Since its publication in 1989, Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide. Covey's approach differs from the myriad quick-fix solutions that promise outward change, but neglect to evaluate the character and habits of the person. This book defines a habit as the internalization of principles such as empathy, cooperation, and growth. As Covey shows us, to achieve your goals, you must build your character on a principle-centered foundation.

1. The most effective way to achieve your goals is to transform your character.

The most lasting and effective way to transform your character is to align yourself with self-evident and enduring principles. Principles are objective and unchanging laws that govern human effectiveness, growth, and happiness. Examples include fairness, kindness, and integrity. These principles can be discovered in the roots of every society, family, and institution that has prospered throughout history. One way to grasp the self-evident nature of these principles is to imagine trying to live an effective life based on their opposites. Would anyone really consider unfairness, hostility, and deceit a solid foundation for lasting happiness?

Contrary to popular belief, being an effective person is not about gaining fame, fortune, or power—it's about training your character and behavior to line up with the right principles.

So how do we do start to live based on principles? If we want to develop a principled approach to living, we need to understand the principle of growth. Inherent in growth is the idea of progress. Most people understand the idea of progress in the physical realm. For example, a child crawls, then walks, then runs. Development of physical strength takes time and effort. If you try to implement quick-fix techniques, you will not ultimately succeed in producing the lasting growth you want. Sustainable growth requires patience and discipline. Think about your relationships: to be effective in relating to a husband, wife, child, or co-worker, it is vital that you learn to really listen. You will need patience, openness, and a commitment to understanding. These are all highly developed character qualities that take time and effort to cultivate. It is easier to fake a developed character than a developed physique. In fact, you may even be practiced at "posing" and "putting on" for the public, but you know who you are on the inside. To really grow, you need a character rooted in principles.