Granted that Covey is a pagan, has anyone found any help, practically, with his books such as the 7 Habits and the 8 Habit?
Stephen Covey
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CharlieJ
Puritan Board Junior
Stephen Covey is not a pagan. He is (or was) a Mormon. Paganism is a fairly defined system/family of belief.
That said, yes, I found his original book, The 7 Habits..., quite helpful. I can't promise it will actually make you highly successful, but it may let you know if you're thinking and acting in unproductive or inefficient ways. If you actually followed all the advice in the book, you probably would be very successful at something, but I have found execution more difficult than cognition.
That said, yes, I found his original book, The 7 Habits..., quite helpful. I can't promise it will actually make you highly successful, but it may let you know if you're thinking and acting in unproductive or inefficient ways. If you actually followed all the advice in the book, you probably would be very successful at something, but I have found execution more difficult than cognition.
Christopher88
Puritan Board Sophomore
I had a whole college class on this book. It does give good advice on management and work/life balance but its always very self focus driven. So it has its good and bad apples.
What is your intent for reading?
I was a not a fan of the class much less the book.
What is your intent for reading?
I was a not a fan of the class much less the book.
I took his course when it was a big thing in the USMC about a decade ago. His notion of the upward spiral is, by his own admission, an adaptation of his Mormon beliefs. The course sort of moves beyond just making you more productive and into spiritual matters about the upward ascent of man.
That said, some people could stand to pay attention to basic ideas that aren't Mormon, per se, but just good time management skills that I find most people lack.
That said, some people could stand to pay attention to basic ideas that aren't Mormon, per se, but just good time management skills that I find most people lack.
When I completed my Chartered Accountants training (CPA in the United States) my tutor advised us to read Covey
1Co_5:1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife.
1Co_10:20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.
1Co_12:2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. ESV
I believe Scripture uses the word in a generic sense, as i was
Christopher88
Puritan Board Sophomore
Like others said, Covey gives great advice on time management and work/life balance. However those are only two chapters of the book. But they are chapters worth reading, the rest of the book not so much.
I might have the book still laying around here; if I do, I can mail it to you for no charge.
Just let me know.
Your not wasting time reading the book, but I would imagine there are better books out there on the subject of manging time and work/life balance.
DMcFadden
Puritanboard Commissioner
Sorry. I was commending his First Things First rather than some of his other books.
In my experience, management books that try to be "practical" rather than theoretical, tend to slop over into the "self improvement" genre. As such, the prevailing worldview in most of the authors is not one that a conservative Christian would find all that compatible. Most of them are a formula of 1 part academic research + 1 part "this is what I told 'em when they paid me mega bucks to be their consultant" + 1 part psychobabble (often with a New Age tinge). That Covey was a Mormon actually made his books less offensive to me than if he had been peddling the eastern flavored psychobabble. But, he was NOT a Christian nor did he operate from a Christian worldview (except in the generalized sense that Mormonism is a Christian heresy rather than one originating in some Eastern religion).
In my experience, management books that try to be "practical" rather than theoretical, tend to slop over into the "self improvement" genre. As such, the prevailing worldview in most of the authors is not one that a conservative Christian would find all that compatible. Most of them are a formula of 1 part academic research + 1 part "this is what I told 'em when they paid me mega bucks to be their consultant" + 1 part psychobabble (often with a New Age tinge). That Covey was a Mormon actually made his books less offensive to me than if he had been peddling the eastern flavored psychobabble. But, he was NOT a Christian nor did he operate from a Christian worldview (except in the generalized sense that Mormonism is a Christian heresy rather than one originating in some Eastern religion).
Thank you for your kind offer but my interest in the book has waned because of its Mormon associations! Also I live on the other side of the globe so postage would be expensive. Thanks again, though and God bless you.
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