Everyone seems to read this book in prison, and now that I have, I see why. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is not fluff. It offers a clear blueprint for living with intention when your world feels like it is caving in.
Covey starts with being proactive, not simply reacting, but owning your choices. That lesson hit hard. Many will point fingers at the system or circumstances, yet accountability is everything. You can’t improve until you fully own your part.
“Begin with the end in mind” also sticks with me. I refuse just to do time. I keep picturing the person I want to be when I walk out. That future version guides me every day now. If I am not building toward something real, I’m wasting time.
Covey’s idea of “Sharpening the Saw,” constantly renewing mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally, feels personal. I once turned raw scrap into valuable aluminum. Now I am the raw material. If I do not put in the daily work of reading, reflecting, and staying grounded, I will remain unchanged, and that is unacceptable.
This book may not target inmates, but it might as well. It reminds me that I still have the power to influence how this story unfolds, and that means a lot right now.
