Fwd: A Journey of Lifelong Learning Starts with a Choice

Yes, this all day long… this!  Valuable lessons I learned from Stephen Covey…

Here are the key insights from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People : 

1. Sharpen the saw. Don't work yourself to death. Strive for a sustainable lifestyle that affords you time to recuperate, recharge and be effective in the long-term. 

2. Be proactive. You have a natural need to wield influence on the world around you so don't spend your time just reacting to external events and circumstances. Take charge and assume responsibility for your life. 

3. Begin with an end in mind. Don't spend your life working aimlessly, tackling whatever job is at hand. Have a vision for the future and align your actions accordingly to make it into a reality. 

4. Put first things first. To prioritize your work, focus on what's important, meaning the things that bring you closer to your vision of the future. Don't get distracted by urgent but unimportant tasks. 

5. Think win-win. When negotiating with other, don't try to get the biggest slice of the cake, but rather find a division that is acceptable to all parties. You will still get your fair share, and build strong positive relationships in the process. 

6. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. When someone presents us with a problem, we often jump right to giving a solution. This is a mistake. We should first take time to really listen to the other person and only then make recommendations. 

7. Synergize. Adopt the guiding principle that in a group, the contributions of many will far exceed those of any individual. This will help you achieve goals you could never have reached on your own.

A Journey of Lifelong Learning Starts with a Choice By Rick Warren — May 31, 2020 "Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge." Proverbs 23:12 (NLT) Your journey of lifelong learning starts with a choice. It's a choice only you can make. It's an incredibly important decision that'll impact your entire life. The Bible says, "Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge"(Proverbs 23:12 NLT). I made this commitment to keep learning when I was 15 years old. I began saying that I would learn as much as I could. For many years I read at least a book a day. Books open the door to every subject imaginable! Your education doesn't stop when you graduate. I've actually heard people say, "I'm glad I've finished my education so now I can start my career." Tell that one to God, and he'll laugh. God has so much more he wants to teach you. Your education should never end. Learning isn't just a stage of life. It is your life! God wants you to learn something new every day. So don't stop—ever. Start working on learning a new skill this year. God wants you to grow. You should be and can be different and better a year from now than you are today. It's in your best interest to do so. Lifelong learning will make you a better leader, a better parent, a better spouse, and a better friend. It'll make you more effective in your job. It brings both success and profit. The Bible says, "If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success" (Ecclesiastes 10:10 NIV). If you've got an ax with a dull blade and you're chopping wood, it'll take a lot more energy to do the job. If your ax is sharp (which represents skill in this verse), then it doesn't take as much effort. The Bible is saying to work smarter, not necessarily harder. You're never wasting time when you're sharpening your ax. PLAY today's audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk About It How do you prefer to learn new information or skills (taking a class, reading a book, talking to a mentor)? How can that help you become a lifelong learner? What's something you've learned more about this year that has really helped you in life? Consider this: When you read these devotionals, read a book, or take a seminar, you're sharpening your spiritual ax. What's one other specific way you're sharpening your ax? If you've never invited Jesus into your heart, I want you to have that opportunity now. Pray this prayer: "Dear God, I don't understand it all, but thank you for loving me. Thank you for being for me and for sending Jesus to save me. "I admit I need Jesus as my Savior, and today I want to ask Jesus into my heart. I want a relationship with Jesus. I want to follow him and do the things he tells me to do. "I ask you to save me from my past, regrets, mistakes, sins, habits, hurts, and hang-ups. I ask you to save me for your purpose. I want to know why you put me on this planet. And I want to fulfill what you made me to do. I want to learn how to love and trust you and to be in your family forever."