First Things First by Stephen R. Covey, A. Roger Merrill, Rebecca R. Merrill Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.89 You Save: $12.11 (76%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of First Things First
Book Review: Can you say paradigmfifty zillion times!
Summary: 3 Stars
When I read this book, the movie, Princess Bride, came to mind. In it, Vizzini, one of the characters in that movie, uses the word "inconceivable" repeatedly. Eventually, another character in the movie, challenges him by saying: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." Such is the book, First Things First, but the word here is "paradigm."This is not an easy book to read; in fact, it could possibly induce a mild coma in the careless reader. At the least, it should come with a warning about operating heavy machinery afterwards. The difficult style is a result of having three authors. There are places in the book which begin "Stephen:" or "Roger:" or "Rebecca:" Other sections of the book bear no such introduction, insinuating the three are speaking in chorus; and then, there are passages which appear to have been authored by various acquaintances of theirs. This disorienting method of writing severely detracts from the already fragile quality of information in the book. If you are writing a book and need two people to help you write it, you need to either change subjects or find a different partner.
The book is not completely lacking value though. Chapters, Four through Eight, offer a decent time management system for those individuals who need to start somewhere; and Appendix A is an excellent resource for drafting a personal mission statement. Otherwise, the core information is hopelessly out of date by twenty-five years. The authors might be shocked to learn some of us are already using "sixth-generation paradigms" and are looking for something better. Really! Besides, if you are busy counting paradigms, you do not need to read a time management book much less write one.
Book Review: Changing the way you live your life...
Summary: 4 Stars
When I began reading this book, I was only reading it because it was required for a business class I am taking. I was skeptical about what Covey was saying because I felt my life was fine the way it was. The book got a little deep at times and I really needed to concentrate to get through it and understand it but when I did, I began to rethink all of the things I do in my life. Covey talks about "The Farming Principle." He tells you about a farmer that needs to plant the seeds and cultivate the land over a period of time to get the best results and reap the full benefits. He said that you can't do all of that in a day or a week and expect to really be successful. This was the point of the book that changed the way I think about things in my life. I live my life through cramming everyone that is urgent in and as long as I got it done at the end of the day, no matter what I had to put aside to accomplish it, I was a success. This is the wrong way to think because you really feel an emptiness inside for the things you missed while doing the other things. Covey shows us ways to look inside of yourselves and determine what our priorities are. Once you sort out all of the roles you play and decide what is most important, Covey shows you how to work all of it together so you finish your day feeling whole and fulfilled. Although I haven't completely implemented everything that Covey mentioned in the book, the seed has been planted and little by little, I am working on changing my life. This isn't something that happens over night but Covey gives you the steps and the encouragement to work on bettering the way you live your life to achieve true success.Book Review: Covey's Best Work
Summary: 5 Stars
With due respect to Roger and Rebecca, who are unsung heroes in the Covey pantheon, this book is probably the most helpful of Covey's works with regards to clarity and transferance into application.
I loved the 7 Habits but wasn't sure where to start. This book helped - the mission statement workshop, the six step process, Win/Win Agreements. Truly transformational.
Book Review: Covey's Best Work
Summary: 4 Stars
I found this book to be surprisingly good for what it was. I picked it up because someone told me it was good for time management strategies, but I found it was nicely more than that. It indeed is about time management, but it also integrates a well thought out personal philosophy that asks the reader to really think about what's important to him or her. In addition, he suspects that after you ask yourself about those values, you'll likely be like everyone else in wanting to live, learn, love and leave a legacy in the world. This is a nice take on the enterprise of time management, because it gives everything context. If time management is about organizing for efficiency, it's crucial to do some soul searching to realize what's important in life in order to organize around. In essence, Covey uses this work to get the reader to not fall into the trap of efficiency for efficiency's sake, because that doesn't lead to fulfillment, only more tasks neatly organized that might well be more exasperating. Instead, Covey notes that there are ways to overlap things in our life that are truly meaningful to us.
But there are quite a few bad things about the book as well. First and foremost, Covey does something that is a pet peeve of mine with books, writing forever about what's going to come later on in the book. It's like the author keeps telling you what will be talked about instead of talking about it. That just irritates me. Though it does diminish later in the book, it made my skin crawl for the first half of the book. As well, it does take him a bit too much time to get into the meat of exercises, choosing to expand a little too much on the more philosophical concepts for quite a while in the beginning. Not that he should've have talked about them, but each time he talks about one of those underlying core concepts, he could really get the message across in a fourth of what he uses to say what needs to be said. So, the book does seem a bit drawn out.
I think some of the other reviewers that were negative on this book were a bit harsh about the unrealistic nature of its message. I think Covey well realizes that we don't always have the luxury of deciding to do what we're most passionate about, but even then, such a work as Covey's can be practiced as it very much mirrors Sartre-like existentialism as well as cognitive-behavioral psychology where feelings, choices and behaviors are ultimately open to the individual to practice in a respectable, thoughtful, and meaningful way with integrity. So, suffering at a monotonous job to put food on the table may well be necessary, but how one approaches that and to what greater end after simply putting food on the table in the long run, is still open to the individual. The person need not simply go to work and come home and think that's all there is because he or she is at the mercy of the world. That's exactly what Covey is saying isn't correct, which I agree with him on.
By far the best of the Covey books. I've seen some good synopsis of this book online that you might want to check out first, because, again, the material takes a while to unfold in the book which can grate on the nerves.
Book Review: Covey's a proactive success superstar!
Summary: 5 Stars
Reading Covey's books has made a huge diference in my life. Covey is one of first success leaders to put his finger on the button - you must be a proactive thinker in order to have true success and abundance in your life. Covey covers all of the bases: intelligent thinking, system thinking, futuristic thinking, and positive thinking. If you are truly seeking the kind of success and abundance that makes your life 100% livable - you must read this book. Many of his ideas are found in SUCCESS BOUND, another book built on learning how to be responsible and live proactively. Let me assure you that if you apply Covey's recommendations proactively, success and abundance will be your destiny.Everything that I have put into practice that he has recommended has worked. The laws of success in this book will bring you success. Read it and you will believe that you can do anything that you set your mind to. My copy is well worn with highliter and pen marks all through it from the numerous times that I've returned to it in order to study it again.
You will find that this exciting book becomes a part of you. Don't hold back - let it happen. In fact, you should spend 10 to 15 minutes every morning focusing your thoughts on the truths of this book, thereby allowing them to seep deep into your subconscious mind. If you do this I guarantee this wisdom will most assuredly bring you the success and abundance you deserve.
Enjoy the book and your new proactive life!