Futurlogics as (Habit Zer0) and Stephen R. Covey's Eight Habits

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People  
first published in 1989 by Stephen R. Covey  .
	

Any book with such success should be studied, even if the content is not studied for it's own sake. If any question should be asked, it is how has this work been so successful? What are the principles 'under the hood' that make the ideas in this book acceptable to such a large numbers of readers? Surely the phenomena and influence upon millions of readers and followers is an example of Covey's "Habit 6" or the SYNERGY produced by the input of many his many readers. New words and concept are now in common usage in todays work world through the influence of this book and teachings of Dr. Stephen R. Covey personal touch.

What follows on this web page is a discussion by James N. Hall author of Futurlogics concerning the "SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE." The commentary is mainly styled for those who have already read this publication. Nevertheless reading these commentaries first will serve as an overview to frame reading.

Comments in parens '()' are by james n. hall in the immediately following list of Habits by Stephen R. Coveys book which sold many millions of copies and the overview of many tapes and lectures by this successful consultant and effective teacher.

(HABIT ZER0 FUTURLOGICS a system of prospective thinking) 

        Principle of self-teaching


        (To be explained later in this article and is not part of the original
         publication yet may be seen as an underlying principle)

        (* The Self Teaching Principle)

        (HABIT ZERO, HABIT ZER0)

        (There is no free will, self determination, free agency, or power to
         choose, decide, select without a FUTURE; and, all preparations to
         learn of the future is predicated upon PROSPECTIVE THINKING)

        Note: Habit ZERO or Habit ZER0 is a concept more fundamental than the
        original "Seven Habit of Highly Effective People".  It should preceed
        and succeed the theme of Covey's work.

        (Habit Zero is essentially the ability to teach oneself.)

Seven Study Subjects for gaining Habit 0:

• Value of Truth.
• Value of Knowledge.
• Enlightenment of Knowledge.
• Ability to reflect enables Futuring the Future.
• Passion, Diligence, Persistence, Perseverance.
• Prediction, Foretelling, Prophecy, Preparation, Planning.
• Metacognition and Thinking.

HABIT 1 Be Proactive: 

        Principle of Personal Vision


        (Here we leave the the world of "group think" and venture into the 
         adventure self motivation and "personal think.")

        (Futurlogics is a system of Prospective Thinking to develop clear and
         well defined visions of what may be seen ahead, Covey  uses the human
         trait of self-awareness and imagination to capture these visions.)

        (DMP as the Ideal in Futurlogics for dealing with the abstract nature
         of the future)

        (DMP is simultaneously Direct Mind Perception and Direct Mental Process)

        (Direct Mind Perception is insight; Direct Mental Process is intuition )

        (PREACTIVITY or Pre-activity is greater than Proactivity and requires 
         prospective thinking) 

        (Remember the PREACTIVITY of prospective thinking preceeds THE PROACTIVE
         HABIT! or HABIT 2 is impossible without Habit 0. HABIT 1 should be the        
         consequence of the pre-thinking HABIT)

        (A vision of the past is not your guiding star)

Seven Study Subjects for gaining Habit 1:

• Parental Influences, Tradition, Inheritance.
• Social Memes or Viral Changes in Society.
• Educational Agendas.
• Economic Differences Impact i.e. “follow the money,” "track the gold."
• Social Pressures, Conformity, Individuality.
• Language Patterns, Communications role in change mechanics.
• Group Thinking vs. Personal Thinking.

HABIT 3 Put First Things First:  (Author james n. hall sees Habit 3 comes before Habit 2)

        Principle of Personal Management  (You have to manage yourself before you lead others!)


        (Where are your priorities as a decision making method?)

        (Strength of character as a basis of time management)

        (Ponder and weigh the possibilities and probabilities, waiting)

        (See the Application  Section of the Futurlogics as it covers much
         the same territory i.e. Waiting,Preparing,Planning,Universal 
         Engineering)

        (Time management without a fullness of the future is only approximate
         management full of surprises, Futurlogics can give clarity to the
         temporal environment.)

