Haiku, as you may know, is a Japanese poetry form that traditionally is only three lines long. The first line has five syllables, the second has seven and the third line has five. This form leads to incredibly terse statements that, remarkably, still deliver the message. In a recent presentation I gave at work on Stephen Covey’s classic book, “
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People“, I summarized each of the seven habits as a haiku. Here’s what I came up with…
1. Be Proactive
Be responsible:
Don’t blame you and don’t blame “them”.
Action is the key.
2. Begin With The End In Mind
Select your goal first,
Then your path is determined.
Now, take your first step!
3. Put First Things First
Prioritize it:
Do first what is important,
Then do all the rest.
4. Think Win/Win
This is what I want:
We both get what we both want.
(That is the best way.)
5. Seek First To Understand, Then To Be Understood
Listen intently,
Never, never, ever speak.
Then, speak a little.
6. Synergize
I am only one.
One is also all you are.
But combined, we’re three!
7. Sharpen The Saw
Busy, busy, oh!
Stop, relax and be refreshed.
That’s how you’ll improve.
I hope you enjoyed those, they were fun to write! I also learned more about each of these concepts in the process of trying to find 17 syllables that would best explain them. And so, the moral of the story is this: to understand a thing better, put it under a different light.
Use Contrasts To Discover Wisdom
This world is woven together by surprising contrasts and parallells. One interesting side effect is that it becomes very easy to create remarkably deep insights simply by twisting phrases around contrasting or parallell themes. For example: To be a friend to all…you must be all to a friend.
Simple. Rearranging the first clause creates a truism — a sentiment that is easily dismissed because it is so pithy. But when you peer into it more deeply, profound truth bursts forth. This simple statement addresses many searching questions: How do you make friends? How do you keep friends? What is a good friend? The answer is simple, but its meaning is great.
Use Wordplay To Discover The Secrets Of The Universe
If you enjoy wordplay, consider creating trusisms. You might even discover the soul of the universe along the way! Here are some more…
- To be “successful”, you must “be” successful.
- When you are talking, you aren’t listening.
- To understand your neighbor, seek to understand yourself.
- To get what you want, give what others need.
- Kindness is a selfless act. Cruelty is a selfish act.
- To discover wisdom, uncover your folly.
- To spend more tomorrow, spend less today.
- If you dream of success, succeed at your dreams.
- Thought creates nothing. Action creates everything.
- Giving hearts give more than giving hands.
- Evil thoughts and evil acts have the same victim.
- Hate begins with a thought. Love begins with an action.
- Light is the presence of light, but darkness is not the presence of darkness.
- To shower your family with presents, shower them with your presence.
- If you want only what you need, you need never be in want.
- Hate finds faults. Love accepts faults.
- Action builds hope. Sloth builds anguish.
- Busy bodies don’t have time to be busybodies.
- Physical limits constrain the body. The mind constrains itself.
- Today won’t be the same as yesterday. Tomorrow won’t be the same as today.
- Praising me makes me happy. Praising you makes us happy.
- Sometimes people that seem to have money only seem to have money.
- Lies require a host of proof. Truth requires none.
- Better questions lead to better answers.
- Rules lead the masses. Ideals lead the leaders.
The official website of author and philosopher, Aaron Simmons
