined to do things their way It's certainly not always easy, especially when there are conflicting interests or strong personalities involved But Covey outlined some really helpful steps for putting this win-win thinking into practice It all starts with a shift in mindset, you know instead of going into a conversation thinking I need to win Try approaching it with the belief that there is a solution out there that that will benefit everyone So it's almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy if you believe a win-win solution exists, you're more likely to find it Exactly and then it's about really listening to understand the other person's perspective Not just waiting for your turn to talk but truly trying to see things from their point of view Oh, I know I'm guilty of that sometimes But I'm guessing that's where those listening skills come in really paying attention to what the other person is saying both verbally and non-verbally Absolutely, and once you've established that understanding then you can effectively communicate your own needs and desires It's about finding that balance between assertiveness and empathy Okay, so we're talking about win-win thinking in the context of resolving conflicts But can we apply this principle in other areas of our lives to absolutely think about your relationships with your family your colleagues Even your clients when you approach those interactions with a win-win mindset you you create a more collaborative and positive dynamic That makes so much sense. It's like shifting from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset Believing that there's enough to go around and that we can all succeed together It's a much more empowering way to approach life and speaking of empowerment. This all ties into cubbies emphasis on building trust He says trust is the highest form of human motivation It brings out the very best in people.
So not only is it good for our relationships, but it's also crucial for effective leadership Okay, that that makes sense. But how do we actually build that trust with others? Especially in a world where it feels like trust is becoming increasingly rare It starts with our own character and competence people need to trust our integrity our values and our ability to deliver on our promises So it's about walking the talk not just talking the talk, but it's also about believing in the people we work with right? Empowering them to do their best work exactly and that's where cubbies concept of delegation comes in He argues that we should delegate stewardship not just tasks. Okay, I'm intrigued.
What does that actually mean in practice? It means giving people the freedom to achieve results in their own own way Not micromanaging every step of the process. It's about trusting their judgment and their abilities You know that can be so hard to do especially if you're used to being in control But I'm starting to see how empowering others actually creates a more positive and productive environment for everyone, right? And cubby suggests setting clear expectations and guidelines, but then giving people the autonomy to figure out how W to get there It's about fostering that sense of ownership and responsibility This is all starting to paint a picture of a highly effective and empowering leadership style One that's based on trust collaboration and mutual respect But how does this all tie back into the quadrant 2 lifestyle we were talking about earlier? It's all connected. Remember the quadrant 2 lifestyle is about prioritizing those activities that are important, but not urgent Things like planning relationship building personal development Those activities that nourish our souls and move us closer to our long-term goals and to really live that quadrant 2 lifestyle We need to be able to trust ourselves to make those choices and trust others to support us in that journey Exactly.
It's about creating a life where we're not constantly reacting to the urgent but proactively designing our days around what truly matters Okay, I'm getting fired up about this But let's be honest It can be hard to stay focused on those quadrant 2 activities when the world around us is screaming for our attention Yeah, how do we deal with those inevitable distractions and urgent demands? That's where those four human endowments we talked about earlier come in handy self-awareness conscience independent will and creative imagination Those are the tools we can use to stay grounded and make conscious choices even when things get crazy, right? It's about remembering that we have the power to choose our response even in challenging situations But sometimes it feels like those urgent things just keep piling up like there's never enough time for the things that truly matter That's a common feeling though. Remember cubbies not suggesting that we ignore quadranile together those urgent and important things still need to be dealt with It's about finding that balance between those urgent demands and those activities that nourish us in the long run So it's about making those quadrant 2 activities a non-negotiable part of our lives Scheduling them into our week just like we would any other important appointment exactly and even more importantly It's about remembering wh why those activities are so important It's about connecting with that deeper sense of purpose and meaning that drives us, you know I've been thinking a lot about my own quadrant 2 activities lately, and I realized something really interesting I realized that a lot of my quadrant 2 activities actually involve connecting with something bigger than myself Whether it's spending time in nature or volunteering in my community or even just having those those deep meaningful conversations with loved ones Hmm, that's a beautiful insight And it speaks to that human need to leave a legacy to make a difference in the world beyond ourselves, right? and it doesn't have to be some grand heroic act it can be as simple as showing kindness to a stranger or Mentoring a colleague or even just being fully present with the people we love exactly and Covey Emphasizes that legacy isn't something we build at the end of our lives It's something we create every single day through our choices and our actions. That's such a powerful reminder it's about living a life of purpose and Intentionality making each moment count and it's about recognizing that our lives are interconnected What we do how we treat others the choices we make it all ripples outward and creates a legacy that extends far beyond ourselves Okay my mind is officially blown this whole quadrant 2 lifestyle is starting to feel less like a Productivity hack and more like a philosophy for living a truly meaningful life and it's a journey not a destination There's no magic formula or one-size-fits-all approach It's about continuously learning growing and striving to align our actions with our values So true and as we wrap up this deep dive into first things first I think the biggest takeaway for me is this we have the power to choose We can choose to be reactive or we can choose to be proactive We can choose to let our circumstances control us or we can choose to design a life That's aligned with our deepest values and aspirations.
And I think that's the most empowering message of all It's about recognizing that we're not just victims of circumstance. We have agency We have the ability to create a life that's both effective and meaningful. So to our listener we leave you with this question How would your life change if you truly made first things first, what shifts would you make what dreams would you pursue? What kind of legacy would you create? We encourage you to explore first things first for yourself and discover the transformative power of putting those things that matter Most at the forefront of your life.
Thanks for joining us on this deep dive until next time Keep prioritizing those first things and making each day count
