The reviewer initially saw 'The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People' as a cliché self-help book but found it insightful and useful. They appreciated the practical takeaways and the author's engaging writing style, despite some overly business-like language and a few chapters that didn't resonate with them.
Before reading 'The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People', the reviewer thought of it as a typical self-help book filled with clichés. However, they were pleasantly surprised by its depth and usefulness. The book's insights on human behavior and practical advice on managing life and work were particularly valuable. The reviewer enjoyed the author's engaging writing style and found many of the ideas applicable to their daily life. They especially appreciated the concept of the circle of influence versus the circle of concern, which has helped them prioritize their activities and manage work-life balance. However, some of the business jargon and a few chapters, such as those on 'win/win' and 'synergy', felt overly simplistic and wrapped in unnecessary fluff. Despite these minor drawbacks, the book provided several 'paradigm shifts' that genuinely changed the reviewer's perspective.
Quick quotes
The book’s insightfulness surprised me, and I found many of its ideas useful in my everyday life.
It’s also clear to me why the book is a classic. Throughout the book, I experienced several — I’ll say it — _paradigm shifts_, where Covey introduced a simple idea that genuinely changed my perspective.
The book is goofily over the top in its business-speak of 'win/win,' 'synergy,' and 'paradigm shifts.