Stephen Covey Quotes

A collection of quotes by Stephen Covey.

Stephen Covey (1932-2012) was an American educator, author, and businessman, widely known for his influential work on personal development and leadership. Born on October 24, 1932, in Salt Lake City, Utah, Covey dedicated his life to empowering individuals and organizations to achieve greatness.

He completed his undergraduate degree in business administration at the University of Utah and continued his education at Harvard University, where he obtained an MBA. Later, Covey earned a doctorate in religious education from Brigham Young University.

Covey's breakthrough came in 1989 with the release of his highly acclaimed book, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." This seminal work, which has sold over 25 million copies worldwide, has been translated into numerous languages and remains a cornerstone for personal and organizational effectiveness. The book outlines seven essential habits that individuals can adopt to enhance their personal and professional lives.

Throughout his career, Covey founded the Covey Leadership Center and served as its chairman. He delivered lectures and workshops across the globe, sharing his knowledge and principles on leadership and personal growth. His teachings focused on principles of integrity, trust, and personal responsibility, emphasizing the importance of aligning one's actions with their fundamental values.

Stephen Covey's legacy lives on even after his passing in 2012. His insights and wisdom continue to impact millions, making him one of the most influential figures in the field of personal and professional development.

Our character is basically a composite of our habits. Becaus

Our character is basically a composite of our habits. Because they are consistent, often unconcious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character

Character

Priority is a function of context.

Priority is a function of context.

Pettiness Triviality

Power is the faculty or capacity to act, the strength and po

Power is the faculty or capacity to act, the strength and potency to accomplish something. It is the vital energy to make choices and decisions. It also includes the capacity to overcome deeply embedded habits and to cultivate higher, more effective ones.

Power

Love - THE FEELING - is a fruit of love, the verb.

Love - THE FEELING - is a fruit of love, the verb.

Love

The ability to manage well doesn't make much difference if y

The ability to manage well doesn't make much difference if you're not even in the right jungle.

Management

As a principle-centered person you try to stand apart from t

As a principle-centered person you try to stand apart from the emotion of the situation and from other factors that would act on you, and evaluate the options. Looking at the balanced whole--the work needs, the family needs, the other needs that may be involved, and the possible implications of the various alternatives -- you'll try to come up with the best solution taking all factors into consideration. We are limited but we can push back the borders of our limitations.

Control

People who exercise their embryonic freedom day after day, l

People who exercise their embryonic freedom day after day, little by little, expand that freedom. People who do not will find that it withers until they are literally being lived. They are acting out scripts written by parents, associates and society.

Freedom

Our ultimate freedom is the right and power to decide how an

Our ultimate freedom is the right and power to decide how anybody or anything outside ourselves will affect us.

Freedom

Don't argue for other people's weaknesses. Don't argue for y

Don't argue for other people's weaknesses. Don't argue for your own. When you make a mistake, admit it, correct it, and learn from it -- immediately.

Mistakes

Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success;

Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.

Management

Lose/Win people bury a lot of feelings. And unexpressed feel

Lose/Win people bury a lot of feelings. And unexpressed feelings come forth later in uglier ways. Psychosomatic illnesses often are the reincarnation of cumulative resentment, deep disappointment and disillusionment repressed by the Lose/Win mentality. Disproportionate rage or anger, overreaction to minor provocation, and cynicism are other embodiments of suppressed emotion. People who are constantly repressing, not transcending feelings toward a higher meaning find that it affects the quality of their relationships with others.

Feelings

In addition to self-awareness, imagination and conscience, i

In addition to self-awareness, imagination and conscience, it is the fourth human endowment-independent will-that really makes effective self-management possible. It is the ability to make decisions and choices and to act in accordance with them. It is the ability to act rather than to be acted upon, to proactively carry out the program we have developed through the other three endowments. Empowerment comes from learning how to use this great endowment in the decisions we make every day.

Decisions

The character ethic, which I believe to be the foundation of

The character ethic, which I believe to be the foundation of success, teaches that there are basic principles of effective living, and that people can only experience true success and enduring happiness as they learn and integrate these principles into their basic character.

Ethics

While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to

While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.

Action(s)

Every human has four endowments- self awareness, conscience,

Every human has four endowments- self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change.

Change