[Mar 2025] The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens

Be proactive, set goals, prioritize wisely, think win-win, listen, collaborate, and take care of yourself. These 7 habits will help you grow, succeed, and lead a balanced, meaningful life.

Hey Champ

It’s March 2025 and you are just a month away from turning 11 in April. Needless to say, but I miss you a lot and every day and every minute I pray to Almighty to look out for you in every way possible and to give you strength wherever and whenever you need it to help you find your way ahead and come out happier, stronger and better than ever before.

In this month’s letter, I thought I would pick a book popularly available and try to read it out for you - in a way!

So - here it goes, a book review or summary or whatever you want to call it - of ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens’. I know you are still 2 years away from becoming a Teen - but kids are growing faster these days and this book was written a long time ago, so I am sure the lessons there would be applicable or useful even for you at this age.

This book talks about 7 Habits that young kids like yourself, should try and imbibe in their day to day life:

Habit 1: Be Proactive – Take Charge of Your Life

Think of life like a game. You can either play actively or sit on the bench watching. Proactive people take responsibility for their actions instead of blaming others.

In other words, proactive people are focused more on taking action that could lead to immediate ‘impact’/’results’ rather than waiting around for things to be done by others.

It also means that if something goes wrong, instead of saying, “It’s not my fault!” ask yourself, “What can I do to fix this?”

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind – Have a Goal

Imagine playing a football match without goalposts—how would you know where to score? Life is the same way. If you don’t have clear goals, you might feel lost.

Similarly, think about what kind of person you want to be. What do you want to achieve? Start taking small steps toward it now.

Habit 3: Put First Things First – Prioritize Wisely

This is one of the most important habits: Learn to manage your time! Instead of wasting time on distractions, make sure you do what’s important first.

As a thumb rule, get into the habit of regularly asking yourself: “Is this helping me become better, or am I just wasting time?”

The Gita says:

“युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु।” (Gita 6.17)

Translation: Balance in eating, working, and relaxing leads to success.

Prioritizing means knowing when to work hard and when to rest—balance is key!

Habit 4: Think Win-Win – Success is Not a Competition

Too often, people believe that if someone wins, someone else must lose. But true success comes when everyone wins.

Whenever you think of anybody else e.g. a friend, a colleague, a cousin or a classmate, instead of feeling jealous of his/her success, help them grow while growing yourself. A win-win attitude will earn you lifelong friendships and respect.

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood – Listen More

Do you know what most people’s biggest mistake is? They listen to reply, not to understand.

Never make that mistake. If you truly listen when someone speaks, you’ll earn their trust and learn more about them.

The Bhagavad Gita teaches:

“श्रद्धावान् लभते ज्ञानं।” (Gita 4.39)

Translation: A person who listens with faith and patience gains true wisdom.

Habit 6: Synergize – Work Well with Others

Imagine trying to build a house alone. Difficult, right? But if everyone works together, the work gets done faster and better.

Learning to work with people, respect differences, and collaborate will take you much further in life than trying to do everything alone.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw – Take Care of Yourself

A woodcutter who never sharpens his saw will soon struggle to cut trees. The same applies to life—if you don’t take care of your body, mind, and emotions, you won’t be able to perform well.

Eat well, exercise, read, relax, and spend time with good people—these are the things that “sharpen” your mind and body.

Final Thoughts:

I don’t think that these habits are the only habits that you will need, however these are definitely some of the most important ones.

I am excitedly looking forward to the day when you will do amazing things and I will be the proudest father in the whole wide world!

Love you infinity times infinity!