This put up is the tenth (and final) v sequence of posts the place I studied Steven Covey's Seven Habits of Extremely Efficient Folks from a Christian Entrepreneur's Perspective and summarize and biblically substantiate every of the seven habits. Go to the underside of this text for hyperlinks to the whole sequence.
Now we come to the seventh and last behavior, which is my favourite behavior: sharpening the noticed. For entrepreneurs, this behavior is about pausing at work to maintain your self.
This Each day Godpreneur weblog is a testomony to my behavior of sharpening the noticed. In 2014, I spotted that my private growth is extra necessary than the event of a enterprise thought. If I spent all my time working and by no means stopped to train, meditate, weblog, and go to church, I'd be a burned-out entrepreneur. My shoppers, workers, distributors, and enterprise companions wouldn’t have the identical Alex to work together with.
I’ve confirmed that if I don't learn the Bible within the morning and write a weblog, I’m a unique individual all through the day. I’m extra irritable and brief with folks. I'm not that loving and affected person. My spouse and my workers observed.
The identical phenomenon occurs with my health and meals. I really feel sluggish after I don't train. If I don't eat proper in the course of the day, I really feel unhealthy.
As Christian entrepreneurs, if we by no means cease to maintain ourselves, any enhance in effectiveness we obtain will likely be short-lived as a result of we’ll quickly burn out and never be capable of preserve any of the opposite 6 habits beforehand realized.
Once we entrepreneurs fail to work on bettering our non secular, bodily, social and emotional elements of our lives, we grow to be unbalanced and this manifests itself within the type of conflicts with enterprise companions and workers, the lack to search out artistic options to issues and shortcomings. alternatives.
That's why “sharpening the noticed” isn't only a nice thought Covey got here up with, it's a biblical mandate given by God. The Bible has many passages that discuss private progress and growth, in addition to the significance of self-care and cultivating a wholesome interior life.
Covey says that in terms of our private lives, we must always give attention to 4 areas: bodily, non secular, psychological, and social/emotional. Let's check out what the Bible says about what is crucial for lasting effectiveness in every of those 4 key dimensions of our enterprise life.
Meals and train
The Bible emphasizes the significance of caring for our our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). This implies we must always make sensible selections about what we eat and the way we deal with our our bodies.
To be able to carry out at your peak—the pure state God created you to be in—you will need to keep bodily match by exercising repeatedly, consuming healthily, and avoiding undue stress.
Religious well being
Mr. Covey is a Mormon and clearly acknowledges that your non secular well being additionally contributes to lasting effectiveness.
The Bible teaches that non-public progress and growth in non secular well being entails first looking for God, renewal of the thoughts, progress in information, growth of non secular disciplines, duty, service to others, and belief in God.
“However search ye first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all this stuff shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).
Earlier than beginning your workday, it is best to first search God. Your God-First enterprise mannequin is dependent upon it. I suggest my devotions to Godpreneur Academy. It might additionally simply be prayer or meditation.
Psychological well being
Mr. Covey teaches that if you wish to keep mentally wholesome, learn plenty of good books, don't spend an excessive amount of time in entrance of the TV display, and find time for your individual writing in some type—whether or not it's letters, poetry, or journaling. Organizing and planning issues are additionally good workouts to maintain your thoughts sharp and recent.
King David is understood for his musical skills and wrote most of the psalms discovered within the guide of Psalms. Though he was king and had many tasks, he devoted himself to writing and enjoying music.
Luke was a doctor and author who wrote the Gospel of Luke and the guide of Acts. Regardless of his demanding occupation, he discovered time to put in writing and share his religion by his writing.
These examples point out that it’s attainable so that you can pursue different actions whereas nonetheless fulfilling your small business obligations.
Emotional well being
Lastly, Mr. Covey teaches the significance of caring for your social and emotional well being by being intentional about understanding others, constructing optimistic relationships with them, and dealing on initiatives that assist enhance their lives.
Within the Gospels, Jesus fashions the significance of constructing optimistic relationships with others and dealing to enhance their lives. He spends time with folks from all walks of life, exhibiting them love, compassion and empathy.
The apostles emphasize the significance of assembly repeatedly with different believers, being geared up with leaders within the church, encouraging and supporting one another, and utilizing our presents and talents to serve the physique of Christ.
“And allow us to think about how we could incite each other to like and good works, not forsaking assembly collectively, as some are within the behavior of doing, however encouraging each other—and the extra as you see the Day approaching.”
Being a part of a church and Christian neighborhood just isn’t solely useful for our personal non secular progress, but additionally helps to strengthen and construct up the entire physique of Christ.
Once we mannequin Jesus on this space, we enhance our emotional and social well being. This in flip helps us to indicate our enterprise ventures in a way more productive manner.
Sharpening the noticed – conclusion
Mr. Covey teaches that by sharpening the noticed, we consciously make time to get well and recharge. We entrepreneurs generally declare we are able to't discover the time to do that, however in the long term it's important to sustained effectiveness in our companies and the rewards in productiveness and well-being that include it.
Likewise, the Bible encourages people to prioritize their interior life and domesticate habits that result in private progress and growth, together with self-discipline in bodily, non secular, psychological, and emotional well being. On this manner, people can higher align with God's will and stay fulfilling and significant lives.
Think about if all of us took care to essentially sharpen our noticed and implement actions that would contribute to our well-being in every of the 4 dimensions.
Last abstract
So what can a Christian entrepreneur study from studying The 7 Habits of Extremely Efficient Folks? How do the writer's rules evaluate with the biblical ones?
What I found as I went by the rules offered by Mr. Covey is that Christian entrepreneurs can study from the guide in a number of methods. The next are among the issues a Christian entrepreneur can study by studying this guide:
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Proactivity: Covey emphasizes that efficient folks take duty for his or her lives and give attention to what they’ll management. That is in line with the biblical precept of taking duty for one's actions and never blaming others for one's issues.
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Start with the tip in thoughts: Covey maintains that one ought to begin with a transparent imaginative and prescient of what one desires to realize in life. That is just like the biblical precept of setting objectives and having a way of objective in life.
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Put first issues first: Covey emphasizes the significance of prioritizing and specializing in a very powerful issues in life. That is according to the biblical precept of looking for first the dominion of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
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Suppose win-win: Covey emphasizes that profitable relationships are constructed on mutual profit and that we must always search options that profit everybody concerned. That is just like the biblical precept of loving your neighbor as your self (Mark 12:31).
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First search to grasp, then to be understood: Covey emphasizes the significance of listening and understanding others earlier than looking for to be understood. That is according to the biblical precept of being sluggish to talk and fast to hear (James 1:19).
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Synergize: Covey is an advocate that working in groups and mixing particular person strengths can result in higher outcomes. That is in line with the biblical precept that the physique of Christ works collectively for a standard purpose (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
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Fixed enchancment: Covey advocates lifelong studying and steady enchancment. That is according to the biblical precept of rising within the grace and information of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).
My purpose on this sequence, as with all guide or useful resource, is to filter the guide by a biblical lens and discern what’s according to God's Phrase and what’s not.
Nonetheless, it is best to learn the guide for your self and discern what the holy spirit desires to indicate you thru the teachings.
I'd love to listen to what you concentrate on my educating sequence the place I analyze greatest promoting self-help books from a Christian perspective! Simply electronic mail alex@dailygodpreneur.com together with your ideas or go away a remark.
Steered different guide critiques
Learn the total sequence: A Christian Entrepreneur's View of the 7 Habits of Extremely Efficient Folks
I pray you benefit from the sequence as a lot as I loved making it!