Timeless Values and Principles : a Revisitation

Amidst the millions of books in categories such as self improvement and business, there are two in particular any business professional, student, entrepreneur or any individual interested in personal growth must read.

• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey


• Built to Last - Jim Collins & Jerry Porras

And reading these in quick succession or in concurrence brings about an interesting epiphany.

The second habit - ‘Begin with the end in mind’

The second habit in Covey’s book, ‘Begin with the end in mind’ lays out a principle or in his terms, a habit that will set a person’s life on-course that will help him stay true to the things that he or she values most and thereby be deeply satisfied. A practical step as suggested in the book is to carry out some introspection and writing down of a personal mission statement.

Covey’s book also explores some of the previous attempts by various authors in finding the ultimate formula for personal success. In his research he finds that many of the methods used were fundamentally flawed in the fact that they were an attempt to change the outcome of a thing without a change or improvement in the inner workings responsible for it.

Built to last with core values and ideologies

In ‘Built to Last’, the authors through research discover some of the widely held beliefs regarding the success behind great corporations are in fact myths.One trait that is common among highly successful corporations however is the existence of a purpose or mission greater than itself and greater than the objective of money making within the company.

There exists a changeless core in these organizations that acts as a beacon and helps them weather changing times, economic downturns, stifling competition etc. Like Covey’s second habit, people in these organizations hold true to these values and core principles and deploy powerful drive for progress that enables them to adapt and change without compromise to the core ideals.

This common ground found in these books reveal a significant reality which many individuals and corporations alike seem to have forgotten. They have belittled the importance of identifying these core values and have looked for quick fixes. One thing becomes clear in reading these books; there are none.  Identifying these principles and values are even more vital in today’s turbulent economy businesses have to deal with and lifestyles people lead.

Journey in a circle



And what’s even more interesting is that these priceless and ageless principles lead to the fundamentals set forth in yet another and certainly the oldest book in this world. And this one, everyone should read! The human-race seems to have gone around in a circle in an attempt to find short cuts and various other means of arriving at their destination only to find that there are none. The Author is probably having a chuckle with an “I told you so!”.