Why I Chose to Read The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
At this stage in my life, I am preparing to surrender and serve a 20-month sentence in federal prison. While I grapple with the challenges of leaving my family and community, I am committed to personal growth and rebuilding my life during my time away. Reflecting on my past success—from homelessness at 16 to building a successful construction business—I recognize the importance of structure, resilience, and self-discipline to overcome adversity. Now, as I face this new challenge, I am seeking tools to help me realign my goals, focus my energy, and prepare for a productive and meaningful future.
My research into impactful personal development resources led me to Stephen R. Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. This book came highly recommended by mentors and self-help communities for its timeless principles on leading a purpose-driven life. Its focus inspired me on proactive change, long-term vision, and personal accountability—all values I deeply connect with. By adopting these principles, I hope to use my incarceration as a time for reflection, skill-building, and preparation for reintegration. This book aligns perfectly with my goal to address my Risk and Needs Assessment (SPARC categories) in a systematic and meaningful way.
What I Learned from Reading The Seven Habits
Stephen Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is structured around seven core principles that promote personal growth, interpersonal effectiveness, and long-term success. Each habit offers profound insights, along with actionable steps I can use to make the most of my time while incarcerated and after my release. Here is a breakdown of each habit and how I intend to implement them:
Habit 1: Be Proactive
This habit emphasizes taking ownership of your actions and focusing on what you can control, rather than what you cannot. Covey discusses the power of a proactive mindset in shaping outcomes, regardless of external circumstances. For me, this lesson resonates deeply. While I cannot control the legal challenges I face, I can control how I respond. Proactive behavior will enable me to manage my time effectively in prison, tackle my SPARC needs head-on, and work toward the best possible outcomes for myself and my family. I plan to journal daily, document my progress and focus on specific goals that are entirely within my power to achieve.
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Covey encourages readers to envision their desired future by creating a personal mission statement. This principle is about long-term planning and aligning daily actions with greater life goals. For me, this involves envisioning the man, father, and business leader I want to be when I return home. I’ve written a mission statement that emphasizes integrity, accountability, and the role I want to play in my family’s and community’s lives. During my incarceration, I’ll use this vision to stay focused and clear on how each program and every self-directed learning activity contributes to building my desired future.
Habit 3: Put First Things First
This habit is about prioritizing tasks that align with your values and long-term goals—what Covey calls “big rocks.” It emphasizes the power of time management by focusing on what is important, rather than what feels urgent. While in prison, this will be my guiding principle. I’ll use my time to address my SPARC categories systematically, participate in educational programs, and engage in self-directed learning projects like developing my financial skills and emotional intelligence. For example, earning First Step Act (FSA) credits will be a top priority, as it aligns with my overarching goal of reducing my sentence and coming home earlier.
Habit 4: Think Win-Win
Habit 4 focuses on cultivating mutually beneficial relationships, whether personal or professional. It teaches collaboration and building trust through fairness and integrity. While incarcerated, I’ll focus on creating win-win relationships within the prison community—collaborating with others to teach classes or co-develop release plans. This habit will also help me strengthen relationships with my family by fostering understanding and making collective decisions for everyone’s benefit.
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
This habit emphasizes the importance of empathetic listening to build meaningful relationships. Covey encourages us to truly understand others’ perspectives before presenting our own. I’ve already begun applying this lesson to my family interactions as we prepare for my absence. After my release, I’ll use this principle to rebuild trust and improve communication. Additionally, as I teach or mentor others in prison, empathetic listening will help me connect with and impact my peers effectively.
Habit 6: Synergize
This habit is about the power of collaboration—combining strengths to achieve results greater than any individual could accomplish alone. During my time in prison, I plan to engage in group activities or team-based programs whenever possible. I will also seek opportunities to collaborate with peers as we all work toward successful reintegration. After release, I’ll apply this habit in my personal life by working closely with my wife and other mentors to rebuild my life and in my professional life by leading my team at Patterson Homes.
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
The seventh habit focuses on self-renewal and continuous improvement across four dimensions—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Covey highlights the importance of sustaining balance to avoid burnout and keep progressing. For me, this lesson is essential not only during my sentence, but also for post-release success. I will maintain a fitness routine to stay physically strong, dedicate time to self-reflection and journaling for mental clarity, and practice my faith to foster emotional and spiritual well-being. These practices will serve as my foundation for resilience and adaptability while climbing through the challenges ahead.
How Reading The Seven Habits Will Contribute to My Life
The insights from The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People have equipped me with a structured framework for navigating the challenging times ahead and building a better future. Here’s how the lessons I’ve learned will help me while I am away from my family and once I return:
During My Sentence
- Personal Growth: The habits give me the tools to focus on self-directed education, rehabilitation, and skill-building. Setting clear priorities and working proactively (Habit 1 and Habit 3) will ensure I use this time productively.
- Managing Relationships: Communication tools like empathetic listening (Habit 5) will help me stay connected with my family, fostering understanding and strengthening our bonds despite the physical separation.
- Resilience and Well-Being: By continuously renewing myself (Habit 7), I’ll maintain the physical, mental, and emotional strength required to persevere through incarceration.
After My Release
- Family Reconnection: Rebuilding trust and repairing relationships will be an immediate goal. Habit 5’s emphasis on understanding will guide me in re-establishing open lines of communication with my wife and children.
- Professional Reinvention: By employing proactive planning and goal setting (Habit 1 and Habit 2), I’ll work toward re-establishing my construction business. I’ll leverage leadership principles from Habit 6 to reinvigorate my team.
- Holistic Success: The principles of time management (Habit 3) and continuous self-improvement (Habit 7) will set the stage for achieving balance across personal, professional, and community contributions.
By living out these principles, I aim to not only rebuild my life, but also contribute meaningfully to my family, team, and community. Covey’s wisdom reminds me that success is a result of intentional effort and long-term thinking, no matter the obstacles.
Ultimately, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is more than a book—it is a guide for transforming challenges into opportunities for growth. I’m grateful for the clarity it has provided and the renewed sense of purpose it has ignited within me. This is not just a lesson for my time inside, but a lifelong blueprint for living with integrity, accountability, and enduring effectiveness.