        (Futurlogics chapter on WAITING is somewhat similar to the Forth 
         Generation Time Management mentioned by Dr. Covey)

Seven Study Subjects for gaining Habit 3:

• Professional Expertise,Specialization effect/affect on Observation.
• Life Span, Experience role in thinking, learning, study.
• Specialization of Occupations vs. the Generalist in futuring.
• Veracity of Data and Accuracy of Research, Trust.
• Peacetime Science vs. Wartime Science, Industry.
• Scientific Paradigm Distortion i.e. “Old School vs. New School.”
• Unspoken Agendas in Science.

HABIT 2 Begin with End in Mind: 

        Principle of Personal Leadership


        (Establish your legacy by seeing ahead to what you will leave behind
         as an altruistic sacrafice or a vision of your contribution)

        (Consider your guiding star(s) or backcasting your vision )

        (Nearly the same as the cycle/mode/model/future/paradigm pattern in 
         Futurlogics)

        (Beyond Goal Orientation to Future Orientation with prospective 
         thinking)

        (The principles of prospective thought do more than building a legacy
         it prepares us for the adventures of the future of the future) 

        (Using long range vision to guide short range views.)

Seven Study Subjects for gaining Habit 2:

• Academic Authority vs. the Self Evident.
• Inability to Handle the “Abstract Concepts.”
• Administration of Resources or Influence of Money in Research.
• Acknowledgement of Originality vs. False Claims of Discovery.
• Mixed Metaphors or Hazards of the Never Ending Brain Storm.
• Differences in Individual Attitudes Towards Intuition/Insight.
• Mental Capacity to think of more than one thing at a time.

HABIT 4 Think Win/Win: 

        Principle of Interpersonal Leadership.


        (Build people who will in turn assist you in obtaining your goals)

        (Service and succor you can provide to market your service/product)

        (Perhaps in some cases the Habit 8 should be applied here)

        (Mechanics of Teamwork, Mutual Trust)

        (Inspire cooperation!)

Seven Study Subjects for gaining Habit 4:

• Emotional Attachment to “Visions”, Theories, Guesses . . . .
• False Peer Reviews or No Peer Reviews.
• Disregarding Insight and Intuition.
• Proper Social Relationships vs. Clinical Approach.
• Recognizing Hidden Value or Gold Mining Data.
• Explaining Concepts in Simplicity is the Best Answer.
• Premature Judgment vs. Waiting too Long.

HABIT 5 Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood:
 
        Principle of Empathic Communication


        (Take care to really know where you are before you begin to explain 
         where you are going.)

        (Charity, care, diligence, harmless, judgeless, accepting contact with
         social realities)

        (Know your audience before you speak)

        (Be real and relavant to others)

Seven Study Subjects for gaining Habit 5:

• Valuing, Honoring, Creativity and Genius.
• Foremost Authorities in Research and their Value in Planning.
• Recognizing How Revolutionary Ideas Form or Transform.
• Respecting the Non Experts Perspective in Futuring the Future.
• Deep Research and Casual Study.
• Benefits of Positive Life and Good Health.
• Respecting Power of Natural Forces to Benefits Memes.

HABIT 6 Synergize: 

        Principle of Creative Cooperation

  
        (This is 'Barn Building' as portrayed by Barbara Sher in "Wishcraft"

        (DMP enlightenment and intuition pooled at the social level in  the
         foundation of freedom)

        (The results of a creative enterpise if fed back to the enterprise will
         and can cause greater conditions to promote greater creativity.)

        (Two heads working together are better than two head working in 
         isolation of one another)

Seven Study Subjects for gaining Habit 6:

• Love of Truth.
• Love of Knowledge.
• Light of Knowledge.
• Strength of Consciousness enables Futuring the Future.
• Diligence, Persistence, Perseverance.
• Prediction, Foretelling, Prophecy, Preparation, Planning.
• Maintain of Feedback Communication.

