The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Couples (Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw)
Take the time to focus on your physical, intellectual, social and spiritual self. We are all in a state of entropy and only consistent and continued refinement and attention to all of these areas will ensure an upward spiral of growth, change, and continuous improvement in ourselves and our relationships. Learn to take care of yourself and continue to sharpen your saw.
Emphasising the importance of self-awareness before successful engagement with your partner, the model is a process of learning new habits to create personal and interpersonal effectiveness.
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Habit 7 is about self renewal or continuous improvement, its about looking after yourself and to overcome entropy, and many of us have to learn to take time to look after ourself. Stephen Covey suggests consistent and continued refinement and attention to all of the following four areas in our lives: 1. Physical; 2. Intellectual; 3. Social and 4. Spiritual.
Often we find we live our lives narrowly focusing on work or home. The daily grind becomes our focus to the exclusion of others. For marriage, it is essential that we continually review and draw our attention to these four areas to ensure an upward spiral of growth, change, and continuous improvement.
The importance of renewal in our lives can not be underestimated. Learning, growing and developing new capabilities and expanding on the old ones is the process through which continued success is made possible.
Through applying the 7 habits in our relationships and through continued commitment and loyalty, we will ensure a sharpened saw, one ready to tackle the ups and downs of married life. Through consistent and continued refinement of the four areas and through continued focus on your mission statement, your focus will be on the important aspects, those that will define you as a highly effective couple.
Attempting to balance exercise, nutrition and stress management (physical); by reading, visualising, planning and writing (Intellectual); focusing on clarifying values and our commitment, dedicating time to study, our faith and/or meditation (Spiritual); and through our service, being empathic, being synergistic and ensuring security (Social), ensures success.
Don't get caught up in the demands of life (or even developing the Habits) that we forget ourselves and our marriage. Be proactive and do this for your marriage. "We are the instruments of our own performance, and to be effective, we need to recognize the importance of taking time to regularly sharpen the saw in all four ways".
You don't have to get it right the first time. This is part of life's journey of learning and developing. You will get there if you are willing to invest the time and effort to developing new habits.
Tune in next week for bonus Habit 8.
Reference: Covey, Stephen R., The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, 1989, Fireside, New York
Marriage and Relationship Education is a learning opportunity, much like you would do in any other important life event. Check out the new video for couples on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xyuUl-JnIhM
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