Foreword

This Workbook is an abridged version of “The 7 Habits of

Highly Effective People Personal Workbook”. The Workbook text is
a good summary of the original book and follows a slightly different
sequence. Students are strongly advised to read the text of the
Workbook which will clarify concepts of “The 7 Habits” easily and
concisely.

The Workbook has been divided into 6 assignments. The

workload varies is a minimum of 600 words each fortnight. The
questions on Habit 7 (Sharpen the Saw) have been divided into 3
parts and are included in Workbook Assignments 3, 4, and 6
respectively. With the Workbook students are required to fill in the
Weekly Planner with Workbook Assignments 3 and 4.

It is advisable that students complete Workbook Assignments

every fortnight after week 3 of this Course. This way their learning
will be reinforced with their reading of the text of “The 7 Habits”. It
is up to the instructor whether he/she desires that the students fill
the printed Workbook in pencil or pen. Alternatively, the students
can fill in the MS Word file of the Assignment on a computer and
submit a printout, or as an electronic document.

You are requested to share your suggestions on the

Workbook, its questions and point out any errors to
asaf.bukc@bahria.edu.pk.

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Name: Reeshail Ahmed Qureshi Class: BBA 4A

WORKBOOK ASSIGNMENT 1
Write at least 600 words to answer all the questions.

1. Your Answer:
There was this one time where I was put in a position to decide whether or not I should trust one
of my friends or not. We used to be a group of four friends and during the next semester, we
started hearing random rumors about the personality of our friend from a new batch of transfer
students. The rumors were lies that were spread a lot faster than I expected and they became ugly
really quick. It was a decision I thought I never had to make, I found myself caught up in the web of

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lies created by the new transfer students about how my friend was a psychopath talking bad about
people behind their backs and making false accusations about them. I heard that my friend also
talked bad about our group behind my back and even I was shaken to the core to have believed
that a friend of ours would betray us like. I only knew the friend for almost four months so I guess I
was right in my place. Only because of the repeated alerts from the transfer students made me
jump to conclusions and make a quick decision to break my friendship with that person, only to
find out that they were all lies just to make me get rid of the only person I considered to be my
genuine friend. On top of that, I dragged my other two friends into the crossfire of a senseless
claim that had to base on it. Now, I do not even have the courage to confront that person face to
face and apologize for my act of unawareness.

2. Your Answer:
I am no man to judge other people based on their appearances although I once did and really
regret the decision I made. I feel like that was all on me. Other than that, there is this one
assumption I have recently made, and it’s rather small. So recently, I was invited to my friend’s
wedding that’s supposed to be held two months later. We’re not close friends so I assumed that
maybe I’ll only attend the wedding, greet people, eat food, and be home. But I got a call from him
the next day informing me that I will have to attend all of the events that are common in a wedding
and that I’ll also have to be present for the dance practices that he is so eager for me to take part
in. The assumption that just because we are not close friends and I will not have to take part in any
other event and just attend the wedding and be on my way home was wrong. He showed me that
he is a truly great friend and that he wants me to be there at his wedding and be a part of his
circle. Well, I will have to show up at his house every weekend to practice, attend walima, baraat,
etc.

3. Your Answer:
I visited Lahore for the first time alone. The people there treated me with kindness and showed me
hospitality as I wandered across the streets of Lahore. One time I got lost and asked for navigation
and the people helped me get to my destination safely. The local drivers even compensated for my
travel expenses and assured me that I will reach safely. One thing strange about Lahore is that the
people litter everywhere, the fog has increased from the first day I visited Lahore. The roads were
littered and there was a lot of air pollution and rough drivers on the roads. One has to be careful
when crossing roads.

4. Your Answer:

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No, I expected them to show no concern for whatever I was going through. But once I interacted
with them, they showed me kindness and good behavior. Apart from that, some even offered me
food to go along with my day.

5. Your Answer:
Considering my overall experience with everyone I meet. I leave a very good impression about my
character and personality. The first thought that people have of me when I meet them is that they
think that I belong to a very good family and that they have taught me so well. No, I do not believe
that their thought about me was similar to my thought about them. It is funny actually; I usually
connect the dots about how people behave around others despite them showing their false nature
and my instincts turn out to be true.

6. Your Answer:
Another incident is when I was on my way back from Lahore. I met a guy who had a seat next to
me on the train I was traveling in. The guy figured out exactly what I was going through and he
anticipated all of that during our conversation. His family was in the army and he complained
about the discipline and everything wrong with his family traditions and control. If I were to
befriend him and get to know him better that would change my assumption about that person. I
would shift my paradigm and understand the type of person he really is.

7. Your Answer:
I usually take a convenient route when traveling to my university. The highway connects straight to
my university and there are literally just two turns I have to take to reach my university. I find this
route to be the most convenient than the rest. Moreover, during the first week of my experience, I
usually took different routes to identify one perfect and convenient route. It took me some time
but I found out the best route. Yes, one way is more convenient than the other depending upon
the stops you have to make. Rush hours and traffic routes are a hassle but I found a convenient
method that avoids traffic and allows me to reach on time.