HABIT 7 Sharpen the Saw: 

        Principle of Balanced Self-renewal


        (Metacognition and RE-creation, Sunday day of rest, think smarter not
         harder)

        (Prospective thinking is the sharpening medium to do the tool improvement 
        to get that 'Upward Spiral' or 'Expanding Spiral' of Futurlogics.)

Seven Study Subjects for gaining Habit 7:

• Love of Truth.
• Love of Knowledge.
• Certainty of Knowledge.
• Strength of Consciousness enables Clarity of the Thought.
• Diligence, Persistence, Perseverance.
• Prediction, Foretelling, Prophecy.
• Beware of False Certainty.
`

HABIT 8 Find your voice and inspire others to find their voice: 

        From Effectiveness to Greatness Mentoring


        (A Guru for everyone)

        (Mentoring will prepare one for  the new thinking for the future needed
         for the KNOWLEDGE BASED societal age)

        (It appears Dr. Covey is changing his "Seven Habits of Highly Effective
         People" to "Eight Habits of Highly  Affective  People")

        (Four attributes of the great leaders are VISION, DISCIPLINE, PASSION, 
         and CONSCIENCE.  Dr Covey melds these in to the qualities of great 
         leadership.  The VISION attribute is in the provence of FUTURLOGICS 
         and prospective thinking, as it is defined as the leaders grasp of 
         the future.  Futurlogics can perfect vision with clarity and 
         creativity.  The HABITS disappear when there is no future.  The more
         the leader knows of the future the greater is his power to lead.)

Seven Study Subjects for gaining Habit 8:

• Engendering Love of Truth.
• Engendering Love of Knowledge.
• Amount of Knowledge.
• Certainty of Experience enables Mentoring the Next Generation.
• Diligence, Persistence, Perseverance.
• Prediction, Foretelling, Prophecy.
• Beware of False Certainty.

The first observation concerning using habits as a thinking system is that:

   A. In specific HABITUAL thinking can limit the ability to improve ideas 
      or generate new ideas.

   B. In general HABITUAL thinking can limit less the ability to improve ideas 
      or generate new ideas if the habits are founded upon principles, but 
      still there is a limiting affect .  This affect is admittedly lessened 
      with Habits founded upon principles as the Covey "Seven Habits" yet there 
      should be a concern when the time for idea generation is required as in
      brainstorm sessions or "Barn Building" .  

   C. Paradigms as Covey defines them are sometimes very persistent especially
      when habits are reinforced by a culture or family.  These will often
      be difficult to shift or overcome.

   D. Much importance is put upon the space between 'stimulus' and 'response',
      but there is space before 'stimulus'  and there is space after 'stimulus'
      and there is space before 'response' and there is space after 'response'.
      Futurlogics is concerned with as a system of prospective with the space
      before any stimulus.  This is necessary to prepare for
      the stimulus and prepare for a response through planning.

   E. "The power of an accurate paradigm lies in its ability to explain and 
       predict"  quote Stephen R. Covey in his book the "EIGHTH HABIT".
       The Paradigm mode/model of FUTURLOGICS is the paradigm builder that
       will be the connection to HABIT ZER0 or futurlogics.  In other words
       futurlogics breaks covey's paradigm down to thinkable components.

      

The point is HABITS in the true sense of the word will channel thinking but
Stephen R. Covey defines HABIT in another way; he has borrowed this word to 
represent his concept of HABIT. Often the HABITS in the true sense of the word 
do constrict thinking but his principle based HABITS will be more liberating.

A person who has never experience a 'paradigm shift' will not relate to the need
for a shift.  However, if you are used to shifts occuring regularly constant
shifting is expected and wanted in some respects.  Creativity is the impetus
for the 'paradigm shift.'

