The physical and mental strength displayed at the Olympics reminded me of Stephen Covey’s book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”.
The habits are broken down into the first 3 which relate to self management and development.
Habits 4 to 6 offer advice on how best to approach our interactions with others.
Habit 7 is “sharpen the saw” which is about self care.
We wouldn’t try to cut down a tree with a blunt, worn out saw and this analogy is used to advise us to be proactive in looking after ourselves. The Olympic athletes are prime examples of this habit.
By investing in sleep, nutrition and activity we can keep ourselves in peak physical condition.
We can take care of our spiritual lives by meditating or spending time in nature.
We choose to maintain mental fitness by being conscious of what we consume in terms of media and reading.
For optimum social interaction, Covey recommends we have authentic, meaningful connections whilst being helpful to others. It was heartening to see the recent support for all athletes, regardless of their level of success.
My copy of the book is quite old but I was pleasantly surprised with how easy to read it is and how relevant it remains in 2021.
If I liked this book, what others should I try?
Feature Image via Canva
Sinead Huskisson 