Agendas Quote by Stephen Covey
“All things are created twice, but not all first creations are by conscious design. In our personal lives, if we do not develop our own self-awareness and become responsible for first creations, we empower other people and circumstances outside our Circle of Influence to shape much of our lives by default. We reactively live the scripts handed to us by family, associates, other people's agendas, the pressures of circumstance - scripts from our earlier years, from our training, our conditioning.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey, 1989
We first create internal models, then external realities; without conscious self‑design we let others dictate our lives.
In simple terms: First create yourself, then shape your world.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate self‑awareness to steer your life.
Themes
self‑awareness
responsibility
personal agency
influence
habit formation
Mood
reflective
motivational
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- career planning
- relationship building
- habit change
- leadership development
Key Concepts
psychology
behavioral design
systems thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you identify your own unexamined scripts?
- What steps will you take to own your first creations?
A Different Perspective
Self‑design is hard; external pressures can overwhelm personal effort.