Creativity is mentioned only at the social level of the interpersonal or HABIT 6. 
The use of Futurlogics as the Personal Habit level should compensate for the 
apparent *"Group Think".  Yet a brainstorm team does reach the synergy of idea
generation that often the personal level overlooks due to a personal bias.
Personal biases do and will offset themselves at the group brain storm session.
Actually both methods of generating ideas are benificial to idea creation.
We must 'value the difference' to best reach creative synergy.

*note: Any time you think best in a social setting your thinking is a product 
of the 'social mirror'.  This is in part 'Group Thinking.'

Let us pause here to note that  MODE in futurlogics is a level more
primitive than the Covey Paradigm concept.  It is a component, if you will.
Example in FUTURLOGICS a cycle produces a mode, switching modes sets up a 
model, models or paradigms are directed to the future, paradigms in 
Futurlogics are both modal and model yet they are Paradigms.  Any view or 
foreknowledge of the future is at once a paradigm.  All paradigms are 
prospective in nature.  A paradigm is a template or map to deal with the
unknown or the future possibilities.

BELOW ARE EXTRACTS FROM FUTURLOGICS CONCERNING HABIT(S):

     Futurlogics enables us to alternate from one mode to another
freely so that we can approach the future from many perspectives and
evade the distortion of a narrow approach.  Even though the beginnings
are mechanical, when the process is internalized we should find
the emergence of DMP.  How do we internalize the procedure of Futurlogics?  
It is by practice and conscious effort that it will eventually become 
HABIT and unconscious procedure.  It is during these stages that the 
sense of DMP will be felt and is discernible in our thought process.

THE SIX MODES ARE THE RESULT OF SUBCONSCIOUS FORETELLING

     Each of the favorite modes that have been discussed is the
product of subconscious process.  Even though the modes may have
begun as a conscious process, through constant use they become
HABITS, so that finally an approach which began without any awareness
of the other ways of approaching the future becomes ingrained and
the other ways are discounted.

. . . 

     Futurlogics begins as a conscious system of prediction, but as it
becomes HABITUAL it proceeds to a subconscious transition of
foretelling which is the beginning of DMP.  Once DMP is experienced,
then the only better way of learning of the future is through the
high-altitude method of prophesy.

. . . 

     The cause-effect principle is important to the concept here developed:
mere existence causes things to happen.  These effects of our
existence are willed or they are involuntary.  When they are willed, we
enter a special category of material interaction.  Whenever we alter
conditions and cause specific effects to occur, we are preparing.
Anything that causes a desired effect, and is done purposely, is
preparing.  When we learn to control who we are and how we do
things--engineering them to specific designs and plans--we are preparing,
even if our preparedness has become HABITUAL and below awareness.

. . . 

     Thirdly, HABITS are a big part of everything we do.  If we constantly
put off preparation for tomorrow soon we find that it is a HABIT.
We procrastinate until the reality of the event is upon us and we
then experience the sudden stress of urgency and lack of time to
adequately prepare.
     Forthly, we get into the habit of putting off for tomorrow because
the event is so far into the future its remoteness tempts us to say that
we have  "plenty of time."  This suggestion to our subconscious may
also start the HABIT we mentioned.

. . . 

        Realistic goals should be kept within the scope of our resources
and abilities. Many men have equal ability, but unequal resources, however
unfortunate this may be, and it is a fact that must be considered with the
process of goal selection. Ability can be seen as a resource, and nothing
should be thought impossible, as pessimism kills the imagination which is
the key to creative planning. The point is that excessive failure is taken
by some to be HABIT forming and frames much successive behavior.
        Long-range plans will naturally affect short-range plans, but many
short-range plans we make daily can also give thrust to the lon-range as
goals come from our motivational system.  If we are HABITUALLY
shortsighted, then the HABIT will influence goals we select in longer term
planning.

. . . 

     2.  As with all human behavior, planning is rooted in HABIT.
Overcoming HABITS of avoidance is one of the first things we must do
to improve our innate skills of planning and creativity.

