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Quotes by Stephen Covey


Live out of your imagination, not your history.
– Stephen Covey

There are three constants in life: change, choice and principles.
– Stephen Covey

Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.
– Stephen Covey
A cardinal principle of Total Quality escapes too many managers: you cannot continuously improve interdependent systems and processes until you progressively perfect interdependent, interpersonal relationships.
– Stephen Covey
Actually I did not invent the seven habits, they are universal principles and most of what I wrote about is just common sense. I am embarrassed when people talk about the Covey Habits, and dislike the idea of being some sort of guru.
– Stephen Covey
Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out.
– Stephen Covey
Every human has four endowments- self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom... The power to choose, to respond, to change.
– Stephen Covey
I am personally convinced that one person can be a change catalyst, a transformer in any situation, any organization. Such an individual is yeast that can leaven an entire loaf. It requires vision, initiative, patience, respect, persistence, courage, and faith to be a transforming leader.
– Stephen Covey
I'm convinced that we can write and live our own scripts more than most people will acknowledge. I also know the price that must be paid. It's a real struggle to do it. It requires visualization and affirmation. It involves living a life of integrity, starting with making and keeping promises, until the whole human personality the senses, the thinking, the feeling, and the intuition are ultimately integrated and harmonized.
– Stephen Covey
If we keep doing what we're doing, we're going to keep gettingwhat we're getting.
– Stephen Covey
In the last analysis, what we are communicates far more eloquently than anything we say or do.
– Stephen Covey
It's a fact that more people watch television and get their information that way than read books. I find new technology and new ways of communication very exciting and would like to do more in this field.
– Stephen Covey
Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.
– Stephen Covey
Most people struggle with life balance simply because they haven't paid the price to decide what is really important to them.
– Stephen Covey
Our character is basically a composite of our habits. Because they are consistent, often unconcious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character.
– Stephen Covey
Public behavior is merely private character writ large.
– Stephen Covey
The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.
– Stephen Covey
The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.
– Stephen Covey
We are not animals. We are not a product of what has happened to us in our past. We have the power of choice.
– Stephen Covey
We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.
– Stephen Covey
We are the creative force of our life, and through our own decisions rather than our conditions, if we carefully learn to do certain things, we can accomplish those goals.
– Stephen Covey
When it comes to developing character strength, inner security and unique personal and interpersonal talents and skills in a child, no institution can or ever will compare with, or effectively substitute for, the home's potential for positive influence.
– Stephen Covey
Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational principle that holds all relationships.
– Stephen Covey
The bottom line is, when people are crystal clear about the most important priorities of the organization and team they work with and prioritized their work around those top priorities, not only are they many times more productive, they discover they have the time they need to have a whole life.
– Stephen Covey
Historically, the family has played the primary role in educating children for life, with the school providing supplemental scaffolding to the family.
– Stephen Covey
Employers and business leaders need people who can think for themselves - who can take initiative and be the solution to problems.
– Stephen Covey
Despite all our gains in technology, product innovation and world markets, most people are not thriving in the organizations they work for.
– Stephen Covey
But with the steady disintegration of the family in modern society over the last century, the role of the school in bridging the gap has become vital!
– Stephen Covey