Every High School Student Should Read This Book

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey - Every once in a while I read a professional book that was recommend to me by my colleagues, or other adults, that think I might benefit from or enjoy the insight the book has to offer.  Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephan Covey was one of those books.  My wife and principal are just two of the people I know that continue to quote and comment on the message that Stephan Covey conveys in his book.  When Sean Covey's book came to our attention recently, my wife bought three copies for each of my children, ages 12 through 16. The hope is that the thinking and motivation derived from Stephan Covey's book for adults will have the same effect on our teenage children after reading Sean Covey's book for teens. Needless to say, since it has been recommended by my wife and I, my kids are not very motivated to read it. Yet. I hope I get the chance to promote this book to others as well.

Of course, if I was going to recommend the book to my kids I had to read it myself.  I am glad I did. This is not the kind of book that can be read without a pen or highlighter nearby.  If you don't like to write in the margins of your book, or are using a borrowed book, be sure to have some sticky notes on hand.  This book made me reflect throughout.  I couldn't help but think about the choices I made as a teenager and how those choices have defined who I am.  Many of the choices, or non-choices, I had the chance to reflect on, I strongly regret. It's not a great feeling thinking about my failures when I was growing up, and how many doors I may have closed or opportunities burned. Fortunately, many more of my choices I can still celebrate today.

Reflection is what Sean Covey's book will do for the reader.  Adults will have to think about the paths they have chosen in their lives, while teens will reflect on their present and future paths.  Sean Covey's book is written for the teenage reader in mind using examples and dialogue that I'm sure he thought would relate to today's teen's thinking.

The seven habits defined in the book are as follows:

Habit 1: Be Proactive - Take Responsibility
Habit 2: Begin with eh End in Mind - Set Goals
Habit 3: Put First Things First - Prioritize
Habit 4: Think Win-Win - Have a Positive Attitude
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood - Listen to People
Habit 6: Synergize - Work Together
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw - Renew Yourself Regularly

Each chapter breaks down what highly effective teens should be thinking and doing compared to not so successful teens. The comparisons are shocking and both sides are clearly visible in the students at my school. The chapters also end with some suggestion and resources to help promote the development of each individual habit. Taking responsibility (habit one) sets the tone for developing a personal schema that will not only help kids survive their middle school and high school years, but put them on a path to success and happiness as a friend, student, son or daughter, and an adult.

Sean Covey has written some other books as well to emphasize on some of the more important habits, or to help teens along the way to being a highly effective person every day.