The step by step guide to writing a family mission statement may be the most valuable part of this book. Covey explains how their family principles were drafted, re-worked, and re-written numerous times over the years with the input of all members of the family. Covey goes on to explain that this one principle has “given a sense of appropriate priority to everything else.” Of course, determining what these guiding family principles are doesn’t happen overnight. Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind – Following from the cultivation of the first habit is the building of a family mission statement in which principles such as forgiveness, compassion, and charity take precedence, “ahead of each other, and ahead of our family.” Wow! This is a strong statement. My favorite take-away from this chapter is about building an emotional bank account with your children and loved ones by apologizing, being loyal, making and keeping promises, and practicing acts of forgiveness. Next, we determine and distinguish our circle of concern and our circle of influence. It first requires taking stock of our unique human gifts, which allow us to exercise our innate freedom to choose, based on principles and values. Habit 1: Be Proactive – To be proactive is “to act based on principles and values rather than reacting based on emotion or circumstance.” This habit focuses on the fact that we can all become agents of change.

Despite this turbulent world, Covey gives hope for families to effectively build a different culture: a beautiful family culture.Īlthough the seven habits may sound familiar (they were first introduced in Covey’s bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, 1989), they are reapplied to the sphere of life that makes the most impact in society – the family. Covey takes it a step further and challenges every family to craft a family mission statement starting as newlyweds.Īs the father of nine children, Covey is a passionate advocate for preserving the integrity of the family unit, faced today with unprecedented societal-cultural paradigms and practices that threaten it. By way of example, have we not all heard about crafting a personal mission statement? Even if you haven’t done so yet, it is probably something you have thought about doing. Better yet, he knows how to apply these concepts to the family sphere where they typically don’t get applied. In a society that is fueled by efficiency tactics, best practices, and mission objectives, Covey knows how to reach his audience. If there is any book that belongs on a parent’s bedside table (besides the Holy Bible), it should be this one: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families by Stephen Covey.

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