END OF QUOTED EXTRACTS FROM FUTURLOGICS CONCERNING HABIT(S):

If I understand Stephen R. Covey Seven Habits, which are based upon principles, 
they liberate us from habits based upon imbalance and  off-centeredness and the
'social mirror'.

Principles are the mainstay of the "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People."

Futurlogics 'habit' is based upon the general overall Self Teaching Principle.

HABIT 7 Sharpen the Saw: 
        Principle of Balanced Self-renewal.

        (Metacognition and RE-creation, Sunday day of rest, think smarter not
         harder, 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure')

        (I believe that prospective thinking is the sharpening stone upon which
         the tools are sharpened.  It is the wet stone of the Seven/Eight 
         Habits. It is Habit Zer0.) 

        (HABIT SEVEN is the boot strap habit upon which all other habits are
         lofted)

        (We must always tune the violin before playing the notes)

Habit Seven is taking time to Sharpen the Saw.  It surrounds the other habits
on the 'Seven Habits' paradigm because it is the habit that makes all the
other (habits) possible.  Where do you get the TIME but by
prospective thinking where foreknowledge of certain events give one the
advance information to leverage the time and space to sharpen tools.

Futurlogics is the upward spiral that makes the tools that sharpens the 
'saw'.  It takes a tool to make a tool or sharpen a tool.  Consider that 
the mind is the ultimate tool to sharpen all other tools.

There is this claim in Futurlogics that is worth quoting at this point.

    Futurlogics is a self-improvement book, as the subject of the
future lends itself to the technique used in that class of writing
currently published.  The reader may find it helpful to view this work in the
same format as these to obtain the goals of the book.  Most self-improvement 
books are "now" oriented, formulated to improve status, prestige, and power.  
Instead, we are to go ahead to the future, seeking success promised in these 
other books will be easier and viable.

. . . 

     Positive mental attitudes--thinking big and self-improvement
programs--suggest that we are guided by our beliefs.  Without understanding
the future we are in danger of losing the potential and latent
talents we possess.  After all, the goals we choose come from our belief
in what the future might be.  Understanding the future and mastering
Futurlogics assists us in achieving our goals.  To do this, we must think
big, be positive, and accept progress.


Stephen R. Covey "SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE" can be divided into
four general sections:

PRIVATE VICTORY (Character Building)(Principle Development)(Three Habits 1,2,3)
INTERPERSONAL VICTORY (Public Victory)                     (Three Habits 4,5,6)
SHARPENING THE TOOLS  (Upward Spiral)                      (Habit 7)
MENTORING (Find own voice, help others find their voice)   (Habit 8)


How does Futurlogics assist in building this 'Habit Paradigm'?

Private Victory is enhance at every level with Prospective Thinking or 
   Futurlogics the advance thinking model .

Interpersonal Victory There is no Public Victory without a Private
   Victory 

Sharpening The Tools Basis of the Victories Futurlogics
   is the stone to sharpen the Tools to build the Principled Habits.

Mentoring The Eighth Habit of helping other to find their voice after
   one find ones own voice.  Greatness comes from helping others to be great.
   Greatness comes from knowing what lies ahead and being in a position to 
   warn or guide others through the 'perils' and the good times also.
   Even if you are not the rudder of the organization, you can be the trim-tab
   of the rudder; but, remember a trim-tab moves opposite to the rudders 
   direction and this . . . can be seen as a disturbance and/or disobedience.
   Four modes of human existence are covered as spirit, mind, body, heart and
   these are positively manifest by modeling, pathfinding, aligning, empowering.
   of these pathfinding (chapter 11 in the EIGHTH HABIT) is the least understood.

Quote from Futurlogics concerning the trim-tab theory:

Opposition to change is not always detrimental because it can be used as a pivot to effect changes that would not otherwise be possible. All change is met with oppositition and this principle cannot be escaped, so the best thing we can do is use the opposition to further produce the desired goal. This is where intelligence is a prime factor in preparing. Pure intelligence is a force with no opposition.

