Which Habit is your favorite? Write a sentence explaining why. Go to the Falcon Award page.
Information is taken from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey
Habit 3: Put First Things First (The strength to say yes to your most important things and not to less important things.) Work before Play
"Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Habit 3 is all about prioritizing and managing time so that the most important things come first. It's nice to have a list of goals, but doing them, putting them first is hard work.
Consider the model known as the Time Quadrants.
Quadrant 1: The Procrastinator
We cause many headaches because we procrastinate, we put things off like studying for the spelling test. Quadrant 1 is part of life, but if you spend to much time there, you'll seldom be performing to your potential. The results of too much time in Quadrant One are-- stress and anxiety, burnout, mediocre performance.
Quadrant 3: The Yes-Man
Quadrant 3 represents things that are urgent but not important. It's characterized by trying to please other people and responding to their every desire. Quadrant 3 is loaded with things that are important to other people, but not to you. They're things that you'd like to say no to but can't because you're afraid you'll offend someone. " I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone." Bill Cosby
The results of spending too much time in Quadrant 3 are lack of discipline, reputation for being a pleaser, and feeling like a doormat for others to wipe their feet on.
Quadrant 4: The Slacker
This is the category of waste and excess. These activities are neither urgent nor important. The Slacker loves anything in excess like too much T.V., too much sleep, too many video games, or too much time on the Web. He loves three-hour phone calls and hanging out at the mall. School is the last thing on his mind. The results of living in Quadrant 4 are lack of responsibility, guilt, and flakiness.
Quadrant 2: The Prioritizer
Quadrant 2 is made of things important but not urgent, like relaxation, building friendships, exercising, planning ahead, and doing homework...on time! It's the quadrant of excellence--the place we want to be. Quadrant 2 activities are important but they're not urgent. That's why they're so hard to do. The results of living in Quadrant 2 are control of your life, balance, and high performance.
In which quadrant are you spending the majority of your time? The key is to shift as much time as possible into Quadrant 2.
Consider Two Suggestions:
1. Use a planner of some sort so that you can write down your schedule, assignments, to-do lists and your goals.
2. Plan Weekly. Take 15 minutes each week to plan your week.
A. Identify your Big Rocks
B. Block Out Time for your Big Rocks
C. Schedule Everything Else
Time Management isn't all there is to Habit 3. It's only half of it. The other half is learning to overcome fear and peer pressure. It takes courage to stay true to your FIRST THINGS FIRST values and standards.
Consider the Comfort Zone and the Courage Zone
Your comfort zone are things you're familiar with, places you know, friends, and activities you enjoy. On the other hand, things like making new friends, speaking in front of an audience, or sticking up for your values are in the Courage Zone. In this zone there is risk, challenge, pressure, change, and the possibility of failure. But, it's also the place to go for opportunity and the only place you'll ever reach your full potential.
Fear
Shakespeare said, "Our doubts are traitors, And make us lose the good we oft might win By fearing to attempt."
Never let your fears make your decisions. Think of all the heroic acts that have been accomplished by people who acted in the face of fear.
DO IT! Even when all your fears and doubts scream out, "You stink," "You'll fail," "Don't try." Never let your fears make your decisions. You make them.
Winning is nothing more than rising each time you fall.
Can you guess the name of the man in history who failed many, many times before he was elected as President of the United States?
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." Robert Frost
Be strong in the Hard Moments. Hard moments are conflicts between doing the right thing and doing the easier thing. They are tests and how we handle them can literally shape our lives. Large hard moments include things like choosing good friends, resisting negative peer pressure, and rebounding after a major setback. These moments have huge consequences and often strike when you least expect them. You can prepare for them and meet them head on.
Peer Pressure- You've got to care more of what you think of you than what your peers think of you.
The Common Ingredient of Success- Successful people are willing to suck it up from time to time and do things they don't like doing. Why do them? Because they know these things will lead them to their goals.
Consider these musicians. Do you think that there are times when they don't want to practice? Are there times when they might make sacrifices in order to reach their goals?
Your teen years can be some of the most exciting and adventurous years of life. Value each moment.
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Think about your own life. Do you have an end in mind? Do you have a clear picture of who you want to be one year from now? Five years from now? Or are you clueless?
Habit 2, Begin with the End in Mind, means developing a picture of where you want to go with your life. It means deciding what your values are and setting goals. Habit 1 says you are the driver of your life, not the passenger. Habit 2 says, since you're the driver, decide where you want to go and draw a map to get there. Sean Covey
You're 11 or 12 years old and at the crossroads of life. You have your whole life before you. Which roads will you travel?
Do you want to go to college?
What will your attitude toward life be?
What type of friends do you want?
Will you use drugs or alcohol?
What kind of relationships do you want with your family?
How will you contribute to the world to make it better?
We are free to choose our paths, but we can't choose the consequences that come with them. What will be the consequences of your decisions?
If you decide to just go with the flow, you'll end up where the flow goes, which is usually downhill. Without an end in mind of your own, we are quick to follow anyone who is willing to lead even if it's down the wrong path.
How do you have an end in mind? Write a personal mission statement. It's like a motto that states what your life is about. They come in all types and varieties. Some are songs, quotes, pictures, a collage made from magazine pictures, and some are poems. Some are long. Some are short. It may be similar to our Falcon Academy Code of Conduct.
Writing a mission statement will help you focus on what's really important to you. An important part of developing a personal mission statement is discovering what you're good at. What are your talents?
After carving a beautiful sculpture, Michelangelo was asked how he was able to do it. He replied by saying that the sculpture was already in the block of granite. He just had to chisel off everything else around it.
Discover the GREATNESS IN YOU- the LEADER in you!
Who inspires you? What do you love to do?
Once you have written your mission statement, put it somewhere where you can easily see it. Set goals specific to your mission statement.
Make your life EXTRAordinary!
CARPE DIEM!
Watch this clip. What HABITS (besides teamwork) are being modeled?
BE PROACTIVE!
Habit 1 says, "I am the force. I am the captain of my life. I can choose my attitude. I'm responsible for my own happiness or unhappiness. I am in the driver's seat of my destiny, not just a passenger. The difference between being proactive and reactive is like soda pop vs water.
Proactive Language:
I'll do it
I can do better than that
Let's look at the options
I choose to
There's got to be a way
Reactive Language:
I'll try
That's just the way I am
There's nothing I can do
I have to
I can't
You ruined my day
Besides feeling like victims, reactive people:
are easily offended
blame others
get angry and say things they later regret
whine and complain
wait for things to happen to them
change only when they have to
Proactive people:
are not easily offended
take responsibility for their choices
think before they act
bounce back when something bad happens
always find a way to make it happen
focus on things they can do something about, and don't worry about things they can't
Watch the video clip about Nick. How is he proactive? What would his life be like if he spent his time worrying about things he can't change? How does he inspire others?
Watch the video clip about the boys' soccer team. How were they proactive? How did they use Habit #6 Synergy to work together as a team?
You may want to read the book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey.
Habit 1: Be Proactive- You're in Charge
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind- Have a Plan
Habit 3: Put First Things First- Work First, Then Play
Habit 4: Think Win-Win- Everyone Can Win
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood- Listen Before You Talk
Habit 6: Synergize- Together is Better
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw- Balance Feels Best