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 (Did you like the new route so much that you frequently use it now? This is called
a “Paradigm Shift”.)
8. Your Answer:
I once took a different turn and it ended up leading straight to my home. That was an unexpected
feeling but I didn’t choose to take that route again because it was a lot of turns, traffic, and rush
hour. It was also a long route so I had to drop it.

9. Your Answer:
Yes, there are new ways to interact with people. What I do for the first time is I greet them as if
they are my friends. That shows the other person that I am polite and friendly. Thus, they
cooperate in a good and friendly manner. Also, I keep myself humble and kind when I interact with
new people. Sometimes you have to keep your guard up around people you found shady and dark.

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10. Your Own Story about P/PC balance:
It is a recent experience about my work life. I write articles for a reputable company. At first, it was
hard for me to manage my time in university, with family, and with my work. The first few weeks
were rough, I used to come back from my university at 3:00 PM and take a nap for four hours. I
didn’t have the time to have breakfast and once I woke up, I would sometimes skip dinner as well.
The client would always send me my topics in the morning around 10 AM and expect me to deliver
them by 7 PM. My schedule was messed up and I would always receive messages from the client
asking about the article. Therefore, it became hard for me to minimize my time socializing with
others and I forgot about taking care of myself. My production capacity fell and I became lost and
didn’t know how to cope. But with time I managed to find a gap and increase my production and
production capacity.
Now, I wake up at 7:30 AM and prepare myself in under 20 minutes for my university. I leave my
home at exactly 8 AM and reach my university at 8:20 AM. I take my consecutive six-hour classes
and have breakfast in between the hours. I get free at 2:30 PM and get my article at 11 AM. I reach
home at 3:20 PM and change my clothes, freshen up and get to bed. At this point, I am extremely
exhausted. But instead of taking a nap, I start working on my article and finish it by 8 PM and
deliver it to the client. I then carefully revise all my work done in the university and get free by 10
AM and have my dinner. My food is usually ordered from the market and I can say that it is not
healthy. By 12 AM I am literally on my knees begging myself to get some rest. I stay up and
socialize through online platforms, scroll through social media and sleep around 2 AM. The same
routine follows the next day although I get other tasks from family time to time.

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11. Your Answer:
1. The principle of continuous learning

2. The principle of service

3. The Principle of balance

4. The principle of consistent self-renewal and self-improvement

5. The principle of spontaneity and serendipity

They impact me in positive ways as I live each day with new experiences.

The biggest challenge I’m facing now is:

12. Your Answer:
To be able to satisfy the basic needs of my mother and me. To be able to earn enough money to
get the days by. The reality of life is harsh and I have experienced a lot in my early days.

Some negative paradigms I have about myself are (e.g., I am bad at sports):
13. Your Answer:
1. I don’t express my love to the people close to me but deep down I know I care
2. I overthink a lot
3. I am not the one to keep in touch with my relatives and am not the person to socialize with
everyone except a few.

One negative paradigm in my person, I would like to change soon is:

14. Your Answer:
I should rather open up about how I feel about my close family and the friends I am with. Although
I have improved a lot in this regard with the person, I intend to live my life with. That person has
changed a lot in me in various ways I thought I never could unlock.

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15. Your Answer one Good Habit and one Bad Habit; their knowledge, skill and desires.:

I am good at managing everything in time and tackling problems in various ways.

My bad habit is that I do not open up to people even my close family members. Even the stuff that
bothers me. I tend to deal with my problems alone.

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16. Good Habits have some good effects and results. Write, the good results you get from your
Good Habit.

Managing time has been an effective method for me to cope with my daily routine. Tackling
problems in various ways has made it efficient for me to think and react on time.

17. Bad Habits have some bad effects and results. Write, the bad results you get from your Bad
Habit.

People distance themselves from me when they find out that I do not talk about my problems
and deal with them alone. But there is just one person in my life that knows all of my secrets and
has stayed by side.

Habits have a tremendous pull - more than most people realize or will admit. Breaking a
deeply embedded habit involves great effort and, oftentimes, major changes in our lives.
Look back at what you wrote down about your bad habit. Are you willing to undertake whatever is
necessary to break that habit? If you are, write down three things you will do to begin the process
of breaking that habit. Keep a record of your progress.
18. Answer three things you can do to break your Bad Habit.

1. If my bad habit involves me not opening up to that one person and starting distancing
myself from them as well. I will think of all the times that person has been there for me to
ease my mind and get me through the day.

2. I can be upfront with my feelings with that significant person because I know no matter
how bad I fall I know they’ll be there to pull me up to my feet again.

3. I can communicate with them knowing that they will understand what I am going through
instead of making me feel weak. The trust that we have in each other is what will
overcome the bad habit. I still do not open up to the rest of the world.

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19. Your answer, where are you in the Maturity Continuum, at present and why. You can be
dependent for some things and independent in others. Identify the overall result. Why you
feel dependent, independent, or interdependent?

I am at the stage of interdependence now. Two years back I was at the stage of independence.
There are some things in which I prefer to do things on my own and there are some things that I
want that one person to get involved in and it is fun. There were times when I felt dependent
and lost and I hated that feeling.

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