Futurlogics could be of great assistence here as it is the visioning and
common goal selection for your organizaition.  It is seeing the future
from the same perspective.
   


If you have started with FUTURLOGICS then where do you go?  One recommended 
direction is to go to the "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" 
by Stephen R. Covey.

		

			


 Still Teaching Personal Greatness 

Click image above to go to Stephen R. Covey's Website


  
 
		


After the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey, where do
you go?  To his Eighth Habit, but if you want to go to greater depth of under-
standing of the mechanics of the Paradigm Principle--then dig into Futurlogics 
the final tool sharpening stone.  If one want to analyze the basic nature of 
Paradigms, you will need Futurlogics to study the components of the Paradigm 
splayed out as the rainbow by the prism of the mind.  

Futurlogics is the Synergy at the Personal Principle Level or the Self Teaching 
Principle Level of intuition and insight which acts as the prism of thought.
This is referenced as DMP for short in the Futurlogics Theory.

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is the Synergy at the Interpersonal
level based upon the four endowments unique to man i.e. self-awareness,
imagination, conscience, independent will.  According to Dr. Covey when
"Effective People" work together there is a second level of Synergy that
will be evident as the 'Eighth Habit.'

What is proposed here is that HABIT ZERO is actually Futurlogics and the 
obtaining of DMP; or, Holistic Thinking in the Prospective Mode.  And: of 
course, any inspiration is welcome.

Further comments concerning a book written in collaboration with Stephen R. Covey 
and A. Roger Merrill and Rebecca R. Merrill entitled "FIRST THINGS FIRST"
copyright 1994 by Covey Leadership Center, Inc.

On page 72 of this book is the following paragraphs:

"The best way to predict your future is to create it.  You can use the same
power of creative imagination that enables you to see a goal before you 
accomplish it or plan a meeting to create much of the quality of your own
reality before you live it."

And on page 103 of this same book is the following paragraphs:

"We all have some vision of our ourselves and our future.  And that vision
creates consequences.  More than any other factor, vision affects  the
choices we make and the way we spend our time."


A couple of quotes from Futurlogics from first the Imaginative MODE and 
then the Creative MODE: 

    "Memory ties us to the past; our senses observe the present, but
what mental process enables us to consider the future?  Imagination is
essential to prospective thought, suggesting that the analogy to the
memory and sense observation may be the imagination.  However, the
power of imagination is essential not only to prospective thought, but
to thought in general.  We see this need immediately because we can
imagine both the true and the false, the material and the immaterial.
Imagination does more than enable the mind to view the future."

. . .

    "We must realize that there will always be things and events that
we can never create.  There are limits.  The ultimate limit may be man
himself.  God, who seems to leave us to ourselves, may one day reveal
those limits.  How much energy and power would it require to accomplish
all the dreams of the mind?  If we learn to work with nature, it
may not require any energy at all, except that of intelligence.  Making
nature work for us is the art of creating a synthetic future we can live
in.  Brute force and exercising muscles in every direction with no
control or forethought may produce a synthetic future which no one
can tolerate."

Building a vision for the future with its attending goals is best approached
with the view that the future must be seen through Six thought streams or
modes and synergized with Holistic Thinking.

The benefit of studying a thinking system such as Futurlogics is as follows : 

With the advent and advancement of the computer there is now time to do what man can do better than the machines and that is really think and make good decisions notwithstanding the singularity. The Brain is so flexible that it can have millions of thinking systems for every purpose. Man must really learn to think again. Perhaps children think the way we should and we need a reminder to get back to that natural thought process. Computers and computer modeling have given man time to think and the winner in the competition to come is in the ones who are thinking best! Top Management will be equal in software and data processing as the Software Companies unify, so the differences will be in the companys who can OUT THINK their market competitors. Computer process data. People process knowledge. Foreknowledge is leverage to change or protect the future!

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