The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

I kept hearing this book recommended by people whose judgement I trusted. Eventually I stopped ignoring it.

Covey's framework is built on principles rather than techniques — the idea being that lasting effectiveness comes from aligning yourself with things that don't change, not from finding clever shortcuts.

The habit that affected me most was "begin with the end in mind." It sounds obvious. But actually sitting down and thinking clearly about what you want your life to look like, then working backwards, is something most people never do properly.

It's a long book. Take it slowly. Each section builds on the last.