First Things First

by Stephen R. Covey

Basing our happiness on our ability to control everything is futile. While we do control our choice of action, we cannot control the consequences of our choices.

Universal laws or principles do. Thus, we are not in control of our lives; principles are.

more important than how fast you’re going, is where you’re headed.

quality of life cannot be achieved by taking the right shortcut. There is no shortcut. But there is a path. The path is based on principles revered throughout history.

a meaningful life is not a matter of speed or efficiency. It’s much more a matter of what you do and why you do it, than how fast you get it done.

“first things”—our basic human needs and capacities to live, to love, to learn, and to leave a legacy—and

principles produce both personal peace and dramatic results.