Someone once told me to follow theses 3 simple steps when writing for the public. First, tell them what you are going to tell them, second tell them what you are telling them, and finally tell them what you told them.
Here is step one!
Over the next few weeks we are going to offer a principle centered view of adventuring with the help of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. For those of you who are not familiar with the 7 Habits please feel free to go out and buy the book by Stephen R. Covey, or you can stay with us and find out for yourself how it will help you become a better Scuba Diver, Kayaker, and/or human being.
In 1989 Stephen R. Covey(
http://www.stephencovey.com)/ released his book “7 Habits of Highly Effective people”. Selling over 15 million copies in 38 languages, Covey has synthesized a success formula that unlike fad diets and quick, band-aid get rich schemes has managed to help people the world over create long term success as well short term gains.
OK….Here’s the part where I am going to tell you what I am going to tell you. Over the next few weeks you are going to learn the definitions of the words principle and habit, and how the following seven steps, if used properly will change the way you do things for the better.
What is the definition of the word Principle? According to dictionary.com(
http://www.dictionary.com/) there are a variety of uses for the noun principle. The following 3 are most applicable to this discussion:
- an accepted or professed rule of action or conduct: a person of good moral principles
- a fundamental, primary, or general law or truth from which others are derived: the principles of modern physics.
- a determining characteristic of something; essential quality.
What is the definition of a habit? Again, according to dictionary.com a habit is:
- an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary: the habit of looking both ways before crossing the street.
What are the 7 Habits of Highly Effective “Adventurers”?
- Habit 1: Be Proactive - Principles of Personal Choice
- Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind: Principles of Personal Vision
- Habit 3: Put First Things First - Principles of Integrity & Execution
- Habit 4: Think Win/Win - Principles of Mutual Benefit
- Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood - Principles of Mutual Understanding
- Habit 6: Synergize: Principles of Creative Cooperation
- Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw: Principles of Balanced Self-Renewal
Over the next few weeks we will learn how to acquire the essential qualities of success and turn them into patterns of behavior that will help you as an adventurer.
Sound good?
Habit 1: Be Proactive - Principles of Personal Choice
Congratulations!!! So far you have this one knocked. By reading this article you have proven that you have what it takes to be pro-active. You have chosen that being an adventurer and/or having a better life is worthwhile.
To quote LaoTzu the sixth century B.C. philosopher, “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step”. Here, your first step is choice. By understanding that we have taken this journey by choice it allows to understand that when times are tough there is nobody else to blame except ourselves.
Ok, ok, I know what you’re probably saying ´This is a lot of philosophical mumbo jumbo.” How is this going to help you when you are at 100 ft. on one of the best shipwrecks in North America(The P.L.M. 27) or 3 miles from shore in your Kayak, and “Murphy’s Law” pops up? See, the thing about adventure sports is the inherent shadow of danger. It forces the participant unlike any other sport to see their mistakes. Usually, because the end result is serious injury, or even death. If you are a proactive adventurer, you would have prepared for as many unforeseen circumstances as possible and now you are responsible (RESPONSE-ABLE) for the final out come. The proactive adventurer is far more likely to be ABLE to RESPOND.
What is the best way to be a RESPONSIBLE and PROACTIVE adventurer? This leads us to Habit #2 Begin with the end in mind.(to becontinued...)
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Adventures with Johnny O.
